This review is for a 2001 Audi S4 that I drove on several occasions.

For 2001, the S4 got ESP (electronic stability Program) standard, where on the 2000's it wasn't even available as an option. I find it strange that it's named the same as the system Mercedes introduced, ESP. Whatever, I'm sure it's fine legally.

That's all what changed I believe. Besides Audi extending their warranty from 3-yrs 50,000 miles to 4-yrs 50000 miles. I guess that was a move to keep their resale values higher. It's all good! You get free scheduled maintenance too for those 4 years, which is an awesome deal. The vehicle I am reviewing was equipped with an automatic transmission. Black on black, w/o the nav, so I won't comment on that.

Exterior: As everyone already knows, the A4 styling since it was introduced 5 years ago has been heralded across the globe. And for good reason. Fantastic styling, truly is, and with great-looking paint. To my eyes though, the car is almost "feminine", which detracts from the whole package for me personally. The S4 has such subdued styling, especially in a dark color, that it's virtually the same car as a regular A4, exterior-wise, except for the obvious sport (good-looking) wheels. Good looking car for sure, but still, not aggressive enough for me.

Interior: It's cramped in the back, as you all know already. The new 3-series has more room in back, but a slightly smaller trunk. The front has good space though, with fabulous sports seats that well, might be too firm for some, but I enjoyed them very much. Unfortunately memory seats aren't offered on the S4. The build quality of the inside will shame many other expensive cars. Audi's new cars all exhibit this fabulous build quality. Just look at how the lines flow on the dash, center console, slap it here and there, and you feel and see that things are put together so well. I am very happy Audi changed their HVAC/Audio controls over the past couple of years, cuz the previous stuff was suffering from too many small indecipherable buttons which are now larger and easier to figure out. The miscellaneous controls and switches are pretty good, but other cars in the same league are better I think. I guess it's just a matter of getting used to them more. I miss the all-red lighting though. Now the gauges on your dash have think white needles, which are I guess more legible for many people, but I prefer the old Audi lighting. This by the way has transgressed to all their line-up.

Oh, the car sure is solid, exhibiting that well-admired German feel, but a Merc or BMW feel more solid to me. Especially the doors. They "feel" thinner, and when you close them they don't close with the same authority. I dunno, I guess you just have to try it to see what I mean.

Audio: Bose 180W system with 2 subwoofers in the trunk. I didn't like it. Not bad, but overall not as good as say, the HK in the 3-series, nor the 200W system in the Nissan Maxima. I mean the difference is quite noticable for me. I think Audi should put in a better system than this in the A4's, let alone the S4's. It's not much more money to do so...

Drive!

As always, and even better now, the steering feel is fabulous. Audi's trademark for me is the steering feel, besides Quattro of course. It is so quick on the S4, not light, not heavy, just perfect. You really feel in control, and the car seems to beg you to ring its neck harder in fast turns. True, it's not as communicative at the limit as say, in BMWs, but then again, not many other cars (any?) are. Besides Porsches.

The twin-turbo (2 kkk turbochargers, each working on their separate banks of the V-6, so each feeding 3 cylinders) 30-valve V-6 (yup, 5-valves per cylinder...nobody other than Ferrari does this) is very smooth and torquey (more on that later). However, it's unfortunately too subdued (you can't even tell of ANY turbocharging presence, no whistling, no blow-off valve sounds, no whooshing). Even the engine's sound when revved is a little too subdued for me. Actually, to be honest, perhaps it's the actual muted sound's tone that disappointed me. The '99 328i which I love so much is almost very quiet, but as the revs rise, you can hear this very nice sound...kinda hard to describe, but it's pleasing, and the S4's powerplant's isn't. It's too generic for me. That was a letdown. Also, it's very very smooth, but noticably less smooth than an in-line six. You can't engineer enough vibrations out of a V-6 to match a good inline 6! For example, at idle, being still, rev the engine. You will feel a noticable, albeit brief, movement of the whole chassis from right to left. Very subtle, and it won't bother you, but it's there.

