RACER 4 THE ROAD (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 124

Fast, frantic but perfectly practical, the Audi RS 4 remained the market's definitive mid-sized high performance estate in this post-2018-era guise. The B9-series version of this Ferrari for families swapped its old V8 for a 2.9-litre V6 and an even more sophisticated quattro 4WD system that set this model apart in its unique little niche. Like the previous B8-era RS 4, this one could hit 174mph on the Nurburgring but was just as happy collecting your dry cleaning. You only truly get a sense of just how fast it is by following behind in something else. At which point, whatever that might be, it'll be hard not to wish you were in an RS 4. This car, you see, is one of a kind.

Modelsword count: 4

5-Door estate (2.9 TFSI)

Historyword count: 445

Every once in a while, a car is developed that is so good and such a class benchmark that other manufacturers are very wary about taking it on. The Range Rover for example - maybe even the Mazda MX-5. The the first two decades of this century, Audi made such a car too - and it was this one, the RS 4 Avant. We're going to look at the B9-series model, launched at the end of 2017. At its 2018 UK launch, for those who wanted a very, very fast, four-wheel drive mid-sized estate with supercar performance, there was really no precisely comparable rival to this model. The work of Audi Sport, the Ingolstadt brand's go-faster arm, the genes of the RS 4 could be traced right back to that performance division's very first product, the RS 2 estate that was co-developed with Porsche back in 1994. It paved the way for the first generation in the RS 4 line, the 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 model of 2000, ferociously quick but ultimately rather unsatisfying - in the way that very fast Audis used to be. The second generation B7-series RS4 of 2006 was a turning point in that regard and proved to be a landmark contender for the brand, a machine satisfying enough at last to properly challenge the all-conquering BMW M3. It made good use of the charismatic 4.2-litre V8 first used in Audi's R8 supercar - as did the replacement B8-series RS 4 model of 2012. For this fourth generation B9-series model though, that classic powerplant made way for a smaller but punchier 2.9-litre twin turbo V6 that managed to be 25% more efficient, but every bit as quick. Like that original RS 2 model, this one was developed with Porsche. The 450PS power output might have been the same as the previous B8-series design but there was masses more pulling power through the ratios of this replacement model's much more responsive auto transmission, an 8-speed Tiptronic paddleshift set-up. In addition, Audi's traditional advantage over similarly-performing mid-sized models like the Mercedes-AMG C 63 and the BMW M3 - its quattro 4WD system - was retained and improved for the B9, which also gained an all-new stiffer, lighter MLB platform. Plus a standard rear Sport differential to further help get the torque to the tarmac through the turns. There was a mid-term update for the RS 4 in 2020 and various short-run special edition models followed that. Audi launched a 'Competition' handling package for the car in 2022, which increased top speed to 180mph. Finally, there was an 'Anniversary edition' launched in 2024, which boosted total output to 470PS. RS 4 production finished in 2024.

What You Getword count: 413

The exterior design of the RS 4 has always been about blending just the right amount of discretion and purpose. It's the sort of car that gets a nod of appreciation from those who know what it is, but is low key enough to pass unnoticed most of the time. Under the skin is Audi's MLB platform, the same one which underpinned the RS 5 coupe and Sportback models that shared this car's 2.9-litre V6 TFSI twin turbo engine. Appropriately, aesthetic inspiration came from a competition model, Audi's 90 quattro IMSA GTO racer, hence the blistered wheelarches, the lacerated air intakes and the huge oval exhaust pipes. The 2020 facelift added a more aggressive front end with a 'frameless' black honeycomb grille, a revised bumper and front splitter, plus flared wheel arches. Up front, you'll find yourself in a cabin that we think will really sell you this car, incorporating as it does plenty of elements designed to set this RS 4 model apart from humbler A4 variants. This flat-bottomed RS sport leather steering wheel is of course bespoke. So are the stainless steel pedals. We really like the seats. They're anatomically-shaped and electrically adjustable, plus they incorporate a standard massage function and are perfectly positioned in front of a wheel through which you view the all-digital Audi 'Virtual Cockpit'. You may be familiar with this set-up from some of the brand's other models made in this period. Here, it was standard, a 12.3-inch LCD colour monitor that replaced the usual instrument binnacle dials with a layout that was fully digital and customisable, using smart 3D graphics and highly detailed effects. Anything the 'Virtual Cockpit' set-up can't tell you will almost certainly be covered by the slimline MMI infotainment display that dominates the top of the dashboard. Appropriately, this flagship model includes Audi's top 'MMI Navigation Plus with MMI touch' package with its 8.3-inch monitor featuring crisp 3D maps and responsive Nvidia graphics. This monitor increased in size to 10.1-inches, as part of the 2020 facelift. In the rear, a previous B8 RS 4 owner would notice the benefit of the extra 12mm of wheelbase length this fourth generation B9-series model enjoys over its predecessor. Audi claimed that there's 23mm more legroom back here than there was before. Raising the rear hatch reveals that this B9-series RS 4 model's extra 26mm of length freed up 15-litres more boot space than was offered by its predecessor, the total rising to a class-leading 505-litre figure.

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