2012 Audi S4 quattro MT6 Sedan (901)

Overview:

This week we’re looking at the 2012 Audi S4 quattro MT6 Sedan. You know I have noticed that some cars fit like an old pair of jeans. They are simply comfortable. Audi’s in general fit that bill. That wasn’t always the case and I had a bad feeling about Audi in the 1980s when I owned a foreign car repair shop. BMWs and other upscale expensive ‘badges’ were a welcomed visitor. English cars like Jaguar, before Ford got hold of them, were a joke. They were just poorly designed and did stupid things. Inboard brakes were problematic for cars like Ferrari, and Fiat’s were a frequent visitor to the shop. The list goes on.

The other observation is that all brands improved when affiliated with other car makers, like Ford and Jag, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) and Chrysler. The improvements were dramatic in that the combination of engineering teams found solutions either company couldn’t change. That old saying that “you’ll always be what you’ve always been when you always do what you’ve always done”. Know what I mean. Someone told me to drive or walk somewhere in a different route because you’ll see things you will otherwise never see. We’re creatures of habit and Jaguar for example put electric motors where water was sure to go. They just couldn’t figure it out until years later when another view applied a ‘keen sense of the obvious’ and the problem was eliminated.

General Information:

Parts from the US and Canada are 1%, Germany 75%; Engine – Hungary Transmission – Germany. It is assembled in Ingolstadt, Germany, Classification is Compact. Cars from Audi: – A3, A4, A4 Avant, A5, A6, A6 Avant, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, R8, S4, S5, S6 & TT.

Opinion:

Road Etiquette – a suggested new year’s resolution: in all things especially on the road pay attention, and be mindful of safety for you and those who share the highway; mover over if others are passing you on the right; respect others – contrary to some opinions you don’t own the road – no one person does; learn to keep your speed to a safe speed under the conditions, especially when others are out of control and inconsiderate.

And we can all wish for a great new year to come and hope all the bad guys are hanging out at Starbucks – the new Winchell’s.

Handling & Performance:

Outstanding and fun to drive and I can attest from the traffic citation I received on a mountain test road. Where do those guys hide? It’s a cat and mouse game forever but they ruin the fun by using radar set up in that perfect spot where they can see you in the curves. That’s were cars like Audi hug the road at speeds lesser cars simply can’t exceed posted limits.

Styling:

Stand out designs that have led the way for the last 15 years or so for lots of other brands. Chrysler has also been a leader in brave designs.

Fit and Finish:

Always very good.

Cost:

Pricey. You get what you pay for, but new car companies like Hyundai will keep the pressure on to keep prices down across the industry. Capitalism in action!

Conveniences and comfort:

The only complaint I have is that Audi and German cars generally who haven’t figured out what “User Friendly” means in the high tech stuff. They simply make it more complicated than it needs to be and contrary to all other car makers. European’s must think differently… ahhh, that reminds me of HP Calculators that allow you to switch to RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) where entries are reverse from customary math sequences of most all others. So I guess it is NOT so surprising that Europeans do in fact think differently.

Consumer Recommendation:

If price is not a condition of your purchase Audi has a lot of great features to make the driving experience exceptional.

Recognized Competition:

Audi S4 $47,000, BMW 3-Series $35,000, BMW M3 $56,000, Infiniti G Coupe $37,000, Lexus IS $34,000, Lexus IS F $61,000, Mercedes Benz C-Class $35,000, Mitsubishi Lancer $15,000, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution $34,000, Subaru Impreza $17,000.

Good News:

Wonderful driving experience and great distinctive styling.

Bad News:

Priced out of range for the majority of buyers. Only fair fuel economy and unfriendly user interface of the electronics.

Standard Equipment:

3.0 liter 333 hp supercharged V6 engine, 6-speed manual transmission, Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive, 18” 5-spoke S-design wheels, 4-wheel ABS disc brakes with brake assist and ESC (Electronic Stability Control), speed sensitive power steering, sport suspension, dynamic 5-link front suspension, dynamic trapezoidal link fully independent rear axle, power glass sunroof with sunshade, Audi xenon LED front and rear lighting, heated auto dimming exterior power mirrors, leather heated front seats, 12 way power driver seat, 60/40 split folding rear seat, brushed aluminum inlays, climate control, audio with CD, Satellite, SD card reader, music interface with iPod cable, front, side, and side curtain airbags, anti-theft alarm and ignition immobilizer system, LATCH child system.

Gas Stats:

$3.50/ Gal avg. December 25, 2011

www.fueleconomy.gov

for more information.

18 City and 27 Highway MPG

Pricing:

MSRP $47,300.