The new Audi RS4 is probably the best compact performance sedan in the world.
Audi are, in fact, so confident of the car, they let us loose on a race track ! ! !

‘AUDI’S NEW REAR-BIASED FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM HELPS GIVE THE 414BHP RS4 FRIENDLY, NEUTRAL HANDLING.’

‘IT SCRAMBLES THROUGH CORNERS, ALL FOUR WHEELS TUGGING HARD AND V8 GROWLING IN ANGER.’

Automotive taxonomy received an all-new species back in 1981 when Audi debuted the Quattro rally car. Pioneering four wheel drive, or Quattro, Audi flew in the face of conventional wisdom. The widely held belief that all true racing machines, rally cars included, needed to put power down to the road through only the rear wheels was at odds with their choice of drive system. They said four wheel drive was only suitable for slow off-road driving… they said that multiple driveshafts and transfer cases would make the car cumbersome and heavy… that the car would be slow… and most of all, that it wouldn’t win.
But it did. And then again. And again, and again and again. It won so often, everybody else did a 180 and starting rallying four-wheel drive cars. Today, the people who compete in two-wheel drives are part of the historic rallying scene. No, seriously, the Quattro made the two-wheel drive rally car obsolete. Four-wheel drive helped distribute the prodigious 400bhp-plus outputs of the Quattro rally cars; it helped each wheel put power down individually on to loose surfaces like gravel or mud and because these new cars had lighter, better-built transfer cases and drive shafts, they managed balanced, sharp handling on tarmac too.
Pioneers, Audi reaped the commercial harvest, making the Quattro four-wheel drive system a key product differentiator. Today, four-wheel drive systems are slapped on to practically their entire range of products, though in some cases and under certain conditions, there may be little or no tangible benefit.

