AUDI says six cylinders are better than eight when it comes to its S4 sports sedan, fitting a 3.0-litre V6 in place of the 4.2-litre V8. It all makes sense when you notice the new six-cylinder has a supercharger sitting on top. This allows the smaller motor to pump out an impressive 245kW and 440Nm, which is enough to send the S4 from 0-100km/h in just 5.3 seconds. It is faster than the V8 and uses significantly less fuel too. The all-wheel-drive super sedan is only available with an automatic transmission, but it is the excellent dual clutch self shifting gearbox. The S4 is no longer a rival to the more potent BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63, which have upped the ante when it comes to raw power, and is more of an everyday sportscar.

B7 S4
Released: July 2005
Ended: September 2008
Family Tree: A4The B7 S4 arrived in 2005 and used the same 4.2-litre V8 as the B6 RS model before it. It was essentially very similar to the B6, but brought some mechanical revisions and sheetmetal changes. The engine produced a healthy 253kW and 410Nm which was sent through its standard quattro all-wheel-drive system which had just been updated. It ran a standard six-speed automatic transmission. When it was introduced, the S4 was still the king of the A4 range, but that would change a year later with the arrival of the more powerful and sharper RS4.
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