2023 Audi S4 Street Check: Hey! Keep in mind me?

CARLSBAD, Calif. – It’s solely pure to be seduced by no matter is latest. It’s a part of the rationale I get to do what I do: Individuals are desperate to find out about essentially the most not too long ago launched automobiles, and in lots of circumstances, purchase them. They’re sure to be extra excited once they do, too, and wish to present them off. On this means, we by no means actually develop up. I’m undecided how many people bounded over to a pal’s home to indicate off a toy your brother had seven years in the past.

Nicely, there may be nothing new in regards to the 2023 Audi S4. The automotive you see right here is the results of a 2020 mid-cycle refresh of a technology that debuted for 2017 – although we first drove it again in the summertime of 2016. It might be straightforward to dismiss the S4 as yesterday’s information. I definitely contemplated whether or not anybody would truly wish to examine Grandpa S4. That’d be a disgrace, although, as a result of what we have now right here is an oldie however a goodie, to borrow a phrase out of your precise grandpa. It could be acquainted; it might present indicators of its age, and it might seem like a automotive that somebody purchased new three years in the past, however no matter. The Audi S4 is a terrific sport sedan that deserves to have a highlight dropped again on it.

As a refresher, as a result of even I had lengthy forgotten what you truly get with the A4’s high-performance sibling, the 2023 S4 is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that produces 349 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Audi says it hits 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. That’s an enormous soar from the Audi A4 Quattro (aka 45 TFSI Quattro), which is sweet for 248 hp, 273 lb-ft and a 0-60 time of 5.6 seconds. That makes the S4’s acceleration technically nearer to a BMW M3’s even when it nonetheless falls properly brief. That’s by design. Audi’s RS fashions proceed to be the M fighters, and whereas the RS 4 not exists, the RS 5 Sportback does and is the equal of an RS 4 in a elaborate go well with. No less than when it comes to 0-60 instances, it matches the RWD M3 Competitors (the all-wheel-drive model is 0.4 faster), however right here I get distracted by newer issues once more. Again to the S4.

Parking S4 so it will not really feel fairly so outdated. No less than it is not stuffed with useless flowers.

Because it’s an Audi and the yr is 2023, Quattro all-wheel drive is customary and an eight-speed automated is necessary. And it’s a standard, torque converter automated, too, in contrast to the seven-speed dual-clutch discovered within the A4 that may’t deal with the torque of the massive V6. The DSG may be swell for effectivity, however the velocity, smarts and smoothness of ZF’s tried-and-true eight-speed are exhausting to beat. Put the automotive in Dynamic mode, slap the shifter down into S, and you may overlook in regards to the shift paddles. Which is sweet as a result of they’re flimsy plastic and an affront to the remainder of the cabin’s pretty switchgear.

The S4 options the identical Sport suspension that’s elective on the A4, together with its 23-mm decrease journey top. Manner again in 2016, contributing author Michael Taylor was unimpressed by this customary setup, noting that the lowered suspension robbed the automotive of harshness-absorbing journey leading to sharp preliminary responses to bumps earlier than the in any other case succesful dampening softened the blow. This specific S4, nevertheless, got here geared up with the S sport package deal that you just may as properly think about necessary.

The important thing merchandise is adaptive dampers, which add one other vector to the varied drive modes, together with the mix-and-match Particular person setting. Per regular, Dynamic companies the suspension as tautly as will be, but in addition per regular, the undulating pavement and fast grade adjustments discovered mid-corner on tighter, extra technical Santa Monica Mountain roads resulted within the middle-ground setting of “Balanced” and its better suspension compliance being the higher possibility. Because of Particular person, although, I may choose that and go away all the things else in Dynamic. Later, when making the 130-mile trek down the 405 and 5 by means of L.A., Orange and San Diego counties, I swapped Dynamic for Consolation within the Particular person setting and skilled not one of the preliminary harshness Taylor reported. Truly, the journey was completely effective in Balanced, however why not take pleasure in a little bit of cushion when coping with crap pavement and monotony?

