I’ve never really understood why station wagons aren’t very popular in this country, while Europe’s full of them.
They offer better space and practicality than their sedan counterparts without any loss in handling ability, and these days stylists are doing a much better job with them; wagons are looking far more chic and less bum-heavy than they used to.
Audi’s new RS4 Avant quattro is a prime example. Launched here in February as the flagship of the A4 range, the third-generation RS4’s no longer available as a sedan but the Avant version’s a sweet-looking ride far removed from the conservative family image of yesteryear’s station wagons. That fastback slope makes it look more of a coupé than a wagon, and in RS4 trim the 19” wheels and giant gnashing grille with a honeycomb insert finish it off with an athletic and aggressive flair.
In this market segment Audi is the master crafstman when it comes to interiors, and in the RS4 that very classy cockpit comes with an appealing touch of raciness. Carbonfibre and aluminium inlays speak to the boy-racers while the sports bucket seats, apart from being body-huggingly supportive, are stylish works of art. Aluminium pedals and a flat-bottomed multi-function RS-style steering wheel with shift paddles complete the sporty picture.
The driver information system with colour display includes an RS menu with a lap timer and oil temperature gauge. Audi connect is also available as an option, allowing the vehicle to access the internet and turn it into a Wi-fi hotspot.
FIRE-SPITTING V8
But it’s under the bonnet where the main appeal of the RS4 Avant lies, in the form of a fire-spitting 4.2-litre V8 with 331kW and 430Nm on call, sending it via quattro drive to all four wheels with a seven-speed S tronic transmission.
The ballistic outputs are good enough for a 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.4 seconds and a 13.7 sec quarter-mile sprint using the launch control system, as logged by our Vbox testing equipment at Gauteng altitude. Very brisk figures, and at sea level you can expect an even more impressive 4.7 sec 0-100 time.
The high-revving, normally-aspirated V8 feels eager and lusty from the word go, building revs swiftly to the accompaniment of a charmingly hedonistic howl. What’s impressive is how the car displays rock-solid directional stability as it races to its governed 250km/h top speed.
Still, I can’t help wondering why Audi chose this engine for its range-topping A4 model instead of the gutsier 4-litre V8 turbo that serves duty in the Audi S6.
ALTITUDE SICKNESS
The trouble is that in Gauteng’s thin air the RS4 doesn’t have much of a performance advantage over the much cheaper (by R238 500) Audi S4 quattro which is powered by a 3-litre supercharged V6.
In our road test we clocked the S4 at 0-100 in 5.6 seconds and a 13.8 sec quarter-mile, figures that literally nip at the RS4’s heels.
Old-school quattro systems made for notoriously understeering cars, but the previous-generation RS4 fixed that with more rear-biased all-wheel drive with a default 40-60 front-rear ratio. The newest RS4 sticks to this recipe and displays very surefooted handling, with a front end that eagerly tucks into corners instead of running wide.
Our test car was fitted with optional sports suspension with Dynamic Ride Control that can be softened or stiffened using Audi’s new Drive Select System (DSS). Replacing the previous RS4’s famous steering wheel-mounted “S” button which opened up flaps in the exhausts, DSS allows the driver to select one of four modes: comfort, auto, dynamic, and individual which adjust steering, gearbox and throttle sensitivity (and suspension firmness too if you buy the abovementioned Dynamic Ride Control option) .
Switching between comfort and dynamic instantly morphs the RS4 from sporty cruiser to racetrack bruiser, as the car adopts a more hardcore, “go-ahead-make-my-day” character.
The ride becomes spine-jarringly firm but body-roll-resistant, the steering gets heavier, and the gearbox favours lower gears for more instant thrust – along with a mean-sounding throttle blip on downshifts.
Back in comfort mode the RS4 adopts a much more chiropractically-friendly ride, making it a car you can comfortably commute with day to day.
The Avant body offers great practicality without, in my mind, any loss in styling appeal versus a sedan. The fairly roomy cabin and large 490 litre boot, with electrically powered tailgate, makes the Avant suitable for holidays or weekend adventures – you can stash a pair of bicycles in there no problem.
VERDICT
Selling for R875 000 inclusive of Audi’s five-year/100 000km Freeway Plan, the RS4’s pitched against the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG in the family sportscar category.
But its biggest competition comes from within the Audi stable: the much cheaper but only slightly slower S4 Avant. -Star Motoring