First Look: 2010 Audi S4 at AutoFans www Auto Com

First Look: 2010 Audi S4

Featuring fresh lines, an improved cabin, and a new 3.2L, 265-hp V-6 under the hood (an updated 2.0L turbo-four is available, too), the all-new 2009 Audi A4 reaches 62 mph in an estimated 6.2 sec, just a couple of ticks slower than a BMW 335i with an automatic transmission. But A4 shoppers looking for a little something extra have no doubt skipped the regular model to wait for Audi’s newest go-fast A4 variant, the 2010 Audi S4.

Since 1997, Audi has offered the S4 — a sedan fitted with a sport-themed interior, more power, and a sharper suspension than its A4 — as an option for those who include canyon-carving as part of their commute. And just as the base A4 got a complete revamp for 2009, now Audi is following up with a leadfoot-friendly S4 that includes a new engine, transmission, quattro system, and sport differential with customized torque distribution, along with upgraded styling, a freshened interior, and more tech goodies. 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.

Of course, mere horsepower figures don’t always tell the whole story. In developing its all-new 3.0L TFSI V-6, Audi says it found supercharging a better solution than returning to twin turbos for both packaging and performance, and a version of this engine will also be available in the midsize 2009 A6 (though with just 290 hp). 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 car 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 model is actually a couple ticks faster from 0 to 62 mph.

That said, Audi names its competition for the 2010 S4 as BMW’s M3 and the Mercedes’ C63 AMG, but with both those cars sporting V-8s in excess of 400 hp, and 0-to-62 times just north of four seconds, they seem like better rivals for the current V-8-powered RS4 instead. But Ingolstadt’s latest creation does have one significant advantage: Besides being quicker than its predecessor and having more torque, one of the new S4’s biggest improvements can be seen at the gas pump. While the 2008 S4 is rated by the EPA at just 16 mpg combined, thanks to its TFSI V-6 Audi estimates the new model will yield a fairly impressive 24-plus mpg highway — close to the 3.2L A4. Enthusiasts may be less concerned with fuel economy than the average commuter, but with the current instability of gas prices, no doubt many will welcome the improvement.

Power from the Audi’s new engine is channeled through either a standard six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic, which the driver can operate manually through the shift lever or steering wheel-mounted paddles. Executing shifts in a few hundredths of a second with no loss of traction, the S tronic seven-speed also sports an intelligent control system designed to maximize fuel-efficiency when the transmission is left in fully automatic mode.

As a signature Audi feature, the 2010 S4 includes a quattro permanent AWD system that splits torque 40/60 between the front and rear wheels under normal driving conditions. While quattro gives the Audi better traction than some of its rivals, in the S4 it’s coupled with a new active sport differential to aid high-speed driving by electronically redirecting power to the outer wheel during a turn, reducing understeer and oversteer and allowing the driver to enter curves at higher speeds. S4 buyers also can opt for a new Drive Select system, which adjusts the car’s throttle response, shift points, and speed-sensitive steering depending on whether the driver selects “comfort,” “auto,” or “dynamic” mode. Cars equipped with Audi’s MMI system offer a fourth, custom-programmable Drive Select setting as well.

Besides these high-tech driving aids, however, Audi also set about improving the S4’s dynamics the old fashioned way, lowering its chassis by 20 mm, adding aluminum suspension components along with stiffer axle bearings and shocks, and installing high-performance ventilated disc brakes with standard 18-in. cast aluminum wheels (19-in. wheels are optional). Special black-painted brake calipers also sport the S4 logo. While the 2010 S4 expands upon the new A4’s more sculpted, aggressive look, as on previous models the visual elements distinguishing Audi’s go-fast model are subtle. The S4 and S4 Avant wagon sport special front and rear aprons, aluminum-look side mirrors, S-design wheels, a rear lip spoiler, and a quad-exhaust. Inside, however, the changes are more noticeable, as Audi has added sport seats with pull-out thigh support, a new instrument panel featuring gray dials, and a sport steering wheel. S4 emblems appear on the dials, steering wheel, and driver’s key. The interior is decorated in black with brushed-aluminum accents, but buyers can opt for carbon, birch wood, and steel mesh trim as well.

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. The new Audi will begin reaching showrooms in March 2009, and while it doesn’t exactly measure up against the go-fast offerings from BMW, Mercedes, and Cadillac, with an increase in torque, improved dynamics, and better gas mileage, enthusiasts should find the 2010 S4 a very pleasant high-speed companion. And if you insist on a brawnier Audi that can take on AMG, M, and the CTS-V head-to-head, you can always hope for the arrival of a new RS4.

[source:MotorTrend]

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First Look: 2010 Audi S4

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at 3:34 am and is filed under Spy Shots, Audi, Auto Review. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.