Audi S4 2006 Review

What we liked
>> New soul-full V8 note
>> Small car/Big engine mix
>> Silk Nappa Recaros are special

Not so much
>> Gearbox has no true manual mode
>> No track star
>> A4 interior dated

May as well get this straight from the start: There's more changed on the face of the latest S4 than under its skin. Sure, there are new panels, an upgraded leather interior and other detailed changes, but deep down where the performance parts live you'd be hard-pressed to pick the new from old.

You see, the launch of the revised 'B7' Audi A4 range earlier this year saw much of the last S4's upgraded underpinnings transferred across Audi's volume selling range. At that time the car's front suspension geometry was picked up by the cooking model A4s, as was its A6-based rear suspension. Indeed, tweaks learned by the engineers in developing the 'real world sports car' S4 were a fair chunk of the improvements wrought on the standard offering's chassis.

In other words -- it already had the good gear!

Fast forward to today and with the range-topping supersport RS4 launched in Europe and set to arrive here in early 2006, Audi could be forgiven for soldiering on with the existing S-car. Instead, it has made canny changes to the V8-powered midsizer. Enough it seems to give it a fresh look and arguably, a fresh market at which to tilt.

The overall looks have been updated to fit in with the rest of the A4 range -- the S4 logically echoes the more mainstream standard A4 offering though it benefits from a dose of added muscularity all 'round.

The new front end bears the now-trademark Audi single frame grille, this time with S-exclusive grid, fresh (and now standard) adaptive Xenon headlamps and larger lower air intakes. At the rear there's a more aggressive diffuser-style rear bumper and the feature that every performance saloon seems to have these days -- four exhaust pipes.

Kick over the new S4 and it's these that will catch your attention. Least the sound emanating from them will!

Though there was no mistaking the last model was a V8, this latest car fair shouts out the fact. The car's 40-valve 253kW/410Nm 4.2-litre V8 may be unchanged but the new exhaust system plays a tune that befits an engine at least 1.5-litres bigger. Stirring stuff.

Unlike last year's S4 there's no manual gearbox option offered in the latest model -- it seems the sweet shifting six-speeder attracted just a handful of buyers Down Under. Instead, Audi's Tiptronic six-speed auto is the default choice, mated to the S4's unchanged (except for some damper tuning) Quattro all-wheel drive running gear.

The transmission is adaptive and, on the road at least, quick witted. Steering wheel paddles are standard fit but even when the transmission is placed in 'manual' mode it will change both up and down gears of its own accord. This factor alone made the car feel out of its depth at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit -- the venue chosen by Audi Australia for the S4's launch.

The Island's long straights and open layout certainly allowed the car to stretch its not inconsiderable legs -- 200km/h came up quick smart on the front straight. The circuit's three 'big' brake applications also highlighted the effectiveness of the four-wheel discs but overall the track time didn't necessarily show off the car at its best.

Like most all-wheel drives (Mitsubishi Evo IX excluded!) the S4 was not entirely at home on the Island's long sweepers. Quick times required some patience on the throttle as early application of the 253kW in corners had the front scrabbling for grip and the car understeering wide despite the best efforts of the uprated Bosch ESP 8.0 stability control.

On the other hand when you tried to 'torque' the car around and use the midrange urge of the engine, the transmission would kick down mid-corner even at modest throttle openings and upset your plans. Not nice...

Fortunately we were able to depart from the scheduled launch road route and attack a favourite road in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges before handing back the keys. It was here that the car really shone -- proving without a shadow of a doubt where it was developed to be driven!

On this bumpy, sinuous and patchy blacktop, the S4 -- autobox and all -- was very, very good. The steering, which felt vague on the track, was more positive with better turn-in and none of the mid-corner floatiness the elevated track speeds produced. Though there was some (steering) rack rattle in some of the tighter, bumpier corners, there was little if any kickback and feel was good. Markedly better than standard A4s.

Traction was abundant (stopping and going!) and made it easy to make the most of the muscular mill. It took some loose gravel and a helpful cowpat or two to get the ESP light flashing. With over 400Nm available from 3000-4500rpm, make no mistake this is a car in which very rapid point-to-point times can be logged.

Even the gearbox seemed happier to let the driver do the driving, though it still added or subtracted the odd extra cog when it wasn't entirely required.

The brakes, despite a caning at the track the same afternoon, were powerful and squeal free, and in the tight stuff that unashamed V8 engine note echoed and resonated off the rocks and earth and made real music.

The road leg also gave us a better opportunity to appreciate the standard Silk Nappa leather (an option on the last model) Recaros and the easy to use (though optional) navigation. Though the A4 range's interior is starting to show its age -- especially against the likes of the latest BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS250 -- it's still a nice place to while away the miles.

It's unfair to pay any heed to the average fuel economy recorded over the day given the track work. Nonetheless, at the end of the drive the lt/100km stat on the onboard computer would have embarrassed the local AWD V8 offering. Still, if you're buying an S4 with a mind to fuel economy you're barking up the wrong tree.

In nuce, though originally pegged as a competitor for BMW's M3, the lastest version of the S4 has moved irreversibly towards the likes of Mercedes-Benz's hottest C-Class, the C55 AMG -- a fast, classy and sporty pocket 'bahnburner. With the arrival of the ultra-sharp RS4 just around the corner that makes perfect sense, and the crew at Ingolstadt is nothing if not sensible...