2015 Audi RS4 Reviews

Well, you don't need to turn back time or wait for the latest Hollywood heart-throb to be in town to experience these overwhelming emotions. Just jump in Audi's latest wagon, the RS4 Avant. But don't be fooled by the term wagon, this is no soccer mum's car.It looks like your average station wagon. Sure the bright red paint, the silver roof racks, alloy wheels, silver backed mirrors and its sleek design make it look more sporty, but you don't expect it to be the flying bullet that it is.It's just like Clark Kent, fitting into the city crowd, but then showing its true colours when the cape goes on and you really let the superhero character rip.There's one word that really wraps up the whole definition of this Audi and that's fun.But at $168,100, it's expensive fun.There's a sudden rush of blood to the head as you give the throttle an ever so slight bit of pressure and feel your heartbeat quicken in the process. Give it even more and that excited feeling kicks in. But it's almost torture confining this beast to peak-hour traffic.The high-revving 4.2-litre, V8 engine not only has a rapid response and ever-so-smooth drive, it also has a sweet sound.The growl gets even better when you push the "S" button on the flat-bottomed racing steering wheel. That button, which I like to think stands for Superman mode, in reality stands for Sport.The characteristic of the accelerator changes, the flap in the exhaust opens up giving off an even sportier sound and the seat gives you that much-needed hug, with the sides squeezing in.The front sports bucket seats are superb for that sharp, dynamic, driving, holding you right in place with support from all angles.But it's not such an easy feat getting in or out of the car. After a week, there was still no mastering of this task, for it was done in a clumsy and unladylike manner every time, especially when wearing a skirt. You really stumble over the raised sides of the seat.Backseat passengers suffer a little from a lack of airconditioning, as the front plastic-backed sports seats tend to block the path of the air flow. A rear air vent would have been a worthy inclusion in this expensive car.The RS4 Avant sits 30mm lower than the A4, lowering the centre of gravity and providing better handling ability. It also has a wider track on the front and rear. It sits on large 19-inch wheels, with a seven spoke design.And with the weight kept to a minimum, it's able to shoot from zero to 100km/h in just 4.8 seconds, faster than many a Porsche. It produces 309kW at 7800rpm and revs right up to 8250rpm and 420Nm of torque from 5500rpm. But even lower down the tacho, high torque is still on hand, with 90per cent available between 2250rpm and 7600rpm, the result, a great amount of pulling power and a smile on your dial.The RS4 has the latest generation of the permanent four-wheel-drive quattro system, with 40per cent power distributed to the front and 60per cent to the rear.The controlled and steady positioning on the road comes into play as you tackle the corners, the sharp steering a great assistance.A Bose sound system with 10 loudspeakers, navigation with a TV tuner, high-intensity xenon plus headlights, parking sensors, ESP and Dynamic Ride Control are all standard.The RS4 Avant seems to be in a class of its own, with the functionality of a wagon, yet still an exciting performance, all rolled into one. It's a car for the truly enthused driver, who has a spare $168,100, that is.With this wagon, there's no need to sacrifice performance for your family.

They didn't have to ask twice. We'd take the "family wagon" no worries. Ha, who is kidding whom? A family wagon with near supercar performance and stunning looks makes a great combination.This is the car that has spurred the other two German super sedan makers to up the ante with their next 'bahn blasters - the Benz C63AMG and the new BMW M3, both of which are V8 powered.Audi now offers three variants of the RS4 with a cabriolet coming online about now.All have the same powertrain and similar chassis and all are equipped to luxury car levels.The Avant costs a cool $168,100 and is one of the quickest carry-alls on the market alongside the Chrysler 300C SRT8 that offers similar straight line performance but lacks all wheel drive. It sells for a lot less than the RS4 though.But what we have here is quality - quality engineering, manufacturing, design, pretty much everything you want in a modern mass produced car.The thing absolutely hammers and is capable of despatching the 0-100kmh spring in about 4.8 seconds.It has a six speed manual gearbox with a slick shift and lovely long runs through each gear thanks in part to the 8250rpm redline of the 4.2-litre V8.This engine, a joy to behold under the aluminium bonnet features direct injection and variable valve timing but is not turbo charged like previous Audi RS models.It deoesn' need it.With 309kW an 430Nm rumbling out of the engine bay, the power to weight ratio is well and truly in sports car territory.Aluminium is used throughout the vehicle in key locations - the bonnet, front guards, much of the chassis, the suspension, massive 19in wheels.It pays dividends in fuel efficiency, handling and performance.But going is only part of the RS4 Avant story because it also stops like few other mainstream cars and handles with the best of them despite the engine being positioned well in front of the front axle. The 365mm front brakes are something to behold.There's a Sport button on the multi-function wheel that opens up the dual outlet exhaust for a deeper rumble and also tightens the seat side bolsters to hold you more firmly in place.The Avant brings with it a degree of practicality but interior room is compact and the load space is relatively small. But the rear seats can be folded flat for a large load space.The Avant looks sensational with its muscular pumped-out guards, aero devices and low ride height. The alloy roof rails add an element of sensibility to the overt styling.Driving the RS4 Avant is a rare treat. It has all the right stuff, makes the right noises and really puts a smile on your dial.

