 2014 Audi S4. Click image to enlarge |
Premium trim adds adaptive swiveling headlights, 19-inch wheels, proximity keyless entry and push-button start, reverse parking camera with audible proximity warnings, blind-spot monitor, navigation with multimedia interface (that MMI knobby-scrolley wheel), DVD player, and Bang & Olufsen sound system. The Premium trim starts at $57,800, and offers similar interior, paint and wheel options, but also that previously mentioned Drive Select ($4,000 – which includes the price of the Quattro sport differential), adaptive cruise control ($1,700), a rear comfort package (heated rear seats, trunk pass-through, rear sunshades for $1,200). The seven-speed S tronic automated dual-clutch transmission is a $1,600 option in either trim.
In addition to the Monsoon Grey paint job ($750), our S4 Premium is equipped with the Carbon Atlas interior trim ($500), the 19-inch 5-arm rotor design titanium colour wheels ($500, and worth every penny – god, I love those wheels), a tire pressure monitoring system ($350), and that rear comfort package. The shades, in particular, are much appreciated by my daughter, who claims, “I like big, fast cars, just like daddy.” I think she means that she also likes big, fast cars, as do I, not that she thinks daddy is a big, fast car.
 2014 Audi S4. Click image to enlarge |
While the S4 and A4 upon which it is based traditionally fall into the ‘compact’ luxury segment, they are anything but. At 4,716 mm long, it’s creeping up on the Toyota Camry and its 2,811 mm wheelbase is longer than the Camry, Accord, Altima or pretty much any mainstream mid-size sedan. With clean straight lines along the flanks, it really draws out the length of the vehicles, making it seem long and low, and wrapped around those big 19-inch tires that are fit even for RS 5 duty. The detailing is exquisite with touches of chrome, a big, shiny grille, and high-tech LED and HID head- and taillights that are fit for a luxury star cruiser.
Despite all its length, combined front and rear legroom is significantly less than any of those stalwart blah-mobiles, but 1,050 mm in front and 895 mm are roughly equivalent to its main competitor, the BMW 3 Series. However, in our recent comparison in this segment, there was something about the 3 Series that seemed more spacious – perhaps it is the deep contour of the rear seats in the Audi, or perhaps it is the size of my daughter’s child seat that make it seem cramped back there. The trunk offers 352 L, greatly reduced because of the panels hiding the hinges, but the space is still highly functional with that pass-through for long objects and seats that fold down impressively flat with the opening between trunk and rear seats as wide and tall as the trunk itself.
   2014 Audi S4. Click image to enlarge |
As to the other part of my daughter’s assertion, there is no arguing that it is fast. With 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, its right at the top of the class for ‘non-super’ luxury sports sedans. Audi estimates its sprint to 100 km/h at 5.1 seconds, and the chills I get down my spine at every burst of acceleration concur.
But at this point, we’ve barely touched on its potential as we get comfortable with the shifter and clutch – did I mention it’s a manual transmission – and will leave the bulk of the driving impressions for our updates.
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Pricing: 2013 Audi S4 Premium
Base Price: $53,000
Base Price (Premium): $57,800
Options: $4,800 (Audi quattro sport differential – $1,500; Monsoon Grey paint job – $750; Carbon Atlas interior trim – $500; 19-inch 5-arm rotor titanium colour wheels – $500; tire pressure monitoring system – $350; rear comfort package – $1,200)
Freight & PDI: $1,995
A/C Tax: $100
Total: $64,795
Competitors:
Acura TL SH-AWD
BMW 335i xDrive
Lexus IS 350 AWD
Infiniti G37x S
Mercedes-Benz C 350 4Matic
Volvo S60 R-Design
Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
