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2010 Audi S4 Test: Has Audi Finally Matched BMW's 3 Series?

GermanNut submitted on 10/6/2009 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 10:53:01 AM

43 user comments | Category: Reviews | Source: | SOURCE: www.insideline.com

Tag Links: Audi, S4, 2010, supercharged, V6, DSG, LED, throttle, response, BMW, 335i, V8

Don't let the fact that the 2010 Audi S4 says V6T on its quarter panels confuse you.

This alphanumeric soup has more to do with Audi's marketing department than it does with anything going on under the hood of the new S4.

Rest assured, the 3.0-liter V6 in the 2010 Audi S4 cranks out 333 supercharged horsepower and 325 supercharged pound-feet of torque, which hit the ground via a six-speed manual transmission and standard all-wheel drive. Audi's seven-speed, dual-clutch automated manual S tronic transmission is optional.

You see, the sassy Germans running Audi's marketing department decided that T should be the moniker used to indicate both turbo- and supercharged engines on the fenders of all S models using forced induction. For this, Audi lacks a good explanation — offering only that the T; is, in fact, misleading.

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2010 Audi S4 Test: Has Audi Finally Matched BMW's 3 Series?

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— GermanNut (View Profile)

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Autospies decided to change the title of my article and turn it into a quesiton format to make it more interesting.

I now know the secret to getting your articles posted without any edits, TITLE YOUR ARTICLE IN A QUESTION FORMAT!!!!!

To answer the question, yes, Audi has finally matched the BMW 335i sedan. Although you pay a higher price for the Audi S4 you get the following benefits:

1) Faster 0-60 mph acceleration than the BMW 335i sedan
2) Better 60-0 mph braking than the BMW 335i sedan
3) Faster throttle response than the BMW 335i sedan
4) More lateral grip on the skidpad than the BMW 335i sedan
5) Arguabley a better interior than BMW's 3335i sedan
6) A more exclusive car that is not seen nearly as much as the BMW 335i sedan

The one downfall: The Audi S4 lacks the level of feedback provided by the BMW 335i sedan.
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:03:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -11

Im not sure that is all true. In the new Car and Driver they compare the S4 and 335. The S4 wins which you will be glad to know g-nut, but mainly because the they said the BMW is showing its age. Anyway. In that test the BMW was faster through the slalom,had better lateral grip,and had a shorter stopping distance. While the Audi had quicker acceleration, and was praised for its handling feel.

The BMWs handle better b/c the S4 weighs 3,984 lbs, that's heavy! about the same weight as the current V10 M5. Any nearly 300lbs heavier then the V8 M3 coupe,and 200+ over the M3 sedan(3,762 pounds), Whats the RS4 gonna weight with the ttV8?

— cs4444 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:41:26 PM | | Votes: 11

The xdrive sedan only weighs about 50lbs less then the s4.
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:44:06 PM | | Votes: 2

GN, Audi isn't necessarily limiting volume of this vehicle, it's just not as popular. Add in another $3k for Audi Care and we are talking almost $64k...for a car that looks too similiar to the A4 IMHO. Not to mention that a chipped 335i reaches M3 territory.

Not sure, can a supercharged Audi get upgraded as cheaply as the last S4?
— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:50:05 PM | | Votes: 7

Included in the higher price is the Drive Select feature. Something you do not get in the 335i.
— JustaCar (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:47:07 PM | | Votes: -3

To add to the above benefits:

7) A faster quarter-mile time at a faster speed
8) More front and rear room (both head and leg room)

If Audi made this car about $10K cheaper, BMW would be done.
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:11:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4

Hmm for $3000 more you get
33more hp
25more ft-lbs
1mpg more
50lbs heavier

Audi is doing good. I can't wait to see how BMW is going to counter this.
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:42:28 PM | | Votes: 1

If BMW made this car about $10K cheaper, Audi would be done.
— bmwm6 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:59:36 PM | | Votes: 2

Don't forget AWD
— bintintin (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 6:32:51 PM | | Votes: 0

I was comparing the awd 335i sedan...
— Joe_Limon (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 6:54:12 PM | | Votes: 1

Corrections to #1, #2, and #4 above:
According to Car & Driver, Nov 2009, the 335i does 0-60mph in the same 4.9 seconds as the S4. The 335i brakes from 70mph two feet shorter than the new S4 (165ft vs. 167ft), and the BMW posts better skidpad (0.95g vs. 0.93g) and lane-change performance (62.1mph for the BMW vs. 60.4mph for the S4).
— FearlessFreep (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:30:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 11

Funny how to get close to the 335's performance, you have to pay MORE, and move up to the 's' line. Funny, or sad, depending on perspective.

As usual, I'm simply not impressed with audi; this thing is too close in price to the ubersedans to justify not going with one of them, all of which blow its doors off.