So let's talk more about the powerplant and drivetrain. It supposedly makes peak torque (258 lb-ft) from 1850rpm all the way to 3600 and with a horsepower peak rated at 250@5600, that gives the car a torque output of about 235 lb-ft at that engine speed. Thus as you can tell the car has the promise of great thrust from below 2000 all the way to about 6000-ish engine speeds. Perhaps, but I couldn't feel it. I guess it's the automatic. A GREAT automatic, mind you, but I think it's the culprit. Even though it was designed by Porsche, has a very sophisticated brain, shift smooth and fast, allows steptronic control, and you even have buttons on the steering wheel for shifting, it's no substitute for the real deal, a stick (the 6-spd in the S4, which I haven't tried, has been universally put down for being too notchy). First of all, let me get something out of the way. The car is STRONG!!! Great acceleration, and very fast engine spool-up. Mid-range torque will impress almost anyone. However, with the auto, I felt that the wait for the fluid in the torque converter in the auto tranny to get up to speed made me ask myself "does it really give out peak torque at 1850?" Hell, even at 2000 it seems to wait a little, and then of course a few hundred RPM later BAAAAM! You are moving quick. And then, on the other side, the high side, the thrust dies off quick over ~5000 or 5500RPM. I tried it again and again. I think it's the auto's fault. You simply have to wait for spool up I guess, and it probably detracts somewhat from torque output at very high rpm. It's supposed to redline at 6100 I think, but keep the shifting below 6000 cuz above 5000 there isn't much point. I would love to try this w the 6-spd, I'm sure at 1850 the engineers are correct in their claims, but I sure couldn't tell you that was the case if I didn't know that figure beforehand when I drove an automatic S4. The car, given the wieght (3700 lbs!) is a bullet though. FAST FAST FAST powerful acceleration in the midrange. Even with the auto, you feel a constant surge of power across most of the rev range.

Handling, definitely awesome. Thw quattro system allows you to be in the gas in a turn and keep your composure in check. Great feeling! AWD rules like that. The suspension, while very stiff to give you the great sportiness, is also quite supple. The ride is very very good given the wheel/tire combo and the short suspension travel. Kudos to the engineers on that one. The Quattro IV system can transmit up to 32% of the engine power to each of the 4 wheels at one time, at a maximum. However, with the torsen center diff, and one LSD in the front and 1 in back, you need to get *ALL* 4 wheels spinning to become immobile. Nice. But beware: Those z-rated tires are NOT gonna let you cruise around in the snow all day feeling invincible with your Quattro. Please be advised of that if you ever get this car. =)

The ESP system was obviously too quick to intervene in your driving. It just gets summoned by the computer too quick! Once I was taking this slight right hander turn, at maybe 40mph, maybe less actually. It was slippery a little on the road since it snowed earlier that day (but the asphalt wasn't covered, just a little slushy) and I felt a tug on the steering wheel, as if trying to tell me "hey, you're pulling to the right too much, let me pull you to the left back again a little". Annoying, but I guess it's nice to keep the average driver safe. Hey! You don't like that? Well just turn it off! The button's right there at the center console. Have some fun. =)

Overall though, I must say, the car is incredibly competent in many ways, and especially in the handling department. But unfortunately, even the S-series from Audi are again, a little too numb. They don't give you back the feedback you get in say, a BMW. There just isn't enough driver-car involvement, it doesn't talk to you as much, and at the (very high!) limits of adhesion, it doesn't feel as controllable, because you're less sure of what's going on.

Great car overall. I would recommend a 330i (preferrably with the AWESOME 5-spd) over the S4 though. Price-wise very similar, and the honest truth is, even though AWD is great, with BMW's DSC system, RWD is the way to go. It's the most fun, the car weighs a lot less, and I've seen demos of BMWs performing slaloms in slippery conditions between cones far better than Audis with Quattro, FWD volvos, and AWD Lexus RX300s. Test drive the car, you WON'T be disappointed, but if you crave the driver-car connection, as I do, I would recommend a 3-series over an A4, even an S4. A great effort from Audi, but for me, there are other German examples on the market that look more muscular, and connect you more with the road and the machine.