- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr He
A compact representative of your status
The Audi S4, a high-performance sports version of the Audi A4, produced since 1997, has inherited its name from the powerful sports versions of the famous Audi 100. The car was produced at the Audi AG plant in Ingolstadt (Germany) in different 5-seater bodies. The first, fourth and fifth generations of the S4 were produced as a 5-door estate and a 4-door sedan. The second and third generations also had a 2-door 4-seater cabriolet version. Like all the Audi S models, the S4 is equipped only with Quattro all-wheel drive, and the engines and gearboxes were different and changed over the course of time and progress. In countries where the more powerful Audi RS4 is not offered, the S4 is the top car of the A4 family, on the basis of which it is built.
The first generation
It debuted in 1997. Production of the sedan began in October 1997, and the estate appeared later in 1998. The model was 4,483 mm long, 1,733 mm wide and 1,396/1,418 mm (sedan/estate) high. The wheelbase was 2,615 mm. The car received a 2.7-liter V6 twin-turbo engine (265 hp and 400 Nm) and two transmission options: a 6-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed automatic transmission with ZF manual mode. The first Audi S4 accelerated to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, making it the fastest sedan of its brand at the time.
The second generation
It was produced since 2002 and became famous for the fact that for the first time the car of this class started featuring a 4.2-liter V8 engine with 344 hp and a torque of 410 Nm. The engine could be coupled with 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. The dimensions of the second Audi S4 increased by about 10 cm, while the wheelbase grew to 2,651 mm. The manufacturer also introduced a cabriolet version with an open body.
The third generation
The third generation, which appeared in 2005, was a result of the deep modernization of its predecessor. Even the engine remained the same, with the same 344 hp. Some changes touched the suspension (springs and shock absorbers), and after 2007 the car received an upgraded Torsen T-3 center differential with an asymmetric torque distribution of 40:60 between the front and rear wheels on models with a manual transmission plus the latest version of the Bosch ESP 8.0.
The fourth generation
The fourth generation was released in 2009. The new car was based on the MLB Volkswagen Group platform. The new generation kept a sedan and an estate, while a cabriolet ‘moved’ to the S5 range. The fourth Audi S4 received a 3.0-liter V6 TFSI supercharged engine with 333 hp and a torque of 440 Nm. The unit was paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. At the beginning of 2012, the model was restyled, acquiring a fresh front end design with new headlights and radiator grille, as well as a redesigned interior and the latest version of MMI multimedia. In terms of technology, the cars started featuring electromagnetic steering and a lighter center differential mechanism.
The fifth generation
The latest (as of 2021), fifth generation of the Audi S4 debuted in 2016. Sedans and estates are powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 TFSI engine rather than a supercharger like previous cars. Modifications designed for Europe come only with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The new Audi S4 has grown. Thus, the sedan is now 4,745 mm long, while the estate is 4,726 mm long. The width of both is 1,842 mm, and the height is 1,427 mm. The wheelbase has grown up to 2,820 mm, and the wheel rims are now 18-inch. As with other Audi models, the fifth generation S4 features the Virtual Cockpit that has classic and sporty options for displaying the speedometer and tachometer. The standard equipment of the 2016/2017 Audi S4 includes LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, as well as dynamic direction indicators and LED taillights.
2019 restyling
The restyled Audi S4 has acquired a modern design. Only the hood, roof and the upper part of the trunk lid are the same. After the restyling, the exterior looks even more elegant. There is no need to change the beautiful interior, so it was simply refreshed with new materials and screens: the diagonal of the central touchscreen has increased from 8.3 to 10.1 inches, the multimedia has received voice control, which makes it possible to remove the control ‘plate’ from the central tunnel, and the MMI itself has become ‘smarter’. As part of the personalization of communication between the car and the driver, each owner of the 2019/2020 Audi S4 will have their own myAudi account with personal settings and a set of necessary applications. The digital instrument cluster now has the S-performance panel with a tachometer display in the form of a boomerang.
The suspension remains the same, with electronically controlled shock absorbers as an option. However, the engine is completely new. The European version now has a diesel engine! The 2020/2021 Audi S4 sedans and estates come with 3.0 TDI engines with combined supercharging (turbocharger plus an electric supercharger to compensate for the turbo lag). The engine produces 347 hp and 700 Nm over a very wide rev range and is combined with a mild hybrid system with a 48-volt starter-generator.
