- Ah, yes, the Audi S4.
The car that is by definition a gamble.
You don't know what you're really ever
gonna get with an S4.
Will you get the iconic B5 and end up throwing turbos
because some goose decided
to install a manual boost controller
and just send it?
You don't know.
What about a B6?
Do you like blowing up motors?
Maybe?
You don't know if you're gonna, but you might.
Are you a sophisticated cat with a B8 that prefers
to not associate yourself with those later generations
but you're still not sure what's gonna happen.
Why?
Because it's an S4 there, bud.
I'm Alex, Alex.fi on all the socials,
and on today's episode of So You Want,
we're talking about the car you all love to look at
but maybe just a little bit, tiny bit scared
to probably own, the Audi S4.
(upbeat music)
(car revving)
(engine roaring)
The Audi S4 is the high performance variant
of Audi's compact car, the A4.
The S4 is only offered with Audi's flawlessly engineered
quattro all-wheel drive system,
which is a nod to it's rally roots.
Audi's real introduction into the world
is due to its Rallysport heart with the quattro system
that decimated all without even having to get
international parts from Japan.
You think I'm joking, I'm not.
Look at the face, does it look like I'm joking?
The S4 started with rally competition in mind.
Audi was dominating at the time
with their turbo five-cylinder engine
which was the perfect size for their quattro platform.
It wasn't too small, wasn't too big,
and it wasn't too, well, heavy.
It was pretty much (kiss) perfect, right?
Like, just like, the perfect amount of creme in your oreo.
So when they officially announced their production S4,
it literally made waves.
The OG S4, also known as the C4 S4 or the Ur-S4,
for you Audi nerds, was based off of the Audi 100 sedan
that was made from 1991 to 1994.
It sported a 2.2 liter turbocharged five-cylinder
(clicks) gnarly.
Which is basically the same engine
as the pikes peak record breaking rally car,
or the 4.2 liter V8 to Europe only
because the US market doesn't get anything cool.
We're just gonna stop bringing it up.
We're gonna pretend Europe just doesn't exist anymore.
But the C4 S4 was one of the fastest sedans
of its time,
directly competing with the M3 and the S4 completely
destroyed it with a faster 0 to 60 time
and more horsepower.
The C4 had some neat goodies like
it had a Bosch Motronic ECU, Torsen based quattro system,
it could go 0 to 60 in over, just a nail over six seconds.
But then, something happened.
In 1997, Audi released the new generation S4,
the beloved B5 chassis.
It was amazing.
You could not talk poorly about the B5 S4.
It's just not allowed.
The car was everything people wanted.
It was angry, it was fast, it looked good.
It had incredible interiors.
It was about as close as you could get
to like a perfect car from Audi.
And when you look at the A6 C5,
you're pretty much gonna know exactly what I'm talking about
not really even sure it was the same company.
The B5 S4 was birthed and was significantly faster
than previous generations.
It was powered by a 2.7 liter biturbo,
made 258 horsepower, which was pretty good at the time,
and although the actual platform was overshadowed
by the E46 M3 due to its incredible horsepower numbers,
the B5 is still loved by Audi enthusiasts
due to its aftermarket potential and beloved exhaust note.
(engine revs)
Am I onto the B6?
No!
Because the B5 has not given the attention
it sorely and needs like in the world.
The B5 S4 wasn't too much in today's numbers
but its powerplant was definitely something
to tell mom about.
The sequential system was capable
of reaching insane proper power without needing
an entire engine rebuild.
Stage 3 APRs littered these cars
because the moment APR could get their hands on one
they just beefed it up, made it super fast.
It was pretty neat.
Upgraded turbos, intercooler, ECU, 2-step,
all of it was capable with this car.
And even though the M3 never really gave the S4
the limelight it sorely deserved,
the B5 S4 is likely one of the highest points for Audi,
not personal preference,
it's definitely not 100% factual,
not just saying it because I like 'em.
In 2003 though, the B6 platform was announced
and the 2.7 liter biturbo was killed off.
