Hot on the heels of a first drive of the all-new BMW 3-Series in Spain, we had this opportunity in Portugal to get behind the wheel of its direct competitor, the Audi A4, which has been given a mid-life makeover, as also the performance-packed S4
The automobile industry is becoming extremely competitive all over the world and the folk at Audi are at the top of the game. They know that their top-selling A4 is going to face stiff competition from the all-new BMW 3-Series. To counter this threat they have given a mid-life makeover to the A4 and also introduced the sports version, the S4, with more performance packed in it even before the launch of the new 3-Series.
The clean lines of the original A4 have become even cleaner and more distinctive. The horizontal lines at the front are more pronounced and the engine hood arched further. The upper corners of the single-frame grille are tapered and the cross ribs and the Audi rings are highlighted three-dimensionally. The re-designed front bumper gets an aggressive look thanks to the angular air ducts and the new headlamps. The new headlamp design is carried over to the LED tail-lamp at the rear. The Audi A4 has always been a very modern and stylish looking car and now it has become even shaper with this facelift.
The minute you slide into the S4 sports seats with integrated head restraints, there is a lot of side support to make sure that one does not move around in the seat with the G force when driving fast round corners and, at the same time, they provide excellent comfort to the occupant. The black leather sports steering with a flat bottom has brushed aluminium finish paddle shifter and the grey stitching gives a touch of class and sportiness. The A4 sets a new benchmark with the quality of its interior and now the improvements mean that the bar has been raised further.
The 3.0 TFSI supercharged engine comes to life as you press the start/stop button and select ‘Drive’ on the seven-speed S tronic gearbox. As you start driving, you do not feel all that different from the A4 until you put your foot down on the throttle and then all hell is let loose as the 3.0 supercharged engine unleashes all it 338 PS and 440 Nm of torque and pins you down in your seat with G force under acceleration. The seven-speed close ratio dual-clutch gearbox is a delight to use in the manual mode with the steering-mounted paddle shifters and especially when you are down-shifting when the throttle blips and you hear the sound from the exhaust is just magic. In the ‘Auto’ mode it makes sure that you are in the right gear for an instant response from the car.
The multi-link front and rear suspension set-up in the S4 has a lot of forged aluminium components to reduce the car’s unsprung weight and is slightly on the firm side compared to the standard A4, but can be set for ‘Comfort’ or ‘Sport’ modes as per your liking and driving mood. It is the Audi trademark Quattro all-wheel drive system that gives a big advantage over other cars in safety and grip levels that one does not realise until one is in a tight spot.
The drive in the S4 and the revamped A4 was in Portugal two days after I had driven the all-new BMW 3-Series in Spain and it was evident that the new 3-Series is very similar to the A4. The roads in Portugal are far better than those back home not only in terms of their surface, but also in terms of traffic discipline. Under near-perfect driving conditions one could exploit the car’s capabilities. Just a slight tap on the throttle pedal and you were in excess of three-digit mark on the speedometer and had to back off as you were exceeding the speed limit. You can throw the car around corners with your foot firmly planted on the accelerator and it does not move an inch off the line, thanks to the all-wheel drive Quattro system along with a great suspension set-up. At the same time, you can select the ‘Comfort’ mode and cruise around the town in the lap of luxury.
The S4 is just the car for someone who enjoys his driving and at the same time wants to take his family for a leisurely drive. A perfect all-round car.
You can throw the car around corners with your foot firmly planted on the accelerator and it does not move an inch off the line, thanks to the all-wheel drive Quattro system
Story: Aspi Bhathena
