FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: 2016 Audi S4 premieres

The all-electric Audi e-tron quattro concept may have been the star at Audi's 2015 Frankfurt motor exhibit but there was still some traditional muscle on display, namely the S4.

With a slightly more aggressive demeanour than the regular A4 on which it's based, thanks to 18-inch wheels (19-inchers optional) and bolder front and rear aprons – not to mention trademark quad exhaust pipes – the new Audi S4 dispatches the 0-100km/h sprint in just 4.7 seconds.

That's considerably more spirited than the 5.0 seconds its predecessor took, due chiefly to the extra gristle from its 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine.

Output has been boosted from 245kW and 440Nm to 260kW and 500Nm, and despite having more mumbo the new Audi S4 uses less petrol too. Fuel consumption is down from 7.7 to 7.4L/100km. Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

Available in both sedan and wagon body styles, the new model is due in Australia in late 2016 and will be priced slightly over $100,000, as is currently the case.

The V6's storming power will be transferred to all four wheels via a conventional eight-speed automatic gearbox – there's no talk of a manual.

As observed by Audi's chief of technical development, Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, the car is a "combination of outstanding quattro performance, restrained design, and state of the art drivetrain, suspension, and infotainment technology."

Restrained design is right, Audi is clearly targeting a more mature buyer, but with adaptive dampers enthusiastic drivers should get a lot out of the package. Like the new Audi A4, the S4 gets a redesigned suspension rig but this one rides 23mm lower and features continuously adjustable dampers with several modes, from cruisey to crazy.

Lump in a self-locking centre differential that apportions torque 40:60 front to rear in normal operation and can swing it between 70:30 and 15:85 and the car's beefy 500Nm of torque will be put to good use.

And if you want more cornering competency there's an optional sport differential that adds torque vectoring on the rear axles by 'actively' transferring twist between the rear wheels when cornering.

The pumped-up Audi S4 will also benefit from all the connectivity features built into the new A4, including the eye-popping virtual cockpit instrument panel, not to mention the upgraded 12.3-inch MMI infotainment system with touchpad interface and the latest iOS and Android compatibility.

Standard front seats in the S4 feature adjustable sports bolsters along with a massage function and are finished in a blend of Nappa leather and Alcantara. Voice control, sat nav, wi-fi hotspots and even a rear seat Audi tablet are available, not to mention a thumping Bang & Olufsen stereo.

Shaun Cleary, Audi Australia's senior product communications executive, said the new S4 model will be an important part of the A4 range when it arrives at the tail end of 2016.

"All our performance cars are very popular at the moment. The S3 has gone from strength to strength and S4 is a good opportunity to build on that success. That amount of power, that amount of performance, and all the technology and connectivity that comes with the new A4, this is really exciting," said Cleary.

The current Audi S4 sedan and wagon are pegged at $104,610 and $108,110 respectively, and could be expected to rise slightly depending on how they are specified for the Australian market.

Full coverage from motoring.com.au at Frankfurt motor show here

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