This company will forever be playing second fiddle, and catch up. And it's their OWN fault.
— tattedtwice (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:36:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9

the problem tatted, is that neither AMG or M-series sedans currently offer AWD, which is great for year-round driving in most of the country, not to mention offers superior launching.
— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:54:00 PM | | Votes: 1

"not to mention offers superior launching."
-in wet weather.In the dry see how many times you can dump the clutch on an AWD car before something breaks.
— bmwm6 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:02:15 PM | | Votes: 6

...well, I've had 3 with no issues whatsoever, esp. an A4 that I treated like Bobby did to Whitney!
— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/7/2009 8:58:06 AM | | Votes: 0

FearlessFreep you are quoting Car and Driver, a different source than Insideline. Therefore it is not a valid comparison due to different dates, times, weather conditions, testing sites, etc.
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 1:42:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -9

GermanNut - Car & Driver had a 335i present on test day and tested them both together. InsideLine did NOT have a 335i on the same day they tested the S4, which technically means C&D's comparison results are far MORE valid than IL's. Sorry to disappoint you :(

-Freep
— FearlessFreep (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:28:22 PM | | Votes: 7

The simple fact that Audi needs an "S" model to compete with the normal 335i speaks volumes about the BMW.
— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:18:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8

Oh! So if the same car was badged differently the results would be different?
Why can BMW fans accept that the S4 is as good a car as the 335i? Regardless of whether it's called an S4 or an A4 3.0T?!!!
— JustaCar (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 7:53:03 PM | | Votes: -2

In all comparison tests done between the 2010 Audi S4 and BMW 335i, the Audi S4 has won.

Case closed.

It could be because the BMW 335i is much older, but the bottom line is the Audi S4 is the better overall car.

I know different magazines and publications have different results. Some quote the S4 as having better acceleration, smaller stopping distance, more grip, etc. while others quote the BMW 335i as winning in the aformentioned categories.

Apparently all these minor differences don't mean that much, even in this sports sedan segment if the Audi S4 continues to defeat the BMW 335i.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:25:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -7

Um, as far as I know there has been only one shoot-out published so far between the S4 and 335i, and it is the C&D comparo we discussed above. The InsideLine article is about the S4, and while IL referenced the 335i (mainly because Audi's press people reference it), they did NOT have a 335i on hand to test, so it is not a comparison test.

Am I missing some other comparisons?

-Freep
— FearlessFreep (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:30:58 PM | | Votes: 9

For the Audi S4 you pay more than the BMW 335i, but if the car is looked at on the whole, you get more than the BMW 335i, too.
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:27:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -8

The 335i is a much better value, with similar performance.
— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:30:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 10

The new S4 is a bore, no big deal!
— vman1013 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:42:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

FearlessFreep what about Evo, Autozeitung, and the Autoexpress comparison. All 3 tested the Audi S4 and BMW 335i together at the same time and all three placed the AUdi S4 in first place.

Yes, maybe C&D is the only U.S. magazine comparison test between the two, but it sure in hell isn't the only one globally. The funny thing is that C&D had the same exact final results as the Euro magazines :)
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:47:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4

The two seperate Evo Tests are below where the Audi S4 defeats the BMW 335i:

http://www.autospies.com/news/B8-Audi-S4-vs-BMW-335i-xDrive-vs-Mitsubishi-Lancer-Evo-40340/

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/238324/audi_s4_v_bmw_335i_v_mitsubishi_evo_x_fq330.html

Autozeitung results where the S4 defeats the BMW 335i are also around the net, I'm not going to bother searching for them at this time though.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:55:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

As long as we're clear that the S4 is more expensive, slaloms slower, is no faster 0-60mph, weighs 350 lbs more, has lower lateral grip (G), and does not out-brake the 335i, I'm happy. Oh, and you can't powerslide an S4.

-Freep
— FearlessFreep (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:59:51 PM | | Votes: 4

And as long as we're clear that the S4 will handle better in real life conditions (read: anything but a track), has more features, more room, and has a clear advantage in low traction conditions.
— JustaCar (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 6:07:50 PM | | Votes: -2

David999 try building a comparably equipped 335i or even 335xi to an Audi S4.

The keywords here are COMPARABLY EQUIPPED. The price difference is less than $5K, which is not a significant amount of money at the $50-55K price range.
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 2:56:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3

plus four years of free maintenance.
— JRobUSC (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 3:02:18 PM | | Votes: 6

...and probably why the S4 doesn't sell anywhere near the 335i. Again, these are entry-level lux sedans, not limited edition cars to be stored in the garage. Honestly, if you can get the benchmark for less money, and offers the best overall driving experience (which is what this class aims for btw)...why would you spend MORE to drive what is basically a faster A4 w/S-line??
— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 3:02:37 PM | | Votes: 6

I would spend more if the old benchmark has been replaced by a new one.
— JustaCar (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 7:56:07 PM | | Votes: -3

...if by replace you mean "a first year car vs. a 3rd year that is due for an engine tweak". I mean, do you honestly believe that because Audi conveniently launches their performance vehicles AFTER BMW, that the updated or new 3-series won't trounce this S4??

