2010 Audi S4

2010 S4 Photos
2010 Audi S4 – Click above for high-res image gallery We'll just come right out and say it: Audi lost the plot with the last generation S4. Unlike the twin-turbocharged V6-equipped B5, its B6 and B7 brethren did little to stoke the flames in our collective hearts. The "S" simply stood for, "I paid more for a bigger engine and some additional trim." Needless to say, that sort of behavior doesn't cut it when you're battling it out with one of the most competent sports sedan of the last decade: the BMW 335i. So with the all-new A4 (B8) comes the 2010 Audi S4 – the most credible contender to BMW's hugely competent middle child. This time, Audi brings back the boost. And it's about damn time... %Gallery-74086% Photos copyright ©2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. Since there's been some confusion in the past, let's set off by getting our branding barometer calibrated. Audi A4: Entry-level sports sedan. Audi RS4 (due out late next year): High-po competitor to the M3, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and Lexus IS-F. Audi S4: Well, that gets a bit sticky... Audi cites the S4's main competitors as the BMW 335i and 335xi, the Mercedes-Benz C350 and the Lexus IS350. You'll notice one of these things is not like the other. With the exception of the 335xi, none are equipped with Audi's party piece: all-wheel drive. Naturally, that feature comes at a cost. Starting price of the 335xi: $42,300 with a manual and $43,625 with BMW's Steptronic auto 'box. Starting price of the 2010 S4: $45,900 with a six-speed manual or $47,300 with Audi's new seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. That's a minor price discrepancy, but a discrepancy nonetheless. So what's the extra coin get you? BMW's AWD is aimed at snow-bound Northerners; Audi's is a performance upgrade. If you want to debate whose all-wheel drive system is better, feel free, but we'll save you the trouble: Audi, by a landslide. BMW's AWD option is aimed at snow-bound Northerners; Audi's is a performance upgrade and a brand differentiator. Quattro's been honed to perfection over the last 30 years and, at the end of the day, it's just what Audi does – and they do it properly. Those interminable days of relentless understeer are nearly a thing of the past, replaced with smooth tracking and seemingly limitless grip. But as we found in review of the 2009 Audi A4 3.2 Quattro, it comes at the expense of engagement. With the S4, Audi sought to rectify the situation by focusing on two things and two things alone: tractable power and enhanced agility. The first part of the formula comes from the all-new supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6, initially offered Stateside in the 2009 Audi A6. Retuned from its upper-midsize sedan sibling, the four-rotor equipped supercharger huffs and puffs 11.6 PSI into the bent six's cylinders, resulting in 333 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 325 pound-feet of torque from 2,900 to 5,300 RPM. For those keeping track, that's seven horsepower …
Full Review
2010 Audi S4 – Click above for high-res image gallery We'll just come right out and say it: Audi lost the plot with the last generation S4. Unlike the twin-turbocharged V6-equipped B5, its B6 and B7 brethren did little to stoke the flames in our collective hearts. The "S" simply stood for, "I paid more for a bigger engine and some additional trim." Needless to say, that sort of behavior doesn't cut it when you're battling it out with one of the most competent sports sedan of the last decade: the BMW 335i. So with the all-new A4 (B8) comes the 2010 Audi S4 – the most credible contender to BMW's hugely competent middle child. This time, Audi brings back the boost. And it's about damn time... %Gallery-74086% Photos copyright ©2009 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc. Since there's been some confusion in the past, let's set off by getting our branding barometer calibrated. Audi A4: Entry-level sports sedan. Audi RS4 (due out late next year): High-po competitor to the M3, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and Lexus IS-F. Audi S4: Well, that gets a bit sticky... Audi cites the S4's main competitors as the BMW 335i and 335xi, the Mercedes-Benz C350 and the Lexus IS350. You'll notice one of these things is not like the other. With the exception of the 335xi, none are equipped with Audi's party piece: all-wheel drive. Naturally, that feature comes at a cost. Starting price of the 335xi: $42,300 with a manual and $43,625 with BMW's Steptronic auto 'box. Starting price of the 2010 S4: $45,900 with a six-speed manual or $47,300 with Audi's new seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. That's a minor price discrepancy, but a discrepancy nonetheless. So what's the extra coin get you? BMW's AWD is aimed at snow-bound Northerners; Audi's is a performance upgrade. If you want to debate whose all-wheel drive system is better, feel free, but we'll save you the trouble: Audi, by a landslide. BMW's AWD option is aimed at snow-bound Northerners; Audi's is a performance upgrade and a brand differentiator. Quattro's been honed to perfection over the last 30 years and, at the end of the day, it's just what Audi does – and they do it properly. Those interminable days of relentless understeer are nearly a thing of the past, replaced with smooth tracking and seemingly limitless grip. But as we found in review of the 2009 Audi A4 3.2 Quattro, it comes at the expense of engagement. With the S4, Audi sought to rectify the situation by focusing on two things and two things alone: tractable power and enhanced agility. The first part of the formula comes from the all-new supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6, initially offered Stateside in the 2009 Audi A6. Retuned from its upper-midsize sedan sibling, the four-rotor equipped supercharger huffs and puffs 11.6 PSI into the bent six's cylinders, resulting in 333 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 325 pound-feet of torque from 2,900 to 5,300 RPM. For those keeping track, that's seven horsepower …
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Retail Price

$45,900 - $45,900 MSRP / Window Sticker Price
Engine 3.0L V-6
MPG Up to 18 city / 27 highway
Seating 5 Passengers
Transmission 6-spd man w/OD
Power 333 @ 5500 rpm
Drivetrain quattro all wheel
Curb Weight 3,847 lbs
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