2010 Audi S4

Previously Audi moved the S4 from twin-turbo V-6 to a 4.2L V-8 boasting 340 hp in a bid for more output, but it looks as though worries about gas mileage and CO2 emissions are finally causing the automaker to blink. Returning to its forced-induction roots, the new 2010 S4 has a supercharged 3.0L V-6 under the hood, which is down 7 hp from last year's model. One of the primary benefits of the new powerplant is its impressive torque, for, along with 333 hp, it offers a full 324.5 lb-ft of twist, an upgrade from the 302 lb-ft available in the previous generation's V-8. In addition, maximum torque comes on at just 2500 rpm and remains constant through 4850 rpm, making the 2010 Audi S4 especially responsive in everyday driving (as an example, Audi cites a 50 to 75-mph time of 4.4 sec), and while some may miss the previous S4's V-8 rumble, in fact at 5.1 sec the new 2010 S4 model is actually a couple ticks faster from 0 to 62 mph.

In addition to the usual array of safety equipment, the 2010 Audi S4 offers features such as adaptive cruise control, a Side Assist blind-spot monitoring system, and a braking guard that warns of potential rear-end collisions. Tech goodies include Audi's MMI infotainment interface along with two different navigation systems, an iPod adapter, Bluetooth hands-free interface, and several audio systems topping out with a high-end Bang & Olufsen stereo.

At BMW, the 333-hp 2010 Audi S4 splits the 306-hp 335i and the 420-hp M3. At Mercedes, it aims at the gap between the 272-hp C350 and the 457-hp C63AMG. The car has not yet been priced for the United States, but in Germany the Audi S4 is about ten percent more expensive than the 335ix and about five percent dearer than the C350 4Matic. But in both cases, the Audi has a power, torque, and performance advantage over the competition.

Audi claims that, although the curb weight has only gone down by about twenty pounds, to 3638 pounds, the new 333-hp 2010 S4 outsprints the car it replaces from 0 to 62 mph by half a second, with a 5.1-second run against 5.6 seconds. That's the good news, part one. The bad news concerns the fact that when fitted with the desirable seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission, the four-door Audi needs an extra 0.2 second for the acceleration job, because the transmission makes an extra upshift. Now, let's look at the good news, part two. Despite the better performance, the average combined 2010 Audi S4 fuel consumption has dropped significantly, from 17 mpg to 24 mpg.

Audi has rearmed its S4 with a more potent powertrain and chassis. A lighter, supercharged and intercooled 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6 supplies more torque but slightly less power than the retired 40-valve 4.2-liter V-8. An Eaton blower spinning up to 23,000 rpm skews the torque curve down the rev scale and up the lb-ft register. Between 2900 and 5300 rpm, 325 lb-ft of torque is available, versus the previous V-8's 302 lb-ft at 3500 rpm. The power curve is dead level at the high end, with 333 hp available from 5500 rpm to the 7000-rpm redline (compared with the previous S4's 340 hp). Driveline upgrades include a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic with a gear ratio spread 32 percent wider than the outgoing six-speed Tiptronic's range for improved fuel mileage.

On the topic of new versus old, this 2010 Audi S4 does something that previous generations just haven't. It's in the way everything is tied together - no single part of the driving experience dominates any other. It's a quality that's increasingly rare in modern cars and difficult to describe. Everything seems to work together toward the common goal of producing a smile on the driver's face. The engine is something we can picture God himself using, yes, but even the steering is good. And that's saying a lot for an Audi S4. It takes a scant 2.2 turns of the wheel to go from lock to lock, and there's quite a bit of feedback, too.