Vehicle: 2007 Audi RS4 with Premium Pkg and brushed aluminum beltline trim
Price as tested: CDN$100690

Performance: Being a performance car, RS4 has to got to have an excellent engine to go with it. Motivating the RS4 is the 4.2 liter FSI DOHC V8 that is good for 420 horses and 317 lb/ft of torque. While the engine base shares with other Audis, like Q7 and A6. The piston rods, connecting rods, cylinder heads, crackshaft and main bearings have been upgraded for RS4′s high performance duty. The result is amazing as it brings Rs4 from north to 100 km/h in a fast 4.8 seconds. The seat-of-the-pants feel is amazing as its on paper. There are plenty of power, regardless of which rpm you are in. In the low-end, there are tons of torque which make you slip the tires during take off. In high rev range, it won’t feel breathless as it continues to bring lots of joy to the driver as the rpm goes higher. At a press of the “S” button in the center console, both the throttle input and exhaust note have become more aggressive. The engine note has a solid Teutonic feel. The throaty and healthy engine notes are really a joy for those behind the wheel of RS4. On the other hand, RS4′s 6-speed stick shift has to be the best manual transmission in Audi family to date. The shifts are clean and sharp, it doesn’t have the typical free-play as in other Audis. Although the clutch feels heavy for Audi, its progressive and provide plenty of clutch feel in every travel.

Handling: Dynamically speaking, RS4 is as impressive as its powerplant. It all starts with a rigid chassis and wonderful rear-bias 40/60 split Torsen Quattro all-wheel drive system. The Michelin Pliot Sport 255/35 R19 tires provide plenty of grips through the course. The Quattro system not only provides active safety for driver and passengers, it also acts as a performance-enhanced hardware for better driver control in and above the limits. It makes RS4 a very tossable machinery in the course, as we pushed through the corners. The body rolls are flat and understeer is minimal. However, the rear split setting has allowed enthuiastic drivers to have rear-drive oversteer fun as it reaches above the vehicle’s limitations. This oversteer, however, is much easier to control than typical rear-drivers due to its all-wheel drive setting. The steering is sharp, precise, linear and has plenty of road feel. You are wrong if you feel RS4 has rough ride quality. Audi engineers have recalibrated RS4′s suspension, springs and shocks to provide equally comfortable ride as its amazing handling characteristics. While its ride quality is sports car-firm, it doesn’t jerk through every bumps and holes as with many sports cars, thanks to the advanced Dynamic Ride Control (DRC). This is really a sedan that handles like a sports car. Like other Audis, its ESP is of uninstrusive variety. That means it won’t kick-in until absolutely necessary.

Brakes: Another truly remarkable area is RS4′s braking performance. With large front and rear ventilated discs and ABS, it just stops on a dime on every speeds. We have tried to stop it at 140 km/h a couple of times, the whole brakes are remained fade-free. Given its sports car status, its brake pedal feel and modulation are exceptional.

Interior: There are couple of special items which make RS4′s interior special. 12-way power adjustable Recaro seats, aluminum pedals and carbon fiber interior trim, which latter available as a no-cost option. Even if our tester is standard with aluminum trim, its interior is as tastefully done as all Audis do. The rest of the interior is typical A4/S4, as everything are made from top-quality materials.

In terms of back seat space, its more than adequate. It got enough space for three persons and squeeze for two.

Conclusion: RS4 is the second RS-Series Audi brings to North America, other than RS6. Unlike RS6, RS4 is standard with 6-speed manual transmission which is more appealing to enthuisastic drivers.

This RS4 could possibly the world’s best supersedan right now. As it combines daily practicality and drivability, without losing the hard-edged dynamics and rocket-like performance to back up its sporty looks. When you consider its price vs performance compares to many performance cars, you can hardly find a better deal than this!

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2007 AUDI RS4
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-f0r-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 5/5