Audi S4 Avant: PH Fleet
A new year and a new fast Audi joins the PH Fleet - can it justify a £50K asking price?
We promise to test out that big boot too
The current fast Audi situation augurs well for this car, despite some less appealing offerings in recent memory. Audi has been on a bit of a roll with the S models of late; both the S1 and S3 are great cars. Initial impressions are that it's absolutely on the right track with the S4 too.
Read more: Audi S4 Avant (2017) Review
Firstly, the looks are spot on. Aside from a few too many shiny bits it looks like a regular A4, which is perfect for discreet performance motoring and we love a Q-car here at PH. Unfortunately 'our' car is covered in less-than-subtle Misano Red paint, but we plan to combat that by not cleaning it very often.
Well of course it looks snazzy
Talking of gear selection, the car no longer sports the dual-clutch S-Tronic 'box of the old car. Instead it now comes with an eight-speed torque converter auto, intended to make the car more pleasant for everyday driving; that and the fact that the older dual-clutch unit perhaps couldn't quite handle the increased torque of this new V6. Whether deliberate or a happy coincidence we may never know, but it seems to suit the car well.
As you'd expect from a performance Audi, all four corners are driven courtesy of a Torsen torque sensing four-wheel drive system. Under normal conditions the car has a 40:60 front-rear split but up to 70 per cent of the engine power can now be sent to the front or up to 85 per cent to the rear. A sport differential - which can alter the amount of drive to each rear wheel - is also available as an option, and happily it is one that is fitted to our car.
Predictably swish in here too
In addition to all of this, Audi has created - surprise, surprise - a genuinely superb interior complete with some of the finest seats I've ever had the pleasure of sitting in. Admittedly it is early days but I found them instantly comfortable, and how can you not like a seat that gives you a massage? And whilst you're sitting comfortably you can enjoy the view of the snazzy and seemingly endlessly configurable 'Virtual Cockpit' arrangement first seen in the TT.
All of which adds up to what is, on first impressions at least, a very nice car indeed. Which you most probably expected. But who is it aimed at?
Where's that 340i Touring then?
Time will tell whether Audi have achieved this with the S4, but we've got six months to find out. First test? Family errands with both Dan and I, to test how practical it is. But there's fun stuff planned too!
FACT SHEET
Car: 2016 Audi S4 Avant
On fleet since: January 2017
Mileage:
List price new: £44,415 (As tested £49,770 comprising Misano Red paint for £645, Quattro sport with Sport Differential for £1,200, 19-inch diamond cut wheels for £550, Light and Vision pack for £750, Adaptive S Sport suspension with damping control for £900, Audi phonebox with wireless charging for £325 and on the road costs of £985)
Last month at a glance: Wouldn't you know, a new fast Audi makes a good first impression...
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[Photos: Chris Teagles]
You hear lots of stories about troubles with the DSG units, especially the dry sump ones. Even those that work "as supposed" seem to struggle to pull cleanly from rest ( into, say a roundabout ). Although I have never driven one for a great period of time, I have often wondered what, if any, advantage they offer against a more proven torque converter unit, such as the 8 speed ZF box.
Will be interesting to see if this change starts to filter out through the rest of the VAG range - it has certainly stopped me from buying their products in the past....
With regards to pulling away, I wonder if it's a misunderstanding on how to drive them - their initial delay in getting moving is down to the computer letting in the clutch slowly enough to get smooth engagement, but not so fast as to pull your head off... Once rolling they work very quickly indeed, but you need to anticipate the delay in getting away like you would a manual, rather than thinking of it as an auto.
Advantages are, realistically, efficiency now (even then they're not significantly better than the new-generation ZF boxes) - the newer ZF boxes have kicked the old shift time and strategy arguments firmly to the kerb imo, once away from a spec sheet...
You hear lots of stories about troubles with the DSG units, especially the dry sump ones. Even those that work "as supposed" seem to struggle to pull cleanly from rest ( into, say a roundabout ). Although I have never driven one for a great period of time, I have often wondered what, if any, advantage they offer against a more proven torque converter unit, such as the 8 speed ZF box.
Will be interesting to see if this change starts to filter out through the rest of the VAG range - it has certainly stopped me from buying their products in the past....
Pulling away cleanly, swift, fuss-free changes were the norm.
That said, I only kept the cars for a few months so can't give a long term ownership perspective.
I ran the old model S4 for 4 months and loved it. The engine was mighty but it was the handling that surprised me most. It was no Elise but was weirdly satisfying in the twisties. The challenge was maintaining the pace without inducing oversteer. It was possible but you had to really think about what you were doing.
It was the only Audi I had which I genuinely found hard to give back.
With regards to pulling away, I wonder if it's a misunderstanding on how to drive them - their initial delay in getting moving is down to the computer letting in the clutch slowly enough to get smooth engagement, but not so fast as to pull your head off... Once rolling they work very quickly indeed, but you need to anticipate the delay in getting away like you would a manual, rather than thinking of it as an auto.
Advantages are, realistically, efficiency now (even then they're not significantly better than the new-generation ZF boxes) - the newer ZF boxes have kicked the old shift time and strategy arguments firmly to the kerb imo, once away from a spec sheet...
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