03 Jun 03
Frankly, the weight doesn't matter. You could attach a 344bhp 4.2-litre V8 to a Sherpa van and it'd clear off pretty sharpish, so as you can imagine, the effect in one-and-two-third-tonnes of A4 is fairly breathtaking. It picks up from low revs with enthusiasm, and maintains that urgency throughout the expansive rev range. However, the suspension is tuned more for refinement than sport; body movements are reasonably well controlled but the car can't compete with an M3 through the twisty stuff. The steering doesn't help. It turns the front wheels and is well weighted at higher speeds, but it's never terribly communicative. Not that it in any way hinders the S4's blinding progress. Use the throttle liberally and you'll also have to test the brakes, which seemed pretty solid to us, with decent feel at the top of the pedal and progressive stopping power from there.
That V8's a bit thirsty, though. Economy (and we use the word hesitantly) is 21.2mpg on the combined cycle, and if you drive with enthusiasm (which you probably will), you'll often see less. And it takes Super.
All-in, then, the S4 is much as you might expect. An expensive-feeling, exquisitely engineered and entertainingly fast version of the A4, with performance more suited to the slip-road than the back-road. Unsurprising, really, given its refinement and weight. If there's a Caterham or a superbike in the garage for weekends, the S4 will do just fine on a weekday.
One thing does trouble us, though. Given the S4's mammoth 4.2-litre V8, what engine will power the next RS4? We shudder to think.