The S sport package deal provides two different parts. One is red-painted brake calipers. Yippee! The opposite is a torque-vectoring “sport rear differential” added to the usual Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Although I haven’t pushed an S4 with out the game diff, its presence is however apparent and profit profound. After nice preliminary chew when braking right into a nook, get again onto the gasoline and really feel the automotive expertly whip its tail round. That is the results of a one-two punch. First, this model of Quattro, shared with most of Audi’s S and RS line, is a everlasting system, which means each the entrance and rear axles all the time obtain some quantity of energy (versus the “Quattro with extremely” system discovered on A and Q collection Audis that defaults to front-wheel drive with energy despatched rearward as wanted). The default is rear-biased 40:60, however can change to as a lot as 70:30 ought to the rear wheels lose traction, or as a lot as 15:85 ought to the fronts lose traction or throughout extra exuberant driving moments. The game rear differential then takes no matter quantity of energy goes to the rear and sends most of it to the surface wheel (this may be torque vectoring).

Not solely will this scale back understeer and hasten your tempo, it provides much more suggestions to a automotive that already provides a shocking quantity of chassis communication that you may detect in your heels and bottom. You possibly can really feel the chassis interacting with the pavement and the ability being put down in the very best means. I truthfully wasn’t anticipating this from an Audi, because it hasn’t all the time been the case.

On prime of the S sport package deal, you’ll be able to add a Dynamic Steering possibility that this check automotive additionally included. Audi says it “will increase dealing with and stability in any respect speeds” and leads to “essentially the most dynamic iteration of the S4.” I’ll take their phrase for it, however will provide that I preferred the steering. Whereas the usual A4 and Allroad steering effort is overly mild within the present technology (their Dynamic settings are principally the equal of the earlier generations’ single setup), the S4’s Dynamic possibility is spot on. Energy help is constant and restrained, with out a lot distinction between the Balanced and Dynamic modes. It doesn’t weight up simply to offer the impression of sportiness, nor does it get overtly mild at decrease speeds. Nicely performed. Importantly, suggestions is superior to what you’d get in a BMW 3 Sequence, and I doubt it’s too far off the tempo of the M3.

In addition to the agreeable journey and midway first rate 30 mpg on the freeway, the S4 demonstrated loads of different road-trip-worthy attributes. The seats are sensational, the driving place is ideal and the Bang & Olufsen sound system … oh lordy. I had simply downloaded Fleetwood Mac’s remastered Rumours Deluxe Version, and it was like Lindsay Buckingham was sitting within the again seat whereas Stevie rode shotgun. However with out all of the lingering anger.  

As is commonly the case, the remainder of the cabin is the place the S4 in the end exhibits its age. Audi retrofitted the A4/S4 with an even bigger infotainment display screen and the most recent MMI consumer interface again in 2020 (when the above inside images had been taken), which meant {that a} touchscreen changed the long-standing knob-and-display interface initially fitted to the automotive again in ’17. It’s definitely not my favourite touchscreen system, however as with the equally retrofitted Q5, it’s disappointing that Audi didn’t see match to revamp the middle console after eradicating the MMI knob and menu buttons. There’s actually a gap in the midst of the console the place they was once – and I say “gap” fairly than “bin” as a result of it’s principally the dimensions of a tissue packet. It then joins one other tiny “bin” that’s actually solely large enough to carry the important thing fob, and an under-armrest “bin” that’s been commandeered by the wi-fi telephone charger. No less than the cupholders are first rate, however there’s a lot wasted house as a consequence of a disappointing quantity of effort put forth for a contemporary luxurious automotive.

The position of that gap additionally brings to mild an objection I have to formally log, even when I do know it’s in the end futile. Nearly as good because the ZF auto is, the S4 can be completely delectable with a six-speed guide shifter sitting the place that tissue holder is. If it was an possibility, I might completely purchase certainly one of these with a guide as an alternative of an M3.

Certain, at $67,570 as examined, it’s about $7,500 extra reasonably priced than a manual-equipped M3 (or about $16,000 lower than the AWD, auto-only M3 Competitors). It wouldn’t have the identical efficiency envelope, clearly, however in the true world, I’m undecided I’d be capable to totally take pleasure in the additional $7,500 value of functionality. And to be sincere, loads of that desire has to do with the S4 being a considerably better-looking automotive than the absurdly schnozzed M3. It’s made even higher by the check automotive’s Turbo Blue paint that obtained loads of compliments throughout its keep – my 2-year-old son remains to be lamenting the absent “blue Audi” three weeks after it left. So am I, truly, even with the auto. It might not be the most recent or biggest, however there’s nonetheless loads of life on this outdated man. Love reside the S4.

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