|
2004 Audi S4 Avant
By Peter Bleakney
 I’ve just spent a week in automotive nirvana - and it’s called the 2004 Audi S4 Avant.
Every now and then a car comes along that sucker-punches you right where you live. I’ll admit it, this little blue missile had me stammering like a love-struck teenager. Every minute away from my new beau seemed like an eternity. Just waking up in the morning and seeing the S4 waiting in the driveway brought tears of joy to my eyes.
I want one. I need one. In the height of my weakness I was actually thinking of selling the kids - or at least the teenager.
Phew... now that I got that out of the way, time to put the “professional auto journalist” hat back on.
In the great muscle car tradition, Audi has taken it’s little sedan and stuffed a honkin’ V8 under the hood. The 4.2 litre, five valve per cylinder motor puts out 340 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 302 ft/lbs of torque at 3500 rpm. Mated to a close ratio six-speed manual transmission and driving all four wheels via Audi’s full-time Quattro system, this powerhouse transforms the regular A4 into a pavement scorcher of the highest order.
But unlike the muscle cars of yore, the Audi S4 Avant has handling and braking on par with its straight-line speed. Not to mention a healthy dose of refinement and luxury. On paper, the S4 looks mighty impressive - in reality, it seems to deliver even more than the sum of its parts.
Aesthetically, the A4 Avant is a very pleasing car. The S4 improves on these modern, taut lines with subtle lower body side cladding, 18 inch Avus alloys and a 30 mm lower stance. The twin chromed exhaust tips out back signal business.
Audi does the best interiors in the business, and this S4 impresses with a beautifully conceived and executed cabin, featuring top notch materials and all the expected mod-cons. Every surface is a tactile delight. It may not scream luxury, but the attention to detail will warm the hearts of those who appreciate fine workmanship.
The dash sports big gauges that are classy in presentation, and thankfully, the traditional all-red illumination of previous Audis has been ditched for easy to read pristine white numerals.
Standard features include dual zone climate control, heated leather seats, a six CD in-dash changer and 10 speaker Audi Symphony II system, power everything and a multi-function trip computer. In addition to the front and side impact airbags, there are ceiling mounted head curtain bags for the front and rear.
 Other safety features include anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and an anti-skid system (ESP).
My tester sported electric blue suede surfaces on the snug but comfy 12-way powered Recaro seats - very cool. The three spoke leather steering wheel was refreshing free of buttons, which in this car is a good thing. You’re going to want that wheel for one thing only. The steering on the S4 Avant is perfectly weighted and near telepathic. There is almost no friction in the system, and signals between your hands and the front contact patches are transmitted effortlessly.
This wouldn’t be such a big deal if the rest of the car didn’t play along so well. The S4 is beautifully balanced. With all four wheels clawing at the pavement, it attacks the twisties with glee. While very neutral, the S4’s cornering attitude adjusts slightly with throttle input. Dive into a bend, and the heavier V8 out front makes itself known with a bit of initial understeer, but once you dial in the juice, the S4 gets down to business, rocketing out of the corner with uncanny grip. Keep it planted and a bit of oversteer enters the equation as the back end gets playful. Loads of fun. And this is with 235/40 x 18 Pirelli snow tires.
The six-speed shifter snicks through the well-defined gates with accuracy. Clutch take-up is smooth and progressive.
But like all “muscle cars”, the soul of this car is the engine. Open the hood, and you gotta wonder how they crammed it in there. If you spilled a box of Smarties in the engine bay I bet not one would hit the pavement.
This motor has a unique song - a low V8 rumble accompanied by a faint high-tech mechanical whine. Once the tach swings above five grand, it all comes together in an intoxicating NASCAR like howl. Throw in the guaranteed “Holy S*^#t!” from your passenger, and that pretty much gives you the S4 sonic experience.
Throttle response in immediate, with the power really coming on above 3000 rpm. It so easy to attain big speeds in the S4, and so much fun, I found myself having to forcibly ration the go-pedal for fear of jeopardizing my license.
You’ll never forget this is a performance car first and foremost. Cruising at 120 kph (3000 rpm) the resonant drone of the V8 is your constant companion, and the ride can be jarring over less than perfect tarmac.
Did I mention this car was thirsty? Oh yeah. At 1785 kg, the S4 Avant is no featherweight. The trip computer showed an average fuel consumption of 17.1 L/100 km. It will run on regular, but Audi recommends the good stuff for ultimate performance.
The bottom line on all this fun is $69,400. My tester had the Premium Package ($2300) which brought Homelink, xenon headlights, auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors, driver seat memory and glass sunroof to the party. The Bose premium sound system was an additional $920.
 For me, this is a perfect size of vehicle. Some might complain the back seat is a bit snug. Well, maybe that’s because this is a compact car. Duh. Go buy an Impala. The fact that the S4 Avant has all that useful cargo area back there seals the deal for me. I took my son skiing, and used the handy built in ski-bag pass-through between the rear seats. Arriving at the ski hill in an S4 Avant... well, it somehow completes the picture.
Yes, Audi has built me the perfect car. Damn. But like all great love stories, this one must come to an end. As you read this, some other ink-stained journalist is likely thrashing my baby, and the sad part is, she probably doesn’t even remember my name.
|
