In this job we inevitably get to drive lots of cars, some of which are memorable, others instantly forgettable. You hope that each will leave a lasting impression. It doesn't happen often but these are the great ones: the future classics. I can remember every M5 I've ever driven, every M3, every RS Cosworth and every GTI. And three weeks after driving the new Audi RS4 I can still vividly recall every detail of my five days behind the wheel.
The RS4 is great car. It's going to set the standard for many years and the next M3 will need to be spectacular to beat it. In fact, the RS4 is so good it's being compared to the M5 - a car that's technically in a different league. And yet where the M5 is fast and efficient, the RS4 is raw and engaging. The Audi's advantage is that it's old school. Now I know its ridiculous to label a $70k quattro this way, but hear me out. My lasting impression of the 507hp M5 V10 is that everything's computer-controlled. There are 279 combinations of suspension, gear change speed, throttle speed, active seating and so on. Yet the RS4 is stripped of all this. You get suspension the Audi engineers wanted, a six-speed manual gearbox and you go very fast. And where the M5 has its M button, the RS4 gets an S button on the steering wheel. The M5's MDrive is fully programmable and in addition to an extra 100hp, it opens the throttles faster and you can play with those 279 parameters. Audi's button simply alters the throttle response, tightens the seats on you and makes the V8 sing louder.
Obviously we never went anywhere without activating the S button. You may have wondered why our RS4 wears UK plates and the driver's sitting on the right. Well, we didn't want to drive just the RS4; we asked Audi if we could get hold of its RS predecessors to put the new car into perspective (see Path to Greatness). European enthusiasts have been spoiled by a succession of ever-more outrageous RS cars, so they knew what to expect when this latest addition was announced. Sadly, American fans have been starved of the richness, so we wanted to show you what you've been missing and put the new car into perspective.
We had two choices - Britain or Germany (so no choice really!). I wanted to go home and drive the roads I know. It was also easier to recruit photographers and drivers from among friends and family. And I hope you'll agree there's something magnificent about this piece of Teutonic engineering alongside some of the London's finest landmarks. I first made acquaintance with the RS4 when my friend Dave met me at Heathrow airport. Among the buses and black cabs it stood out as something special. I wasn't expecting the black paintwork because press vehicles are usually brighter to assist photographers. However, Audi GB rightly felt the RS4 had enough presence to overcome this handicap. Its deep chrome grille, unique 19" rims and aluminum mirrors bring plenty of highlights. But it's the deep spoiler and wide fenders that really catch the eye. And as you go around the back, its razor sharp trunk spoiler and large dual exhausts keep your attention. To be honest, it was love at first sight, and I wasn't the only one. On the drive down Dave had been contemplating the sale of his Seat Cupra R, Ducati and MV Agusta F4 to fund an RS4. "Everybody should have one of these!" he exclaimed.
Driving through busy north London I was surprised at people's reaction to a sedan. Everybody looked - kids, mothers, bus drivers, van drivers... The wide stance and throaty exhaust drew them in but most people knew what it was. You could see them mouthing "RS4" to their companions. Once you've drunk in its curves, the interior treats you to another feast. This time it's carbon trim, a big screen with TV and nav, a great steering wheel and those seats. Anybody who climbed onboard praised the Recaros. They look great, are comfortable on long journeys and grip you tight. There's even electric adjustment to tighten the thigh and rib bolsters to clamp you in - press the S button and these automatically tighten to confirm you're ready for action. Sadly, North America won't be getting the seats, or the distinctive steering wheel. According to Audi NA, the associated crash-testing would be too costly. Snug in our Recaros, gripping the thick wheel, it's time to fire the beast.
A prod on the console-mounted button and the 4.2 FSI V8 burbles fires into life. Audi really did its homework here. They'd heard about the M5's disappointing exhaust note, particularly at start up, and addressed it head on. As soon as it fires you want to blip the throttle. Then engage the S button and a valve opens in the exhaust to take it from burble to porn. There's no other way to describe it. This is one of the best exhaust notes I've ever heard. It's like Nascar, a Ferrari and a muscle car, all packaged in a delicious quattro package. I confess to spending five days hardly touching sixth. It was always in a low gear, pulling enough revs to stay in the sweet spot. We've posted some video at eurotuner.com to give you an idea of how it sounds. Despite our abuse, we got 15mpg in city traffic and over 20mpg on the busy freeways. Considering the V8 makes 100hp per liter, and we were always on it, that's almost respectable. I've driven four cylinder cars around LA that give similar mileage! On fast roads Audi's new torque split really came into its own. The quattro system previously had a 50/50 torque split and with the motor pitched up front it made them understeer. However, the new cars get a more aggressive 60/40 split. More power to the rear wheels makes them more neutral, and the RS4 feels pretty nimble. So did we enjoy the RS4? Are you kidding? We loved it! Try to score some seat time in one or park outside your Audi dealer and listen to them
As promised in our June 2006 issue of eurotuner, we've posted some video footage from our time with the new Audi RS4. These were taken during our British photo shoot where we were trying to get some cornering photos for the magazine, hence the rather brutal treatment. You'll also see footage of the original B5 RS4 Avant, which tries to take out of videographer, as well as the RS6 Avant. We also shot footage in London's Piccadily Underpass at 1am just so you can experience the noise from the RS4's 4.2 V8. So turn the volume up and enjoy...
QUICK TIME
Audi RS4 video 01
Audi RS4 video 02
Audi RS4 video 03
Audi RS4 tunnel
WINDOWS MEDIA
Audi RS4 video 01
Audi RS4 video 02
Audi RS4 video 03
Audi RS4 tunnel