Travelling two-up in the back of a chauffeur-driven W12 A8 limo, the silence was broken by the distinctive scream of an Italian engine followed by a blur on the left side of the Audi."What was that?" my fellow passenger squawked with a crinkled face that was mixed with horror and intrigue from his position seated in the right rear.The object that came and went in a flash in the fast lane on the Autobahn between Ingolstadt and Munich was a stonking great Ferrari 575M Maranello F1.Our chauffeur was on cruise at 230km/h which would have put the pilot in the Italian jigger at close to 300km/h in what was pretty much just another day on the ballistic ribbons of bitumen in Germany.That was in June and in hindsight we wish we were driving not so much a whopping W12 (two vee sixes fused together) but Audi's latest lightweight RS 4 that packs a heavyweight wallop.Audi has fully exploited the time-honoured concept of taking a compact, lightweight car and marrying it to a dirty big donk.Well, in fairness, it is not really that big an engine, it's actually a 4.2-litre V8, rather compact in its overall dimensions.And it fills the space, which would be a snug fit for a four-cylinder power plant, to the gunnels.Could you imagine a V8 somehow squeezed into the front of a similarly-sized (8mm shorter wheelbase) Mazda3!No. You can't.. And it makes all the more reason for Audi to feel good about cranking up the bar with the RS 4.It's no wonder the product direction over at BMW has gone the way of turbo boosting for the 3-series coupe and V8 power for the next generation M3 due here late next year.The RS 4 engine produces numbers that makes you drool.Try a 0-100km/h time of 4.8sec.Car nuts worth their salt will tell you anything below 5sec is normally reserved for the whiz-bang exotic super coupes.Now Audi has chimed in with its compact A4-based sedan that has essentially become a street legal racer but a race car you can live with every day. And a drive of the RS 4 makes every day feel like December 25.This car is a missile in a straight line and backs up its sprinting dash with stunning handling, perfect steering feel and brakes.Eight-piston calipers up front and four pistons behind make these brakes outstanding stoppers for road use.Such is the engineering refinement of the chassis, you can literally throw the RS4 around twisties like there is no tomorrow without fear of it spitting you out and arrowing you into the never-never.This engine spins and spins - all the way to 8250rpm if you push it — which is unusually high for an eight-cylinder.A bit of the technology which Audi used to brutal effect on the multiple R8 prototype Le Mans winner has found its way into the RS 4 with direct fuel injection helping a more efficient combustion process while the technology has also allowed compression to be increased.It does great work from nothing, really great work mid-range but it is not until the baffles in the drain-pipe wide exhausts open and the engine screams past 5000rpm that the RS 4 turns into a mega drive.There is 309kW of power from 7800rpm and there is nothing artificially helping this but good old fashion natural aspiration.But that's not the crunch figure.What gives this engine character and might is its broad band of torque.Up to 90 per cent of the 430Nm of torque can be accessed from 2250rpm to 7600rpm giving this engine tremendous flexibility.It is restricted to 250km/h but the speedo indicates 310km/h and have no doubt — it could stay all day with one of those 575M red rockets.Mated to the sweet-shifting 6-speed manual the quattro RS 4 can be as overwhelming as it can be comforting.Despite riding on a sports suspension (stiffer springs, larger anti-roll bars and 30mm lower than a bog standard A4) and super low profile high performance Pirelli P Zero rubber (255/35 R19) the ride quality is tolerable.Audi employs what it calls DRC, (yep another acronym we need to decipher) which stands for Dynamic Ride Control, that keeps the lid on body roll and pitch via diagonally connected dampers via a central valve.It is something which has been handed down from the RS 6 and seems to work quite effectively.The cabin is tidy and ergonomically on the money but is rather understated for a German