Automotive Trends

      Holy crap!
     German engineering, 340 horsepower, a lowered suspension, six-speed manual transmission, gorgeous body, and a convertible top that lowers with the push of a button — it’s got everything, plus a relatively comfortable back seat. What else can you say about a car like this?
    Since most editors won’t be satisfied with a two-word superlative submitted as a column, I’ll add a few more thoughts:
— If you ever get the keys to an Audi S4 on a sunny autumn day, you’ll be awfully disappointed when you see heaven.
— It’s like a Vette, only with class.
— It’s a Porsche for people who don’t want their mid-life crisis to be so obvious.
     Needless to say, I relished my week behind the wheel of this German beauty, a souped-up version of Audi’s already impressive A4 convertible. Not only did it look fantastic cruising around town with the top down — almost pretty enough to outweigh the distracting face of its dorky driver — but it drove like the kind of car little boys grow up dreaming about.
     Step inside, drop the top, turn the key, and it’s obvious this isn’t your typical Audi. Instead of the smooth, sweet sound of a refined V6, you hear the roar of a V8 rumbling out the dual exhaust like a hungry lion. You tap the gas a couple more times just to hear the roar again.
     “Va-room, va-ROOOOOM …. burble-burble-burble-burble …”
     Yep, it’s exactly how a dream car should sound.
     Driving the S4 is more exhilarating than you’d expect from a car with a back seat. Aside from acceleration that reaches the speed limit faster than you can blink, its sport-tuned suspension and four-wheel-drive system keep it perfectly poised in corners that would have most cars spinning out of control. It has enough traction to get your passengers well past the pants-wetting stage.