Hence, it's time for a change. The new A4 improved everything about the old entry-level Audi when it dawned in 2002, as the new S4 will when it arrives as a 2004 model. Along with its "deliberately restrained" but still dramatically attractive TT influenced A4 styling and updated interior, the S4 will get a little more go with its show. How much? Try 344-hp from a 4.2-L, 30-valve, DOHC V8 incorporating a whopping 302 lb-ft of torque! OK, you've got our collective attention Audi. That's 11 more horsepower than the current M3 and a fierce 40 lb-ft of additional gut wrenching torque. Whew! Getting the power through its close ratio, short throw 6-speed manual transaxle and down to the road is Audi's renowned quattro permanent four-wheel drive, providing awesome grip in any weather condition, and ESP traction control.
Numbers? How about 0 - 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.6 seconds, and then on to 200 km/h (124 mph) in a mere 20.6 seconds? That's fast for any car, let alone one as luxuriously equipped and thus weighing in at 1,660 kg (3,660 lb). Its top speed, like as with all German cars, is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph).
But how did Audi fit this big V8 into the A4's diminutive engine bay in the first place? Its length was kept to only 464 mm (18.3 in) by the addition of a chain drive for the camshafts and engine ancillaries. OK it's small, but won't the added weight of a V8 hamper handling dynamics? Normally yes, but the new 4.2-L is exactly the same weight as the outgoing twin-turbo 2.7-L V6, at 195 kg (430 lb). Ironically, the V8's forward placement on the chassis actually benefits the S4's balance, improving handling.