Motoring Con Brio

For awhile, one of the cars we’ve had our eye on as our next was the B6 or B7 S4 Avant (note that our cars see double duty, necessitating the big boot, five doors, and added girth that that typically entails; much as we’d love a dedicated track car, it realistically won’t be for at least another few years). Well, consider us converts (sorta) after our most recent track excursion. We were so impressed (again) by the kleiner GTI and its strong, torquey two-liter engine – not to mention its relatively light, tossable chassis – that we decided we wanted to try retaining some of that nimble feel in our next car. Only problem is, the S4 is anything but.

Enter the A4. We know, the A4 is likewise neither of those two things, but at least it’s closer, roughly splitting the difference in curb weight between the GTI (which is closer to the 3000 lbs end of the spectrum) and the S4 (closer to 4000 lbs). But wait, it gets better. Yes, the 2.0T that feels so lively in the GTI is anemic in the heavy, Quattro-laden Audi (we’d want the AWD version of the Avant and not the front driver, since driving in the snow is fun). Thankfully, it remains an eminently tunable engine (coming pretty heavily detuned from the factory as it is), with 93 octane ECU upgrades good for up to 240 hp and 290 lb-ft of torque. That’s almost as many “torques” as the S4 (though admittedly, it’s still down about a hundred ponies). An intake and exhaust round things out a bit further, although this is probably where we’d call it a day— our preference is to spend mod money on suspension, brakes, and tires. The end result is a decently robust wagon, but with a bit of a lighter and nimbler feel than the heavier-still S4.

Downsides? Well the seats, for starters. The S4’s firm, bolstered Recaros are certainly attractive, but the A4’s flabby armchairs give us serious pause. Replacing them with something more appropriate for spirited driving would be a costly – but necessary – upgrade. Will we miss that absolutely intoxicating V8 rumble, the one that had us hooked (for good, we thought) in the first place? Absolutely. The four-cylinder’s note is downright chintzy in comparison, and somehow manages to sound worse in the Audi than it does in the VW (all in the name of so-called refinement, no doubt).

But we think we’ll live. At the end of the day, we suspect we’ll prefer balance and handling dynamics to muscle car snorts and S car exclusivity. For all the world-beater noises that the 4.2 makes, if it’s not going to be fun driving on backroads or on the track (and the jury there appears very much to be out), we’re not going to be happy; ergo, the A4 (we know, it still sounds backwards). And besides, by halving the number of cylinders, we’ll take some additional comfort in knowing we’ll be saving a small fortune at the pump.

Now, to just find a low miles, Ibis White, 6MT 2.0T S-line Avant with Quattro. Something like so:

Let us know if you think we’re nuts.

(Images via Jonny Sundell and audizine.com)

Posted in Mods
Tags: a4, audi, avant, b6, b7, s4