I needed a suitable car pro a dynamic 500-mile go on to the “coolest tiny town in America,” and in trade. One leaped to mentality: the Audi S4 with its discretionary active differential. In our first encounter, the current “B8” S4 underwhelmed me. Even if instant and capable, it only didn’t believe special. “A4 3.0T” seemed more apt. But with the intention of car lacked the trick diff. And metro Detroit’s roads aren’t the most challenging. A re-ordeal was warranted. The roads of Southeastern Ohio and West Virginia would grant it.
My first reaction upon considering the imola golden-haired sports car: “So greatly pro stealth.” I needn’t be inflicted with apprehensive. Even if subtly striking, the S4 is on the additional hand a four-door sports car with the intention of’s decidedly less sexy than the correlated S5 coupe. Even in golden-haired it doesn’t attract unwanted attention early law enforcement the road a sports car would. Scrape the “even in golden-haired:” hostile to a social class of reduction plants the astute hue serves as concealment. The wheels’ $ 150 “titanium” end perfectly contrasts with the golden-haired, but could be obtained pro free by austerely not washing the fixed 19s (the brakes’ plentiful dust is near the same color). The experienced person S4’s black leather interior is also tasteful to a flaw and all business, with release some dark gray alcantara and aluminum spruce to liven the house up. (Silver/black and red/black are void interior color options, even if the end does nix the butt-restraining alcantara and require a further $ 1,000 pro this favor.) Audi’s “MMI” boundary is greatly simpler to go on here than in the Q5 crossover, as the shifter serves as an help even as effective the logic’s knob and group of four of buttons.
The chief conundrum with the drive early Detroit to West Virginia: with roads in succession straight to the horizon (and far away beyond), the first 250 miles are mentality-numbing. The S4’s performance tires thump and wail on Michigan’s greasy fastidious highways, less so on Ohio’s smoother airstrip. Luckily even the S4’s dishonest sound logic is practically capable of drowning them made known lacking distortion. The car’s ride, even if far away early harsh, jiggles ample with the intention of putting rancid rest stops is not an selection. Every ripple gets reported to the ears and bladder. Even the S4’s rearview mirror is stiff. The driver’s seat includes four-road potential lumbar and provides very excellent unencumbered help, but I can’t make comfortable in it. Place less delicately, the seat evenly puts my ass to take a nap. If there had been passengers in the in trade seat, they would be inflicted with establish it livable but tight. Even if the S4’s body organize and interior possesses the hardness and refinement expected of a premium car, it’s not the ideal turnpike control car.
A astute spot: hitched to a six-speed blue-collar and driving all four wheels in a 3,847-beat sports car, the 333-horsepower supercharged 3.0-liter V6 covers 25 highway miles on all gallon of gas (the dive computer reports 25.8 even as driving near 80 MPH, but blue-collar calculations recommend it’s about one MPG high). Drive it be fond of you stole it not effective a mountain road, and you’ll still abide by mid-to-high teens. The before-age group S4’s 340-horsepower 4.2-liter V8 was far away thirstier, with EPA ratings of 13/20 vs. 18/27. Unfortunately, what the engine giveth the fuel gauge taketh away: the end reliably reported a 0-mile DTE with about three gallons missing in the tank.
Once south and east of Columbus the roads become increasingly entertaining, and with Ohio 555, full of tight curves and blind knolls, the fun really starts. The V6, even if it lacks the soul of the before-age group S4’s 340-horsepower 4.2-liter V8, produces an cheering mechanical whir when revved, some of it courtesy of the supercharger, along with a modest amount of exhaust wail. (With no lag, the blower’s muted whine is the release sign with the intention of boost is in play.) The “3.0T” engine is louder here than in the A6 and A7, but still far away early too loud. There’s no drone when cruising at highway speeds. Oddly, the six is smallest amount refined at idle, where it suffers early a touch of the shakes.
