Audi RS4



It really is all about the engine. No question, the latest RS4’s new-look nose, shark-like spoiler gills, pumped arches and pimped wheels will make a big noise kerbside, but the real deal is under that alloy bonnet.

And lurking not so quietly under that broad sweep of aluminium lies a 4.2-litre 420bhp V8, replacing the old RS4’s 380bhp twin-turbo V6. But the number that’s really got my attention is 8250rpm, which is where the stratospherically high rev limit for this remarkable engine lives. A V8 capable of those sort of revs used to be the preserve of race cars, and isn’t far off what the Ferrari F430’s phenomenal V8 spins to. In fact, Audi claims this is the highest revving engine they’ve ever stuck in a production. A good start, then.

Indeed. This latest RS4, which costs £49,980 and is on sale from January 2006, looks even more aggressive than the model it replaces, with the family-look single-frame grille flanked by deep, louvred spoilers. It’s a rear-view-filler destined to clear the outside lane, as we discovered.

Inside, the RS4 is even more overtly sporting, with massively bolstered seats that really wouldn't look out of place in a BTCC racer (except, of course, for the leather trim). And at the touch of a button, the bolsters clinch you even tighter for press-on driving.

You’ll find the usual drilled out alloy pedals, as well as a steering wheel with alloy-alike finish along its racer-style flat-bottom. Which we didn't like for its slippery and cheap-feeling finish, frankly. Likewise, the centre console mounted 'start' button, while a racer-ish touch, looked like something that should have been made from something like turned aluminium instead of plastic.

It's a car you get to know slowly (if you value your no-claims bonus, not to mention your license). Fire up and ease in the surprisingly light clutch and engage first gear from the six on offer from the the chunky but direct six-speed manual. No drama, no intimidation – this is a car that instantly telegraphs easy-to-live-with vibes. It is also a car that you can stick in pretty much any gear you like and leave it there, confident that even with less than 1000rpm on the dial, it'll still pull with ease. I tried slotting sixth gear with just 800rpm showing and the barrel-chested Audi pulled away smoothly. Once we had 2000rpm on the clock, the pull got serious. Amazing, and testament to what you can achieve with 317lb ft of torque, of which 90percent is on tap from, you guessed it, 2000rpm.

But it's the character of the thing that stays with you. As the revs rise, the engine note hardens into a flat, almost clinically even-timbred blare. And if you hit the 'S' (for Sport) button on the steering wheel, throttle response is sharpened up a little and the V8's engine note gets a little more old-fashioned hot-rod bellow in its tune. Which we like very much indeed.

Then there's that statospheric rev limit. It needs to be high, as here is an engine that delivers maximum whack, power-wise, at a high 7800rpm. The first few times you investigate the upper reaches of the rev range, you'll experience that delicious thrill that an engine delivers when it pulls another couple of thousand revs out of the bag that you weren't expecting.

The RS4 feels quick, bloody quick, but not savage. The control inputs are all refined and reasonably low effort, and the acceleration is epic but linear and predictable. There isn't, for example, that sudden rush of thrust you get with the old RS when the turbos wake up and say hello. For the record, the RS will reach 62mph in 4.8secs and an electronically limited 155mph – word is that without the electronic nanny, the latest RS would be knocking on for 190mph. Yikes is the word.

The RS4 sits 30mm lower than the standard car, and the front and rear tracks are wider, too. This gives the car a very planted stance, but it also lowers the center of gravity and improves handling response. And cross country, the RS4 is massively swift thanks to that quattro four-wheel drive set up, superbly grippy Pirelli P-Zero tyres and, of course, that stonking great V8. And revisions to the well-proven quattro drivetrain means that up to 85 percent of the engine’s torque can be directed to the rear for what Audi calls 'even more adjustable cornering behaviour.'

This works in partnership with the latest version of Audi's Dynamic Ride Control, which is basically a way of exerting more control over damper stiffness to improve handling precision.

The result is a car that is very easy to drive quickly, although the steering is too heavy at low speeds and slightly lacking in feel at higher velocities. And even though the quattro system can direct up to 85percent of torque to the rear, this is not a car for tail-out antics, even with the stability control system switched off.

It isn't, for example, as alert and pointable as a BMW M3. Audi says that's not what its customers are looking for, that it's the assuredness of the quattro system and the car's relaxed, potent cruiser character that appeals. It's certainly got those qualities in spades, and in fairness, you'd be foolish to buy an RS4 with the idea that you're getting a track day car in the bargain. Because you won't.

And the quattro system is, in the wet, quite astonishingly good. We drove around a drenched race track – complete with loads of standing water – at simply lunatic speed in a bid to see where the Audi would let go. With ESP engaged, it managed to sort out even the most cack-handed attempts to induce slides or understeer moments.

Then we headed out over some of Italy's less comfort-friendly B-roads and cobbled village high streets. And that provided nearly the biggest surprise of all, as this is the best-riding Audi I've driven for a very long time. On 18-inch wheels and lowered by 30mm, I was expecting a 'sportily' firm ride, for which read 'uncomfortably harsh.' Not the case, as the car absorbs short, sharp impacts such as manhole covers and tarmac ridges with smooth compliance. And with low levels of tyre roar and road noise, the RS4 is a surprisingly refined cruiser and a good long-distance car.

The bottom line is that this RS4 is a very significantly better car than the one it replaces. More powerful and faster than either the BMW M3 or Mercedes Benz C55 AMG, the Audi really should be on a shopping list that includes these contenders. Just be aware that the RS4 is unlikely to match the cheaper M3 for purity of driving experience. In every other respect, this is a three-way fight.