Audi RS4 Review

2008 Audi RS4 Sedan

Much like the difference between a merely competent steed and the legendary Seabiscuit, there's quick and then there's quick. If you're a driver looking for the latter, you should know that the once-small pool of ultra-performance sport sedans is growing; high-end automakers have stayed up nights plotting and scheming new ways to stoke your desires and deplete your bank account. The latest entrant in this category is the Audi RS 4. Gobbling distance with ruthless speed and efficiency, the RS 4 is endowed with all the traits that leave enthusiasts salivating like babies.

Other German manufacturers have performed like straight-A students in this segment, but the RS 4 indicates that Audi has done its homework, and has its eye set on being class valedictorian. Ridiculously powerful engine? Check. The Audi RS 4 sedan comes ready for the smackdown thanks to a V8 that, with more than 400 horsepower, offers more muscle than the Rock -- just what you'd expect from a car in this rarefied class. Superior ride and handling? Check. Audi's runner even manages to best the rear-wheel-drive competition by a nose thanks to its all-wheel-drive system. And the RS 4's extraordinarily supportive seats mean your back won't ever beg you to plead "time out" from all the festivities.

Downsides? The RS 4's compact dimensions add welcome nimbleness, but they also result in rear seats that are somewhat on the cramped side. And then there's its price. At almost 70 large, the RS 4 won't put a dent in your finances so much as blow a hole in them. But don't let that stop you. Retirement plan, schmetirement plan. An object of desire if ever there was one, the Audi RS 4 is the type of sport sedan that puts the fun in reckless spending.

Current Audi RS 4

The Audi RS 4 sport sedan made its North American debut for the 2007 model year. It's a product of Quattro GmbH, Audi's performance division. (There's some inherent confusion here, as Audi brands its all-wheel-drive system "Quattro" as well.) Essentially, the RS 4 is an amplified version of the S4 sedan, itself already a performance variant of the entry-level Audi A4. Highlights include a higher-output V8, specific suspension tuning with Dynamic Ride Control, modified all-wheel-drive components, more powerful brakes, special 19-inch wheels and high-performance tires. Identifying the RS 4 is more aggressive exterior styling, including flared fenders and a unique rear deck lid spoiler. Overall, this super sport sedan has a look that says "performance" without shouting it.

The RS 4 comes in just one trim, but as you'd expect from a sedan in this price range, you're not wanting for luxury. Heated leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control and bi-HID headlights all make an appearance on its standard features list.

Motivating the Audi RS 4 is a high-performance 4.2-liter V8 good for 420 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque; the engine offers 80 more horsepower than you'll find in the S4. Only one transmission is offered: a six-speed manual. Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system makes sure the wheels never break their kiss with the road.

This Audi's cabin places an emphasis on clean lines. Though there's the requisite supple leather, plushness isn't the focus; rather, the car's interior champions a pared-down aesthetic that favors sleekness over opulence. The RS 4's sport seats look good and feel good, offering bolstering that cradles you in the corners without ever being too overwhelming. There's ample room for those in front, but rear seat passengers may find their accommodations a bit cramped.

But of course, this sport sedan is all about performance, and in this area, it doesn't disappoint. Going in, the Audi RS 4 seems to have a couple of strikes against it. Weighing in at about 4,000 pounds, it's one of the more porcine players in the class. And its design places the V8 engine entirely over its front axle, a fact that can compromise steering and weight distribution. But somehow the RS 4 manages to transcend all this the way a Teflon politician transcends a scandal.

Certainly helping matters is the Dynamic Ride Control system. DRC links the diagonally opposite front and rear dampers with a gas-charged reservoir to allow more compliance when front and rear dampers are compressed at the same time, ensuring a comfortable highway ride with minimal compromise during performance driving.

In reviews, we've found that the RS 4's handling is near perfect, with the sort of steely composure that remains undaunted no matter what. Acceleration is explosive, shifts are quick and a broad torque band ensures that there's ample power underfoot for all situations. In testing, we measured a 0-60-mph time of just 4.3 seconds.

Past Audi RS 4 models

It should be noted that although the RS 4 is new to the U.S., there was an older RS 4 briefly sold in Europe. Debuting for 2000 as an Avant wagon only, it came with a 375-hp, turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.