hottie.That is to say aside from the flat-bottomed steering wheel which uses a mix of aluminium (bottom half and leather) and features the S for sport button which makes the engine growl louder, sharpens throttle response and makes the seat bolsters (side and squab) tighten.The other buttons on the steering wheel spoke allow the driver to cycle through the various on-board computer information such as fuel consumption, time travelled, distance to empty etc.On the topic of drinking habits the RS 4, as you could easily guess, is not subtle.Almost exclusive highway use over several hundred kilometres netted a tick over 11 litres/100km which on paper looks reasonable but that was done in top gear and low revs. Try darting around town and the RS 4 reverts to what predictably is a prodigious thirst of around 15 litres/100km.Then open up the taps and go for a whiz on quiet back roads and the computer will give you a figure approaching 20 litres/100km.Aside from the long list of safety features including the familiar electronic ESP, traction and stability systems and airbags all round, there is a fair bit of kit for your $164,500.There is a CD changer in the glove compartment which is attached to a 10-speaker BOSE sound system, SatNav with TV, dual-zone automatic climate control with sun sensor and pollen filter, trip computer and xenon plus headlamps with swiveling headlight function.This is a thoroughbred, from top quality Ingolstadt stock where the RS moniker stands tall among the mightiest performance cars.It's far from perfect this RS 4 with foibles here and there but it's an infectious ride.FAST FACTS$164,500ENGINE: 5/5 starsIt's enough to make any V8 nut drool.TRANSMISSION: 4/5 starsSlick and fast. A perfect match to the V8.ECONOMY: 2/5 starsYou don't buy an RS4 for good fuel economy. Audi quotes 13.7L/100km as an average, but you just know you'll be a devil and get worse figuresHANDLING: 4/5 starsRuns like it's on rails. Rides a bit like it, too, but you would expect a compromising ride in a sporty car like this.SAFETY: 4/5 starsSuitably long list of safety features to match the performance level.VALUE: 4/5 starsYou can't buy a new BMW M3 CSL and it's cheaper than a C55Tech SpecsENGINE: 4.2-litre petrol V8 with direct injectionPOWER: 309kW @ 7800rpmTORQUE: 430Nm @ 5500rpmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed manualDIMENSIONS (MM): 4589 (L), 1816 (W), 1415 (H), 2648 (wheelbase)KERB WEIGHT: 1650kgWHEELS/TYRES: 9x19-inch alloy, 255/35 R19 Pirelli P ZeroSTEERING: Rack and pinionBRAKES: 365mm ventilated discs with eight-piston callipers (front), 324mm ventilated discs with four-piston calipers (rear)SAFETY FEATURES: two-stage airbags for driver and front passenger, head airbags for front and rear passengers, side airbags for rear passengers, ESP, ABS, ASR, Brake Assist, all-wheel-drive, tyre pressure monitoring systemFUEL: 98RON octane PULP, 63L tank, 13.7L/100kmWARRANTY: 3 years/unlimited kilometresVerdictFOR: Power and handlingAGAINST: Conservative interior and poor economyFINAL: No one needs one but lots of people want oneCOMPETITORSMercedes-Benz C55 AMG5.5 litre V8270kW, 510Nm$160,490BMW M3 CSL3.3 litre straight 6265kW, 370Nm$161,000(2nd hand)

Driving the new Audi RS4 is a bit like this but better, much better. It is one of the most accomplished super sedan cars on the road offering sensational engine performance matched by equally awesome road holding and a glorious sound from the dual outlet exhaust.Pitched at BMW's M3 and the Benz C55AMG, it outshines these near legendary cars in many ways but costs about the same ($164,500).Sporting a 309kW/430Nm, naturally aspirated V8 driving all four wheels, you just now the RS4 is going to be a "piece of work" and it sure is. This is the first RS4 sedan Audi has built. There are also wagon and cabriolet versions on the way. Engine runs like clockwork. Has variable valve timing and direct fuel injection to push massive power from relatively modest 4.2 litre capacity. Smooth as silk, willingly revs to 8250rpm, delivers heaps of grunt low down and sounds like nothing you've heard before. Fuel economy can better 11.0 litres/100km when cruising. Hooked up to a slick changing six speed manual gearbox. Light change action, light