From a small car company built out of passion and excellence in engineering, Audi sticks to their roots as they celebrate 100 years of automotive development.
The 2010 S4 exterior separates itself from the A4 sedan that it?s based on with styling hues that emphasize its already tight European design. Accents include Alu-optic mirrors, chromed ringed fog lamps, vertical chromed bars on the grille, quad exhaust pipes, stylish side rocker moldings and a new aggressive front bumper design to name a few. The S4 shows some flashy personality fitting in perfectly with what is waiting under the hood.
Powered by a V6 333 horsepower Roots-type supercharged engine (325 pound-feet of torque), this four door rocket didn?t make me think twice about needing a V8 engine. Its 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds (making it at least .5 seconds faster than its competitors and still getting 28 miles to the gallon on the highway) raced me through San Francisco traffic leaving everyone in my rear view mirror.? Integrated new technology, like the S tronic seven-speed dual clutch design, made shifting extremely fast and helps improve the car?s fuel efficiency.
Audi is well known for its ?quattro? all-wheel drive capability.? However, this time Audi has incorporated it with a new Sports Rear Differential. This adaptation not only varies torque between the front and rear wheels like before, it now varies the torque left and right between the rear wheels enabling the car?s outside rear wheel to push the vehicle through corners. The Sports Rear Differential helps eliminate understeer with a link to the cars electronic stability program, which can be altered via the vehicles presets (Audi Drive Select); Comfort, Auto, and Dynamic.? It may also be customized per driver through the Individual mode.
Starting at $45,900 the S4 is not done yet. It wouldn?t be complete without a sporty, redesigned interior letting you choose between stainless steel, carbon fiber, piano black or brushed aluminum trim. Complimenting sport designed seats prove effective through tight turns providing passengers more bolstering around the body. And Audi provides the option of several stylish two-toned seat combinations. Each S4 has detailed badging on the seats, steering wheel, doorsills and gauges giving you a constant subtle reminder that this is an S4.
Kimatni D. Rawlins is the publisher of www.AutomotiveRhythms.com
