Audi RS 4 Review

Audi RS 4

On the road and where legal, these figures translate as a 0-62mph time of just 4.8 seconds and the top speed is limited to 155mph. However, these are still just numbers that cannot adequately convey the feeling from the driver's seat. Solo driving is the best way to enjoy the RS 4, as the gasps and whimpers can be very off-putting, unless your passenger is a seasoned rally navigator.

That's not to say that the ride is harsh or that there is any lack of control, it's more that the RS 4 is always ready to get back to its rallying, quattro roots. Dynamic Ride Control, sports-rated dampers and springs and Audi's 4WD quattro system ensures that traction is maintained and the car stays on the right path.

The ESP system has been re-vamped from that in the regular A4, to kick-in later and for a shorter period of time allowing for more fun and exploration of the performance envelope before the system says, 'that's enough now' and intervenes. As always, these gizmos are not completely foolproof but it is a very brave or foolhardy driver that would push the car to the point of no return.

Add in the extremely focused steering and the precise 6-speed manual gearbox and the confidence grows with every country mile. On motorways, you find yourself grinning, inanely safe in the knowledge that with so much torque and V8 power on hand, safe overtakes involve little more than a scrunch of the toes on the aluminium accelerator pedal.

Then there's the 'S' button on the dashboard. Press it and things get even spicier. The exhaust note changes as the throttle-control mapping is adjusted for better response and the side bolsters of the already hip-hugging RS bucket seat inflate, moving in to grip the thighs that little bit tighter.

Pressing the 'S' button, however means that the fuel consumption figures of 13.7 mpg, 30.1 mpg and 20.9 mpg for the urban, extra-urban and combined cycles, respectively, will be well out of reach. As with the Volkswagen Golf R32, 'S' means fun whilst watching the fuel gauge needle drop and the exhaust pipes emit an outrageous 324g/km of CO2.