clutch action. All wheel drive Quattro system is latest generation from Audi with selective torque delivery depending on traction. RS4 is 30mm lower than other A4s, has wider track too for extra cornering grip. Massive 19in wheels with low profile rubber. Huge brakes are cross drilled and internally vented. Eight piston calipers on the front. Firm suspension with four link front and double wishbone rear. "S" button on steering wheel changes engine characteristics to sporty, opens exhaust baffles and squeezes drivers seat bolsters tighter. Interior is typically classy Audi effort – a study in leather, carbon fibre and brushed aluminium. Top class ancillaries, pin sharp audio blows you out the doors. Covers the 0-100km split in 4.8 seconds. Looks amazing with pumped out guards, extra intake vents – like a crouching beast. Room for four inside, heaps of luxury and safety features, big boot. Driving experience is difficult to describe– exhilarating, exciting, rewarding. Almost think the RS4 through corners. Makes mugs look good but pushes front end a bit in tight corners. Any downside? Resentment from less fortunates.VerdictThe striking blue one please. Now would be good. 

Then, of course, you've got Audi: simply, nobody makes a better "Q" car than Audi. Turning out a wolf in sheep's clothing is their speciality, and in the RS4 there is yet another snapping, snarling beastie out there masquerading as its domesticated A4 cousin.There are clues to the RS4's true character, but you have to be sharp to spot them on the run: a cluster of exhaust pipes poking out from under the rear, flaring of the wheel arches to fit the low-profile 19-inch rubber, a more aggressive stance and a couple of discreet RS badges. That's it. In all its understated glory, the RS4 can sit quietly and invisibly in traffic — until you say go.Then you'd best hang on because this is the creme de la creme of usable four-door sports sedans. The 4.2-litre V8 is simply brilliant. Redlined for tootling at 7000rpm, the engine unleashes its full feral nature with the traction control switched off ... then it will run to a full-noise 8250rpm to get the maximum from the available 309kW and 430Nm. That torque, peaking at 5500rpm, delivers 90per cent of its urge in a band that stretches a ridiculous slice of the tacho from 2250 to 7600rpm.Getting the drive to the wheels is Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system and a slick six-speed manual gearbox that moves with almost intuitive precision.As befits a driver's car, the torque split through the signature Torsen differential is biased to the rear wheels on a 60:40 basis.The suspension is aluminium (for weight reduction), with multiple links front and rear.A stand-out feature of the RS4 are the brakes: a set of eight pot calipers grip massive front discs leveraged straight from the Lamborghini garage. Stomp the pedal and the RS4 dips its nose, grips the tarmac and bleeds off speed at a prodigious rate — time after time after time. Fade is not in its vocabulary.With incredible reserves of grip and balance, the RS4 bears watching as it can easily sneak into loss-of-licence territory without ever feeling like it.One of the truly great things about the RS4 — and other similar models that have gone before — is that it is almost as happy bubbling around town in traffic.The RS4 is loaded with luxury and safety in typical Audi fashion. There is a full set of airbags, cruise control, zone airconditioning, satellite navigation and brilliantly supportive leather sports seats.Rather perversely, those same seats are one of the biggest annoyances in the car. So pronounced is the bolstering that getting out can be something of a struggle.Fuel consumption can also sneak up on you, particularly if you are seduced by the S button on the steering wheel.Engaging the S button brings a couple of advantages — sharpening the throttle control, beefing up the exhaust note by opening a set of baffles and giving the driver a cuddle as the seats side bolsters close in for extra grip.At $164,500 the RS4 is no snip and you really have to want one. However, with four doors and a usable boot, you could at least mount a convincing argument that this could be your daily drive — please.

