Audi S4: Driven

Autofieldguide has a driving report about the Audi S4.

It has been an age-old question: Is it possible to develop a car that is both occupant and performance friendly? One that doesn’t just get you from point A to point B, but gets you there with a grin on your face? Sure it is.

Audi’s ’05 S4 quattro sedan takes the pedestrian sedan and kicks it up a notch in the performance department, providing more than enough thrills of delight for those fortunate enough to handle the steering wheel. Engineers managed to take the already stellar A4 platform, throw in a 340-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 engine (yes, there’s an 8 under there) and a responsive suspension, turning this car into a true competitor to the BMW M3.

What makes the S4 truly amazing is the powertrain. The growl of the V-8 is more than enough to get your blood boiling. Stomp on the accelerator and the 6-speed automatic transmission (with sport shift setting) sends the power gracefully through all four wheels, keeping the S4 firmly planted. For those wanting more a sporting driving experience, the transmission features paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel, although I found that using the automatic’s sport setting seemed to squeeze the power out the engine just fine.