There are sufficient… no, substantial, benefits to the system being employed on the breathtaking 414bhp RS4 however; a veritable beast of a car that without debate takes the compact performance saloon to new heights. Right away, the attitude and stance of the car spell this out clearly. The focal point of the RS4 clearly is its massive Auto Union grille and those Bowie hunting knife-like headlights. Of course it has been sufficiently pumped up, with its gaping chin and that important, well-planted look – restrained aggression all the way, an Audi to the letter. We particularly like the sporty rear-view mirrors and that muscular look, thanks to the huge 255/19 tyres and snug-fitting wheel arches. Also the fact that it looks like a solid block of metal, weighing three tons. Of course, with lots of aluminum bits about, it doesn’t.
Kerb weight: 1650kg. Maximum power: 414bhp at 7800 rpm. 38.2 kgm of torque from 2000 rpm. Max torque of 43.8kgm at 5500rpm. Top speed of 250kph. All stunning numbers, enough to give this sedan supercar-munching performance. Needless to say, the V8 motor under the hood is a huge contributing factor. Audi has been at the cutting edge of engine technology in recent years – it pioneered the use of five cylinder motors that were so common in the nineties, it did direct injection turbo diesels when everyone else turned their noses up at the idea, its turbocharged five valves per cylinder engine was the sharp end of petrol engine performance and the new petrol direct injection FSI motors are the razor’s edge today.
The anticipation is huge and my heart is thumping. We are parked on the track at the quite splendid Dubai Autodrome, waiting to get led around behind a pace car for a few acclimatization laps before are going to be allowed to really bring the hammer down and let all those 414 horses loose. Earlier, we had sat as passengers and been driven around by a bunch of tin top racers. Driven hard and fast, we were already blown away by the sheer pace of the RS4 and the nonchalant ease with which the chassis handled all that was thrown at it.
But now, it’s time to get on the track. I turn the key… and nothing. No V8 bark, no whirring of the starter. I glance around the beautifully finished Audi cabin and find the engine start button, a sporty little gimmick. The motor fires with a deep, booming bass – a grizzly bear growl mixed in with the music from NASCAR, it sounds simply awesome – loud yes, but effortless too. The direct injection FSI V8 is smooth, as responsive as a rabid dog on a chain and as immediate as a sledgehammer. Half an inch of throttle, and the RS4 skips off the line.
The lead car is taking us through the course, turning into corners smoothly, showing us the braking points and where to avoid the negative camber of the road. We can’t really open up the car, but I do notice how quiet it is at cruising speeds and how strongly it pulls from as low as 2000rpm. The six-speed, manual gearbox is lightly sprung too, but it does feel rubbery when you hurry it. Other things that get my attention as we cruise around are the well bolstered seats, the very tactile steering wheel and an incredible attention to detail, like the aluminium door release handles that are hollow and have cut-outs to reduce weight.
The pace car ups the game. ESP button off – we are on a track after all – ‘S’ or sport mode engaged, the motor kicks in even harder; simply unreal. As you pile on the revs and climb the powerband, the motor goes from mildly annoyed bear growl to wide-eyed anger, finally attaining mentally deranged, mouth foaming madness at the peak revs. In the lower gears – first, second and third, the red tacho needle hammers into the 8250rpm rev limiter every couple of seconds as you are yanked violently and pinned to the seat, the Quattro system doing its best to feed power to tarmac. Yes, this is clearly one of the best V8 motors ever, no reservations. The top quarter of the powerband is addictive, almost illegally so, with 100kph coming up in 4.5 seconds and a 26.8 second run from zero taking the RS4 to 240kph.
Though we are now regularly topping 220kph and braking harder and harder, the incredible body control of the car shines through. On a race track, every single extra kilo of weight is a penalty. More weight or any additional mass means more momentum, more unwanted inertia and more roll – things you wouldn’t notice driving on everyday roads get highlighted on a track. It’s fair to say that sedans are as much at home on a fast track , as predominantly off-road SUVs are on everyday tarmac. The RS4, you must remember, is a full fledged sedan, with every creature comfort provided for.
And yet, the car is remarkably adept – thanks to the aluminum suspension arms, the stiff anti-roll bars and lower ground clearance. The pace increases further, and now we are really driving hard and have to use all the power and performance of the motor to stay with the car ahead. On the tighter sections of the track, the Audi bolts between corners in a well-balanced ballet, the nicely weighted controls making it easy to find a smooth rhythm. On longer corners, the RS4 feels even more at home, the direct and very accurate steering and the mild understeer egging you to press on. You are however constantly aware of the heavy V8 motor in the nose of the car, especially as it is placed ahead of the front wheels. The steering also provides only limited feel through to your fingers and palms, despite being accurate and direct. This is partly due to the car’s four-wheel drive system.
The RS4’s best party trick however is the manner in which it exits the corners. Well balanced, leaning on its outside wheels mildly as it scrambles past the apexes, all four wheels tugging hard and the V8 angrily growling its anger. Audi’s new asymmetric Quattro system, that splits power 40:60 in favour of the rear wheels as against the 50:50 system employed on other Audis, is in part responsible for this more neutral and understeer-resistant cornering attitude. The system can also put upto 85 percent of the power to the rear wheels. But don’t expect on-demand, power oversteer. The RS4 can’t be steered as easily on the throttle as regular rear wheel drive cars, though you do feel the back coming around mildly if you get on the throttle early in corners. Honorable mention must be made of the baking system too – 365mm ventilated eight pot calipers in front – these lop off huge chunks of speed without drama.
Summing up the RS4 is not easy. The big question of course, is ‘Audi RS4 or BMW M3? A definitive verdict would require direct head to head on Indian roads, something we look forward to very much. But one thing is clear, the new RS4 is a worthy competitor that holds key strengths the BMW can’t hold a candle to. Its V8 is a revelation, performance is devastating, the four-wheel drive gives it all weather grip and unlike the BMW coupe, it is a full fledged four door sedan. It will available here to Indian buyers for approximately 62 lachs ex showroom, not cheap, but when you consider that this is a four door sedan and performance car rolled into one, you can’t get much better. The extremely high compression of the motor, 12.5:1 may be a worry, but Audi assure us that all their FSI cars are being tested on Indian fuel back in Germany. Whichever way you look at it, the BMW M3 has a running mate now, one that actually has the ability to outrun it. What is pretty clear however is the fact that this is probably the best Audi ever.

Tough, no-nonsense planted stance, huge 19 -inch alloys seem to stretch tight- fitting wheel arches. Carbon engine shrouds look awesome; six-speed manual gets the job done.

FACTFILE
Price Rs 62 lakh ex show Mum)
Power 414bhp@7800rpm
Torque 43.8kgm@5500rpm

Length 4586mm
Width 1816mm
Height 1415mm
W’base 2651mm
Weight 1650kg
Fuel tank 63 litres

Engine 8 cyls in vee, 4163cc, petrol
Installation Front, longitudinal, AWD
Compression ratio 12.5:1
Specific output 99.44bhp/litre
Bore/stroke 84.5/92.8mm
Gearbox type 6 speed manual

Front suspension Four-link, coil springs, anti-roll
Rear suspension Double wishbone, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Front brakes 365mm ventilated discs
Rear brakes 324mm ventilated discs
Wheel 9.0Jx19 inch
Tyre 255/35 R19

FIRST VERDICT
Best Audi ever and probably best compact performance sedan in the world.