It may not be as big as the Ford and Holden V8s, but it has more than enough poke — 309kW and 430Nm.Then again, you would want a fair share of herbs and spices given that the RS4 costs $164,500.It has incredible performance, but the RS4 can also be used as an everyday driver, with four doors, a sizeable boot, and room for five people.The 4.2-litre engine is a worked version of the five-valve a cylinder V8 used in the S4.The RS4 engine has four-valves a cylinder, with an injector that takes the place of the fifth valve at the top of each cylinder. It runs direct fuel injection, Audi calls it FSI, for more efficient combustion.The high-revving engine uses new forged pistons, modified conrods and a revised crank and cylinder heads.All this mechanical goodness means the RS4 can charge from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds.Figures you don't want to dwell on deal with fuel consumption — the official city/highway cycle figure is 13.7 litres/100km, but the engine really starts to slurp when you push.Don't even bother looking at the RS4 if you can't use a manual because no automatic is available.Audi says the RS4 is such a hands-on sportscar, drivers won't mind changing gears themselves.The manual is a six-speed, hooked-up to a sporty version of Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system.Previous RS4 models had a 50/50 power split between the front and rear wheels, but many customers want their cars to be a bit more tail happy under power.So the new RS4 feeds 60 per cent of the grunt to the rear wheels and 40 per cent to the front wheels.The car also uses the second generation of Audi's Dynamic Ride Control adaptive suspension system.This hydraulic system is designed to limit body roll and also stop the nose diving or lifting too much under braking and acceleration.Using this system, the RS4's shock absorbers are linked diagonally with a central valve.When cornering or diving forces are encountered, the system sends more fluid to the shock absorbers under load to make the car sit as flat as possible.Handling and stability are improved because the wheels have been pushed out further. The distance between the wheels from side to side (track) has been increased 37mm at the front and 47mm at the rear.The RS4 runs lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels and sits 30mm lower — adding to its menacing look.It features traction control and electronic stability control that can be switched off in two stages when the driver is feeling sporty.Audi has also fitted the RS4 with potent anchors — the front brake calipers have the same number of pistons as the engine.It has 365mm diameter discs at the front and 324mm discs at the rear, pulled up with single piston swing calipers.Audi has used a lot of aluminium to keep the RS4's weight down to a respectable 1650kg.The lightweight metal is used for several suspension components, seat frames, the front quarter panels and the bonnet.Almost all the RS4's body panels body are unique except for the roof and front doors.The RS4 runs pumped-out wheel arches, to allow for the wider track and make the car look muscular.The boot lid is also different, and has a large integrated rear spoiler.The interior is a mix of leather, carbon-fibre and aluminium.The RS4 has a flat-bottomed steering wheel with an S button — press it for a sharper throttle response and louder exhaust.Flaps partially blocking the exhaust lift up and cause this effect.The button also causes the side bolsters of the special bucket seats to expand, hugging you in the seat.ON THE ROADI stop watching the speedo after it passes 220km/h. I need to look at other things — such as the corner looming at an alarming speed.I wait as long as possible, then jump on the brake pedal. The eight-pot calipers squeeze the large pizza-size front brake discs and the RS4 squirms as it washes off some of the speed.It's still not clear if they have slowed this rocket-ship enough for it to enter turn one at Calder Park Raceway with any chance of staying on the tarmac.The brake pads must be hurting as they pull up 1730kg of car and driver in a hurry.After changing down to second gear, it's time to throw the super Audi into the turn.If I could, I would cross my fingers, but both hands are busy on the steering wheel.The RS4 turns in, all four wheels scrabbling for grip, desperately clinging to the road.Halfway through the turn it's time to start feeding on the tremendous power on tap to sling the car out of the bend.The braking and cornering abilities of the RS4 are impressive, but let's not forget what this car is all about — the engine.The pumped-out guards, meaty 19-inch wheels, wicked seats and spoiler are only window-dressing.The power and torque figures will impress your mates at the pub, but it's the 8250 rev limit that is the true wonder.Most V8s would quickly turn into a steaming pile of molten alloy if you tried