ROAD TEST:THIS COULD well have turned into a rather original twin test. On a sunny Monday after collecting the S4, I dropped fellow hack Paddy Comyn to Rialto to collect a gleaming white Ford Focus RS.
In rush hour on the M50, we stood out. Two shining new ‘09 cars in a row is a rare sight in itself, but two racing derivatives dripping with brash extras, engines gurgling along in search of open road, was emotive motoring, harking back to better times. I’m sure I saw a commuter in a ‘05 Mazda shed a tear.
Most of us writing for Motors have a soft spot for what could be described as the “stealth bombers” of the motoring world – cars that look like well-dressed versions of the average premium saloon, but turn into raging racers at the flick of a foot. The best carry very little external warning of their potency.
It’s something Audi has done particularly well, while BMW can’t resist adding the odd bonnet bulge or extra air vents to signal high-performance variants like the M3.
The S4 is, admittedly, the softer version of the ultimate A4 performance derivative, the RS4. That’s not out yet in its current incarnation, so we must make do with just 329 horses. But trust me, it’s no hardship.
On an early morning cross-country drive to Leitrim, the S4 excelled on wet and slippery back roads. Thanks largely to Audi’s legendary quattro four-wheel drive, road-holding was phenomenal, as was ride quality.
The problem with many performance models is that the trade-off for immediate propulsion is a filling-removing battering from an unforgiving suspension. But Audi has the balance just right.
Power delivery is immediate. Keeping within speed limits at all times – we promise – we rocketed off the line at traffic lights. It’s when you reach the next junction that you appreciate this car’s pace. Cars that once idled beside you are but distant specks in your rearview mirror.
Part of that is down to the impressive transfer of power from engine to tarmac through all four wheels. However, there are other features worthy of praise.
Not only is it reaping the rewards of the potent V6 up front, but also of a wonderfully smooth dual-clutch automatic transmission that is a must for any potential buyer.
Sold as the S-tronic range, it is Audi’s renamed version of Volkswagen’s DSG system. We first tested this transmission on a 3.2-litre TT several years ago, and it has lost none of its lustre. Changes are silky smooth and response times measured in nanoseconds, with the overall result of coaxing more power from a good engine than could be logically expected.
This car feels far quicker than stats suggest and you are left wondering how much more punch can be packed into the potent RS4. The risk Audi must face is of creating a car that is simply too wild to keep under control on a regular Irish road.
Once again, Audi’s great strides in terms of build quality are evident on the S4. Celebrating 100 years this month, the brand has fought hard to be considered premium, alongside fellow Germans, Mercedes and BMW. In the last decade, that position has been secured, largely due to a mix of fetching designs, good engines and the delivery of quality product.
However, it’s really in the current model generation that Audi has turned itself not only into another premium player, but something of a benchmark for rivals. That may not be the case with the larger cars, where Mercedes reigns supreme, but the new A4 certainly has BMW sweating a little.
Audi is clearly on a roll. An ambitious programme will see the introduction of a host of derivatives along with a new small car, the A1. Audi’s management clearly has its targets set at being the world’s number one premium brand.
And cars like the S4 will help the cause. While largely an image-building model in Ireland, it represents strong sales potential in the US, where a 3-litre V6 is still regarded as the sort of engine to opt for in a family runaround. It will also target Asian markets such as China, where Audi sees enormous potential in coming years.
For Irish buyers, the S4 will unfortunately remain a pricey proposition. Specification levels on the test car deserve a mention in this context. For the first day or so, we just enjoyed the luxury of driving it and playing with the gadgets. Those are the times we play at being a Lotto winner – when we get to enjoy cars for their engineering merit, not for their monetary value. And in this context, the S4 excels. We just didn’t want to get out of the driving seat.
Alas, the fun doesn’t last forever and when we sat down to study the form, our love began to wane – the test car came with a few nasty surprises. This is a €79,000 car, which is not really that surprising and you could argue that, compared to its rivals, it offers decent value.
However, throw on a few options one would expect to find as standard on a car of this price and things get a little silly. With in-built sat-nav and a few extras that didn’t include gold-plated alloys or anything outlandish, the final bill for our test car was €110,000. Yes that’s right: €30,000 worth of options, and I couldn’t see where they spent it.
Take the sat-nav. At €4,335, it was outrageously expensive when you consider a portable sat-nav would cost one-tenth of that price. It also didn’t have our Leitrim destination on its list, which meant we had to turn to a paper map to find our way. Needless to say, it was on the receiving end of some loud and colourful diatribes.
Then there are the S sports seats (€2,478) and the Bluetooth system (€1,547). Ironically, the best value option was the Bang Olufsen sound system, at just €1,137.
Everyone knows that in the premium market, the list price you see is rarely what you end up paying. At some stage, temptation will get the better of you. However, leaving with a bill of €30,000 for features that most would expect as standard may take the joy out of buying a new S4. It would certainly lead to an interesting follow-up conversation with your bank. Could you really hope to recoup that investment when it comes time to resell the car?
The S4 is a joy to drive on Irish roads – it may come from Bavaria, but it feels perfectly at home. It’s a pity the options list and pricing leave such a bitter taste. After all, for €109,585 – the final price tag on the test car – you could expect the letter “R” to precede the S4 monicker.
Factfile: Audi S4 saloon S-Tronic
CC:2,995
0-100km/h:5.3 seconds
Max speed:250km/h
BHP:329
Consumption:9.4l/100km (30mpg)
Price:€79,500 ex works
Engine:2,995cc TFSI V6 putting out 329bhp @ 5,500rpm and 440Nm of torque @ 2,900rpm; quattro four-wheel drive with either six-speed manual or seven-speed S-Tronic auto transmission
Specification:standard features include: 18" five-spoke alloys, rear parking sensors, cruise control, automatic air-con with sun sensor, alarm, front and side airbags, front and rear curtain airbags, electro- mechanical parking brake with hold assist, leather multi-function steering wheel, Xenon lights with LED daytime front lights and LED rear lights, auto wipers, space-saver spare wheel, split folding rear seats with Isofix fittings
L/100km (mpg):urban – 13.5 (20.1); extra-urban – 7 (40.4); combined – 9.4 (30.1)
CO2 emissions:219g/km
Tax:VRT – 32 per cent; road tax – €1,050
Price:€79,500