It's kinda hard to see a car as the new benchmark when its taken them well over a decade, BARELY outperforms a vehicle in the middle of its lifecycle...and costs MORE.
— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/7/2009 9:04:33 AM | | Votes: 3

Best overall driving experience? Sorry, but the BMW 335i does not provide the best overall driving experience, which is exactly why it has FAILED ON EVERY SINGLE OCCASSION to beat the 2010 Audi S4.

FearlessFreep, just so we're clear, the Audi S4 is negligibly (less than $5K) more expensive than the BMW 335i and has never lost in a comparison test between the two.

Also, just so we are clear, you can't get a comparably equipped BMW M3 sedan for less than $10K more than an Audi S4.

Basically a faster A4 w/ S-line? Maybe you are blind, or don't agree with Audi's marketing strategy, but you probably haven't noticed the chrome side mirrors, wider rocker panels, and quad dual exhaust along with rear spoiler. Audi's strategy is to create muscular, yet understated cars and with the S4 they achieved their goal perfectly.
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 3:23:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5

Hehe, yeah the S4's Imola Yellow is really 'understated' (rolls eyes). The S4 is a 4000-lb compact sedan... seriously FAT! I think the S4 is a great attempt to make a really fat girl dance hard... and she does boogy. I drove it recently and it was better than it should be at that weight, cable shifter and featherlight (no feel) clutch aside.

But if you bring the M3 into the discussion, "comparably equipped" or not, that would be a mistake. The M3 is so much more focused as a driving tool that comparisons are just silly. You can spend up to $61K on the S4, and you can spend $54K-$70K on an M3 Sedan. But the "comparably equipped" argument is just hilarious because the M3 comes with a perfect V8, perfect suspension, perfect balance, perfect control feel, and perfect driving position. Lots of luck, Audi.

-Freep
— FearlessFreep (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 3:34:05 PM | | Votes: 4

Ahhhh, comparing spec/test data sheets.......
— Invisible (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 3:37:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Of course Freep has to resort to comparing the BMW M3 to the Audi S4 even though he knows the BMW 335i is MUCH closer in price to the S4 than the BMW M3. Furthermore, Freep knows the 335i has ALWAYS lost to the 2010 Audi S4 so, as a consolation, he brings the BMW M3 in the mix.

We all know if you wanted to compare a COMPARABLY EQUIPPED BMW M3 TO THE 2010 AUDI S4, you would spend at least $10K more for the BMW M3.

We all know if you wanted to compare a COMPARABLY EQUIPPED BMW 335i TO THE 2010 AUDI S4, you would only spend $5K more maximum for the Audi S4.

Case closed.

The 2010 Audi S4 is a better overall car than BMW's 335i (it has NEVER lost to the BMW 335i) and because the price difference between the BMW M3 and Audi S4 is so great (at least $10K on comparably equipped models) Audi has aimed for its proper target and showed it second place!!
— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 3:44:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5

Um, you mentioned the M3 first, not me. When you did, I made the point that there's a lot of price overlap between M3 and S4 (as much as $7K overlap!), and then reminded you that the M3 Sedan is a far-superior car.

And as Evo stated, "If [mechanically communicative] is your end-all-be-all, the 335i is your winner." But they liked the everyday softness of the S4. Well put, I think, especially as someone who likes to feel what the vehicle is doing.

-Freep
— FearlessFreep (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 4:03:01 PM | | Votes: 4

I have always thought of the G37 as the poor man's 3-Series. After reading C&D's comparo, does that make the 335i the poor man's S4?
— HSCenterconsole (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 4:09:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3

Congrats Audi!

Don't worry Bimmer fans BMW will be back. While I admire the brillant new S4 have one concern; the fuel ecomony is now where Audis EPA estimates, 15.9 is pretty dismal.
— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 5:34:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Back at the bottom (BMW)...If you want to compare an M3 then you will need the new generation RS5 or the next generation RS4
— VISO (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 6:09:02 PM | | Votes: -6

With all the deboosting on this post, I wonder why BMW fans spend so much time responding to Audi related news? They just can't bear the thought that their "benchmark" is possibly becoming obsolete. Why can't you all accept the fact that there are cars out there that are as good as or sometimes better than their BMW counterparts?
— JustaCar (View Profile)

Posted on 10/6/2009 8:06:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4

As I stated above, its very easy for Audi to sit back and see what BMW does, THEN respond years later. Its like a 20 year-old picking on a child. Why doesn't Audi continue to delay the RS4/5 another year or so and see how it does against the next M3? You're honestly bragging about a car going up against one that has been out for 3 years and calling it the new benchmark when it had never once been before? Do you really believe that this S4 is so far and away better than the current 335i that it couldn't be tweaked tomorrow? They could tighten the steering, improve braking and bump up the HP if they really wanted to.
— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/7/2009 9:12:47 AM | | Votes: 5

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2010 Audi S4 Test: Has Audi Finally Matched BMW's 3 Series?

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