to push them past 8000 revs, but the bent-eight Audi engine loves it. Not that you have to work it hard.The 4.2-litre unit has a meaty torque band — 90 per cent of it is on tap from 2250 revs all the way to 7600 revs. This means you can leave it in a higher gear and let the engine pull the car along easily.Most customers will appreciate the low-down torque of the engine more than its blissful top-end, which you can really only explore on a race track.There you can use the extra traction of the AWD system to get a good run out of the turn and watch as the tacho flicks up quickly towards the red line.The trick here is to change up just before the computer steps in to cut the engine's power and prevent its components from parting company in an ugly manner.Run through a few gears and you will soon be close to warp speed.The manual gearbox is crisp: not too heavy, not too light.Its clutch pedal is not as heavy as you would expect for a car with such a stunning reserve of torque.That means you don't get a sore left ankle if you have to spend much time in stop-start traffic like the rest of Melbourne.The seats are comfortable and supportive as long as you fit between the scalloped wrap-around edges.Larger customers can always order the flatter regular S4 seats.Though the RS4 has been set up to be even sportier than the S4, it is much more comfortable to ride in.That's not difficult. The S4 has an extremely firm and harsh ride.The RS4 really can be driven every day in reasonable comfort, but owners would be mad not to hit the track and see what it is designed to do.

For now he is content to play with the new Audi RS4 at around half of that speed.We are on the Pirelli Test track at Vizzola, north of Milan in Italy.Half the track is soaked with sprinklers keeping the surface slippery to show off the benefits of the Audi all wheel drive system.Werner sets the car up by putting it into a deliberate oversteer - much like rally drivers do - to zip in and out of a series of witches hats."This is not the fastest way around here...but it's the most fun," said Werner, who with Tom Kristensen and JJ Lehto won the Le Mans 24 Hour race last year in an Audi R8.The diminutive Werner has the car singing like Pavarotti and dancing like Fred Astaire around the witches hats.It is artistry in motion, excessive oversteer in a car that has inherent understeer from the all wheel drive system.RS4 is the latest high-powered offering from quattro GmbH, Audi's performance division.It is top of the tree in Audi's A4 range and will hit our shores this year.The motorsport derived RS4's rev limiter says it all at 8250 rpm out of the 4.2 litre V8 with high-revving FSI technology.Peak torque of 430 Nm is reached at 5500 rpm.In real terms this means the car is a gem to drive around town with the ability to accelerate sweetly in second of third gear with no necessity for frequent gear changes.On the Pirelli track the car's high-revving ability pushes it to 100 kmh in just 4.8 seconds and from 0-200 kmh in just 16.6 seconds.The RS4 comes with a six speed manual.Auto is not even under discussion.Audi R8 race cars have won Le Mans four times and have not necessarily been the fastest cars.In endurance racing reliability is king.The RS4, while a performance heavyweight, is a light weight car.The front wings and bonnet are aluminium, as is most of the chassis.RS4 has the latest evolution of the quattro technology.Flatten the accelerator in first and all the power reaches the ground without breaking traction, even on the wet Pirelli circuit.Braking is also enhanced with perforated ventilated 365mm front brake discs and 324 mm discs at the rear.Audi has fitted the latest Electronic Stability Program to the RS4, that is able to be disabled in two stages, the first doing away with traction control, the second ESP, for more enthusiastic driving.While the RS4 may resemble the garden variety A4, the cars are markedly different.Audi's new-look new grille is more aggress- ive, the car sits 30mm lower, there's new wheels, addition air inlets, discreet rear spoiler and the rear has two purposeful, and large, chrome tailpipes screaming to all that this is a car that means business.The interior is sporty with wrap-around seats, leather, and splashes of aluminium and carbon.RS4 also features a flat bottom to the steering wheel and an engine start button...which is possibly one extra the car could do without.If you do happen to stall this beauty you then have to turn the key before using the starter button, two motions instead of one.It's a retroism the car could do without.There's also a sport button on the steering wheel that gives even more dynamic perform- ance.Audi says this makes it seem as if the engine is responding sooner to a hit on the accelerator...and a flap in the exhaust system opens to give the RS4 a more sportier sound....read into that an even bigger and better V8 note.