Admittedly, we found the differential to have limited use during normal daily operation. The narrow Spanish roads in Majorca were not a prudent venue to test 10/10 handling characteristics. The level of grip on dry pavement is very high, so creating a traction loss situation on public roads will take bravery, or stupidity, depending on how you look at it. For my driving skillset, it's a heaping portion of the latter. Given a more familiar stretch of road under the right conditions, we would have been more willing to "play" with the car.
It's also worth noting that the sport differential will become active in an emergency maneuver and work with the ESP system to stabilize the car, it's not exclusively for hooligan-like tailslides, drifts, and donuts. Good thing, that'll make our significant others that much more eager to buy into the deal. Safety? Yeah! We NEED that. On the con side, we'd prefer to see a true limited slip or locking mechanism employed in the center section of the rear differential. Although not typical usage, lifting a rear wheel would still result in wheelspin just like with a standard open differential.
Once we reached the small roadcourse named Circuito Mallorca, our impression of the sport rear differential changed substantially. By this time, the sky had become completely overcast as rain bellowed down from above. Audi couldn't have planned the weather any better.
On the rain slicked, tightly wound, yarn-tangle of a circuit, the effects of the sport rear differential were immediately felt. Under braking and backing into corners, a light hand could be felt in the rear helping the car rotate. On corner exit, the throttle could control the cornering attitude of the car, just as much as the steering wheel. Our first 2 laps were completed with the traction control and ESP systems active. This will allow a small slip angle (slight oversteer) before power is reduced and slip angle is eliminated. Once comfortable with the course, we disabled traction control and ESP by holding the button down for a few seconds. Now the fun was on.
THIS is what quattro is all about. The synergic combination of an improved weight distribution (~5% better than previous S4's), rearward torque bias (40:60 static) and the quattro sport rear differential rewards the driver with a chassis dynamic we've never experienced in a front-engined Audi before. The prevailing behavior is quite neutral, with early throttle inputs causing the tail to rotate easily. If one was to come in too hot and induce understeer, the rear differential will work its magic to bring things back to neutral. Get brave, and you can tailslide the B8 S4 nearly as well as a RWD car, with the added control of AWD to send torque forward and straighten the whole mess up on demand. You can look and feel like Walter Rohrl power-sliding the Audi S1 at full opposite lock up Pike's Peak with a fraction of his driving ability.
This differential was flat out amazing in wet conditions. We're willing to bet it would be at least as much fun in snow. Hopefully the system is equally effective on dry tarmac, but unfortunately we were not given the opportunity to verify this. Even if the B8 S4 isn't significantly quicker than its predecessor around handling metrics like the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the improved "at the limit" response is well worth the price of admission. The cost of the sport differential will be about $900, a bargain for those who plan on getting the most out of their S4.
Also adding versatility to the driving experience is Audi's optional ADS system (Audi Drive Select). This electronic network can link the suspension, steering, transmission (if S-tronic), and rear sport differential (if equipped) to tailor the vehicle response to user selectable modes. Four distinct settings are available; Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, and Individual. On the comfort setting, steering input is reduced, the ride is softened, and the ESP/DSG/ and sport differential calibrations take comfort and safety as the number one priority. In the Auto mode, the computer chooses the best settings based on conditions and your driving inputs. Dynamic mode sharpens the steering (quicker ratio, stiffer feedback), quickens DSG shifts, firms up the suspension, and makes the sport rear differential respond more aggressively. Individual allows the user to adjust each individual system independently using the MMI interface. The difference between modes was easily felt. We found dynamic to be the most enjoyable overall choice. Despite a firm, well damped, sporty ride, the body motions were not overly harsh and the more aggressive steering sensations were appreciated.
The rest of the car holds no surprises. The interior quality is top notch, with the two tone seating surfaces (featuring contrasting stitching) found in our test vehicle providing an interesting visual contrast. The MMI interface is intuitive and has a shorter learning curve than BMW's i-Drive system. Ergonomically, the B8 scores very well, with perfectly placed pedals for heel-toe shifting. The HVAC and center console area may be a little congested with controls, but should not pose problems after the user gets acquainted with the environment. The switchgear has a high quality feel and should wear well. The frontal cockpit offers a comfortable driving position with ample room, and the rear seats appear to also feature improved legroom...a long time A4/S4 platform shortcoming.
Visually, the B8 S4 takes the conservative route. There is little to distinguish the S model from the standard A4 trim. Slightly more aggressive bodywork, quad pipe exhaust, sliding brake calipers featuring an S4 cover plate, and more aggressive rubber are the telltale signs. The LED daytime running lights do provide a menacing presence and are becoming a trademark feature of Audi's fleet. Some may find the exterior styling too bland and prefer something more distinctive, though this boils down to personal taste. Our feelings were that the optional 19" RS4 style wheels fit the car much better than the standard 18" wheel package.
Despite being an overall larger car, the weight of the European model promises to be lighter than the outgoing V8 S4. If you believe Audi's preliminary data (which has failed us in the past), the EU spec car weighs in at just over 3,600 lbs. As long as there aren't any surprise DOT mandated binges, we're hoping the US spec car won't be much more than this.
This new platform brings about some interesting propositions on the tuning horizon. The S4 has always been a popular vehicle for those who like to modify their cars above factory spec to suit their desires. Sure, it's expected that power enhancing options like supercharger pulleys, ECU tunes, and exhaust systems will boost engine output to north of 400 hp. That's just a matter of time. What has us intrigued are the new chassis tuning opportunities hidden within the Audi Drive Select and sport quattro rear differential. It's quite feasible that tuners could manipulate the suspension, steering, and rear differentials to a sporting and more aggressive level above what the factory allows. "Race" mode with max rear differential lock, super quick steering, firmed up damping, and DSG launch control? We can only hope *hint hint*.
So what about that beautiful Spanish island? Oh yeah, it was OK. Honestly, we were too busy enjoying the drive to notice much around us. Although a riot to drive on the rain slicked race track, the S4 truly shines as a deceptively fast point-to-point vehicle on real roads. Sure, the new advancements make the B8 S4 more enjoyable to drive at the limit of traction, but few do this on their daily commute. The newfound point-and-squirt torque curve, the confidence inspiring brakes, the improved interior, the tailorable response from the Audi Drive Select system, boy-racer (errr, safety!) appeal of the sport quattro differential, and the real world savings provided by substantially better fuel consumption make the new S4 a formidable performer for almost any driving situation.
Is there any way to sweeten the deal? Sure. How about making it cost less than the outgoing model. European pricing has slated the new B8 S4 at roughly 4,500 Euro less than the current model. North American pricing is still being worked out, but we fully expect the B8 S4 to be competitively priced starting in the mid $40k range.
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