09 Sep 05
The RS4 sits 30mm lower than the standard car, and the front and rear tracks are wider, too. This gives the car a very planted stance, but it also lowers the center of gravity and improves handling response. And cross country, the RS4 is massively swift thanks to that quattro four-wheel drive set up, superbly grippy Pirelli P-Zero tyres and, of course, that stonking great V8. And revisions to the well-proven quattro drivetrain means that up to 85 percent of the engines torque can be directed to the rear for what Audi calls 'even more adjustable cornering behaviour.'
This works in partnership with the latest version of Audi's Dynamic Ride Control, which is basically a way of exerting more control over damper stiffness to improve handling precision.
The result is a car that is very easy to drive quickly, although the steering is too heavy at low speeds and slightly lacking in feel at higher velocities. And even though the quattro system can direct up to 85percent of torque to the rear, this is not a car for tail-out antics, even with the stability control system switched off.
