Audi S4 sedan 2005 review

Audi has armed the updated S4 with the brand's all-new, big-mouth grille that is well suited to the muscular model.

The new S4 is similar to the existing model, which was introduced in February last year. It has a new body and other minor changes.

Audi has not messed with the potent 4.2-litre engine that sits under the aluminium bonnet.

Explore the 2005 Audi S4 range

• Audi S4 sedan 2005 review
• Audi S4 2005 review

This sweet-revving bent-eight engine belts out 253kW when it hits 7000 revs and 410Nm at 3500 revs.

It is linked to a six-speed automatic that feeds power to all four wheels with half the grunt headed to the front wheels and half to the rear.

If the Audi senses wheel-slip it can alter the power split to obtain the best traction possible.

But despite its sportiness, the new S4 will not be available with a manual transmission.

Audi says it dropped the manual from the line-up because almost all S4 buyers wanted the automatic gearbox and manuals sat in dealerships unsold.

This is in stark contrast to the more potent and more expensive RS4 model, which is expected to arrive in Australia in March - it only comes as a manual.

Luxury cars with V8s are not cheap and the S4 costs $131,200, slotting in just beneath the ageing rival M3 at $137,990 and a step below the Mercedes C55 at

$159,990. The S4 luxury sedan is not the lightest model around despite its aluminium chassis. The AWD driveshaft components add to the tally, weighing in at 1705kg.

Even so, it is able to dash from 0-100km/h in only 5.8 seconds.

Anyone taking the S4 on to the track may discover its top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

It demands 98 RON premium fuel and uses an average of 12.4 litres/ 100km of city and highway use.

The new S4 sits on chunky 18-inch alloy wheels and has aggressive front and rear bumper extensions. The car has new-look headlights and tail-lights, grille and large front bumper air intakes.

New quad pipes sit beneath each end of the S4's rear bumper, indicating that the vehicle has something special under the bonnet.

The luxury look is topped off with a line of chrome that runs around the outside of the windows, and matching chrome-look wing mirrors.

The S4 has a hefty braking system made up of 345mm front discs and 300mm discs at the rear.

Safety systems include electronic stability control, anti-skid brakes and a full suite of driver and passenger airbags as well.

Standard equipment includes xenon headlights that can swivel when the car is turning, satellite navigation, TV, Bose premium sound, rain-sensing wipers and a new-look steering wheel that comes with gear-change paddles.

ON THE ROAD

The Audi S4 might have a bold new grille and chunky wheels, but it really is an understated machine.

Most people don't guess it has a powerful V8 engine when they see it parked, but it's a different story when the 4.2-litre fires up.

The S4 will always be a refined model, but it has a wonderful V8 exhaust note that is quite loud – something engineers tuned for the updated model.

It is quiet at cruising speeds, but the V8 bellows when you ease open the throttle or floor it. The lumpy V8 engine's note is one of the S4's best features.

It was the same when the existing S4 was released about 18 months ago. In fact, apart from the new body work and a few different touches, not much has really changed.

The main difference between the S4 and its BMW M3 and Mercedes C55 AMG rivals is that the Audi is all-wheel-drive. This gives it an awesome amount of traction, especially in slippery conditions. It adds another layer of safety when you find some dust, dirt or water in the middle of a corner.

Some drivers, including myself, prefer rear-drive cars such as the M3 and C55 when it comes to taking them on a race track, but most appreciate the supreme grip and added safety an AWD offers.

The S4's power and torque figures are not stunning, with less power and torque than a Falcon XR8, but the engine has high output for its size and weight.

The automatic shifts smoothly, but its self-shift, with paddles and tiptronic gear-shift, is not very useful.

Even if you are using the self-shift mode, the gearbox overrides you and changes up by itself. This is annoying when you want to hold a gear as you approach a corner.

The gearbox also changes from first to second at what appears as 6300 revs on the tacho, when the engine's peak power is reached at 7000 revs.

For these reasons it really is a shame there's no manual gearbox option.

The S4 is edged out by both the M3 and the C55 in the 0-100km/h sprint, doing the dash in 5.8 seconds compared with 5.2 for both the BMW and Mercedes.

But the S4 is still fast enough, especially when most will never see a track.

The S4 sits flat through turns with next to no body roll. The suspension is race-track firm, which means it's great when you are on flat tarmac, but far too hard on non-perfect roads. This is a problem across most of the Audi range.

The cabin has the Audi quality you expect – Recaro leather seats, carbon-fibre dashboard highlights, a new sporty steering wheel – all of which add up to an interior that matches the price.

There is reasonable leg room in the back and the boot is big enough to handle large loads.

The S4 is a practical performance car, but is spoiled by harsh suspension and a limited automatic gearbox.