The Audi S4 is a high-performance compact executive car, available since 1991. It was initially built on the Audi 100 platform until 1994, then after a three-year hiatus, has been built on the same platform as the Audi A4 since 1997.
Audi S4 Introduction
The first Audi S4, also known as the Audi 100 S4, was released in 1991, serving as the performance version of the Audi 100 C4 (Typ 4A). The Audi 100 was then in the middle of its fourth-generation production run, following three other generations of the Audi 100 which stretched back to 1968. The S4 was a replacement to the Audi 200 quattro turbo, which was considered Audi’s first take at a true sports sedan. As that vehicle was discontinued in 1990, the Audi S4 would come in to take the helm. The C4 platform was a 4-door, 5-passenger sedan. The Audi S4 variant of it came with only one engine option, a turbocharged 2.2L 20-valve inline-5 cylinder that produced 227 horsepower and 258 lb ft of torque. An even higher performance variant, known as the S4 Plus, became available in 1992, with a whopping 4.2L V8 engine. It was paired with a 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmission and could go from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 6.2 seconds. One could opt to have it equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission if desired. The popular Audi quattro system was standard on all S4s, using the Torsen-based center differential on all versions with a manual transmission. High performance brakes, upgraded wheels, and other upgrades were made to the S4. In 1994, the Audi 100 was re-badged as the Audi A6, and as a result, the Audi S4 ceased to exist, replaced by the effectively identical S6.
Second Generation Major Transformation
The second generation Audi S4 was reintroduced in 1997. This was now part of the slightly smaller Audi A4 lineup, built on the B5 platform. It wasn’t available in North American until 1999. A 4-door sedan S4 was available right away in 1997, but it wasn’t until a year later, in 1998, that the S4 Avant wagon version was offered to the public. The B5 S4 was equipped with a twin-turbocharged 2.7L 30-valve V6 engine made with a cast iron block and aluminum cylinder heads. Two water-cooled BorgWarner K03-series turbochargers were used, along with two side-mounted intercoolers. It could produce a respectable 261 horsepower and 295 lb ft of torque, although the US version had to be de-tuned to 247 horsepower to meet emissions requirements. The engine was paired to a 6-speed manual transmission and had quattro permanent all-wheel drive. A 5-speed tiptronic automatic transmission was available as an option. Once again, the suspension, brakes, and wheels/tires were upgraded for the S4, bringing high performance to the table. It also had available Bose stereo system, exclusive yellow and blue color options, and a hands-free Motorola cell phone.
Third and Fourth Generation Changes
In 2003, the third generation Audi S4 was brought to the market. It trailed the introduction of the new (second-generation) Audi A4 by two years. This was based on the Volkswagen Group B6 PL46 platform. This time, Audi chose to forgo the smaller forced-induction engine and instead opted for a sizable 4.2L V8 engine that produced 339 horsepower and 302 lb ft of torque. More upgrades were made to this S4, now including some serious external styling changes with additional enhancements on many components.
The fourth-generation Audi S4 was released in 2004, yet it was nearly identical to the outgoing third-generation with the same engine and performance figures.
Fifth and Sixth Generation Updates
A serious update came in 2008, when the entire Audi A4 lineup switched to the Volkswagen Group MLP platform. A major change to the engine was notable once again, this time going back to forced induction but opting for a supercharged 3.0L TFSI V6 engine that produced 329 horsepower and 325 lb ft of torque. It was paired to a 6-speed manual or 7-speed tiptronic transmission and could go 0 to 62 mph in 5.1 seconds.
The current, sixth-generation Audi S4 has been available since 2017. Audi has now switched back to the turbocharged methodology it usually opts for, based on a 3.0L V6 engine that produces 349 horsepower and 369 lb ft of torque. Its 0 to 62 mph time is now just 4.2 seconds. The exterior changes are also dramatic, having angular lines and new wheels.