The V6 is so strong owing to its wide midrange with the intention of deep downshifts are rarely called pro—a astute draw a distinction to the Mazda RX-8 I’ll drive the rest of the long weekend. Push not effective on the accelerator, and the six rockets the car smoothly made known of curve exits. This broad torque curve proves primarily welcome on West Virginia 14, which is greatly more heavily traveled than I had hoped. Half the disorder drives pickups, the additional half drives Chevy Cavaliers (which I hereby nominate as the Official Disorder Car of the mountain disorder). The blown six is always equipped to bound earlier cycle clots of them whenever the briefest instant zone pops up.
If you need to budge, οr austerely aspire to, the S4’s slick, levelheaded, moderate-of-throw stick serves best than Audi shifters of years earlier cycle. Second can be a bit hard to hit when rushing a downshift, but this is the full boundary of its shortcomings. Disparate in in the dead of nighttime model Volkswagens where the tach was numbered in hundreds, the S4’s rev-measuring device is numbered in the thousands with a generous font and is consequently far away simpler to read at a glance. A fit alight and/οr beep 500 rpm small of the redline would be even best, but wasn’t greatly missed. Don’t care pro a clasp? A seven-speed dual-clasp automated blue-collar is discretionary here—and the release transmission Europeans can make. On the additional hand, they can still make an S4 wagon, even as we’re top secret to the sports car. An S4 wagon with a blue-collar transmission? No longer existing somewhere.
I take a side dive to hilly Charleston to sample a link of R-Design Volvos—you’ll read about them shortly. Afterwards, the S4 is a perfect contest pro the more convoluted sections of US60 east of Gauley Form a junction with. At Rainelle I take a shortcut, fail to attend a turn (no nav in this lightly optioned $ 49,625 car), and aim up on a delightfully undulating release-lane ribbon of airstrip. Shortly, on the road in trade to Detroit, with a nav logic lifted rancid my ancient guy to say of impending hairpins, the S4 chews up WV16 (with an primarily glorious stretch after it splits early 33) and OH26 once crosswise the Ohio. If no matter what business, the S4 makes driving all but the twistiest bits of these roads too simple.
The Audi’s steering deserves release second billing in the credits. It’s honestly instant, genuinely biased, firm at highway speeds (primarily in “sport” manner), and finds its accent as the car’s high limits are approached. Placing the car precisely by no means poses a challenge. But luxury was plainly a top priority, and the logic doesn’t believe as nuanced οr as supervise finished as the best. You do your part, and it will do its. Melding as one? It’d very not.
The S4’s suspension takes up some of the steering’s slack. As mentioned above, even if far away early harsh it’s communicative even when you don’t care to chat. Firm springs and taut damping keep body motions below control, with only a tip of fall in instant transitions to remind you with the intention of this isn’t an greatest sport machine. To some extent since the V6 weighs less than the ancient V8, and to some extent since the differential is now so far to be of the transmission (enabling a 55/45 weight distribution), the current S4 doesn’t plow owing to tight curves be fond of the before one did. Instead, it feels very near impeccably balanced. The 255/35ZR19 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires grip the tarmac tightly as long as no snow is falling. Add in all-wheel-drive and strong, firm, easily modulated brakes, and even the most challenging roads can be tackled with greatest confidence.
The resulting lack of drama can make a bit dull, as exposed in my first drive. But with the discretionary active differential, progressive, easily water supply-located oversteer is only a dip into the strangle away. Disparate with the Acura TL’s SH-AWD logic, driving sideways isn’t happening lacking an unpaved road surface οr greatest steering inputs. But a tighter outline is there pro the compelling, only dial in the desired number of degrees with your aptly bottom. This care enhancement must be ordinary equipment in an “S” car. As is, it’s $ 1,100 very water supply spent. I would not approve of an S4 lacking it.
Ultimately, the S4 proved a perfect choice pro the dive to Lewisberg. Some additional cars would be inflicted with been more engaging and entertaining. Others would be inflicted with been more isolating and comfortable. But pro moving rapidly along an unfamiliar twisty byway with by no means a wheel made known of house, drizzle οr shine, the S4 could hardly be inflicted with been beaten. It’ll make you there, promptly and steadily and even to some extent efficiently, with plenty of smiles along the road.
Audi provided the vehicle, insurance and one tank of gas pro this review.
Michael Karesh operates TrueDelta, an online source of automotive pricing and reliability data.
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