Barely has the all-new, fifth-generation Audi A4 hit the market than Ingolstadt has announced the model for all petrolheads. The S4 and S4 Avant feature turbocharged engines, discreet styling and pace. Lots and lots of pace. The RS 4 should be epic...
Exterior
Like any good S-model Audi, understated is the key word. There's a very subtle body kit on the lower portions of the S4, culminating in mildly different front and rear bumpers, and a large Singleframe grille on the nose. Matte grey detailing in some places and chrome in others teams up with a long-held S tradition - aluminium-look door mirror caps. Another S signature is the quad exhaust pipes at the rear. Audi claims the quattro-as-standard S4 weighs 1,630kg as a saloon and 1,675kg as an Avant.
LED lights are standard all round, with the dynamic turn signal sweeping indicators thrown in too. Optional upgrades include Matrix LED headlamps with an automatic anti-dazzle function.
Interior
S-embossed sports seats, matte brushed aluminium inlays and a broad air vent strip with integrated air conditioning controls make for another typically lovely Audi cabin. Additional details include the optional Virtual Cockpit and various infotainment upgrades for the MMI system. Audi is claiming 480 litres of luggage space for the S4 saloon, rising to 505 litres (rear seats up) or 1,510 litres (rear seats down) for the S4 Avant - which also gets an automated tailgate as standard. Expect both S4s to have the full suite of electronic driver assist systems, too.
Mechanicals
The supercharged V6 of the old S4 has gone, replaced by a 3.0-litre turbocharged direct injection V6 TFSI lump. Peak power is 354hp and it is bolstered by 500Nm from 1,300- to 4,500rpm, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox. Performance is therefore suitably brisk, leaving us wondering where the RS 4 goes from here - as the S4 strips off 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds and runs on to a limited 250km/h top speed.
Audi says torque distribution on the quattro system is biased 40:60 in favour of the rear axle, but is able to sling up to 70 per cent to the front and 85 per cent to the back; for a more committed driver, an optional sport differential can split torque across the rear wheels. It's also a clean car, as fuel economy stands at 7.4 litres/100km (31.8mpg), with CO2 emissions of just 170g/km.
The new S4 gets 18-inch wheels as standard and 19s as an option, while powerful brakes are fitted to ensure it all stops tidily. The S sport suspension is 23mm lower than on a normal A4 and for a fee, Continuous Damping Control (CDC) can be fitted to the hot Audi.
Anything else?
Professor Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, member of the Audi board of management for Technical Development and spokesman for pretty much anything Audi, said: "At Audi, we have more than 20 years of expertise in developing our sporty S models. From day one, our formula for success has been a combination of outstanding quattro performance, restrained design, and state of the art drivetrain, suspension and infotainment technology. The new Audi S4 and S4 Avant impressively continue this sporty tradition."
Both S4 models will go on sale in early 2016.