Boo!
It was replaced with a high revving 4.2 liter V8
making 339 horsepower and it was immediately a hit.
The B6 was faster.
It was a little fatter and now had a direct competitor
for the E46 M3 instead of being slightly below it.
Small problem with these guys though,
they weren't that good for a used car.
The powerplants weren't inherently very reliable
and rumors began to surround the platform
that the motor was being capable of just blowing up
at any moment.
Timing changed in the back of the motor,
next to the firewall,
didn't really help things out that much at all.
The good news is though, they could be replaced,
low, low price, 6 to 8000 dollars by a dealership.
We should probably just keep moving.
The B7 followed closely behind in 2005
and was essentially just a better looking and riding B6
due to the B6 just being so great, right.
The B7 wasn't really talked about much though
because there was not much, a whole lot there,
in terms of a big difference for the automotive guy or gal.
There's just nothing really to cry home to.
It was just kinda there.
It was a good thing but it wasn't, wasn't,
you know, don't wanna upset people, it was just like,
it never really hit.
The B8 though is where some major changes happened.
It was debuted in 2009.
It was the first supercharged S4.
The B8 is an entirely different car
built on a new chassis.
It's lower, wider, handled better.
The generation came with a three liter, supercharged motor,
making 333 horsepower,
which made a few Audi enthusiasts upset
because they lost their ever beloved 4.2 liter V8
but they complained about the 4.2 when it was there
and blew up.
So there's that.
Although the B8 has the extra performance, interior room,
interior comfort, and better looks,
the B8 is still the least S4-y S4,
according to the old Audi enthusiasts.
Mostly because of its transition to the newer chassis
and the fact that it was forced induction
which is a little bit weird
'cause there was supercharges, turbocharges, in B5
but there's just, I don't know.
The newest generation S4, the B9 was announced in 2017
and came with the all-new three liter turbocharge,
making 354 horsepower
but it was only an automatic.
It was the first really ever.
It was lighter but it was an automatic.
I mean it handled better but it was an automatic
and it was an automatic.
So we can only imagine what that's like,
talking to people on a public forum about.
But that's not what we're here to talk about, oh no,
we're here to talk about you wanting one.
So you want an Audi S4?
Well buckle up, grab your favorite Nurburgring t-shirt
because we're about to get into it here there bud
and let's
enter,
into it,
weird transition.
The B4s are extremely uncommon
and not many people understand what they are
when you do come across one.
If you do come across 'em, it's,
I don't really know what you do with it.
It's a great collector car.
It does really drive well
but the B5 on the other hand
is the one that most people think about when you say S4.
The B5 has an insanely great potential
from its biturbo 2.7 liter.
You can do just about anything to it.
You'll see B5s get hooked up
with some SD coil over a staged APR tune,
continental tires, you know, because it's all-wheel drive
all year round, quattro system,
on some Rotiform RSCs for the looks.
Some will end up going with all the upgraded intercoolers,
4S block valves, and much more.
The good news though is that you don't have to do much
to these cars to make them look good.
They're by far the closest cult classic
when it comes to the Audi familia.
Was that Spanish for a German brand?
No.
I was trying to find ways to say no in different languages
but they all just ended up being no.
So, that joke may not be as good as I thought.
The cars themselves though have a bit
of a troubled history
because of their price point they have been beaten up
by lots of people when they aren't taken care of.
And they will kick the **** out of you wallet, trust me.
Maintenance records on a car like this
are the difference between you owning Audis
for the rest of your life
and just switching to BMW after you own your first one.
Not only that but
finding them in the color, weight, and style that you want
can leave you looking at some pretty spendy B5 S4s.
Making sure that if you're looking for one actively,
get one that has the timing belt thing handled
or check the records and make sure
that it was actually done.
Don't just believe the Craigslist ad guys,
it's just gonna happen.
Then, once you do that, hit up your boys,
you know, us, Fitment Industries,
for your wheels, tires, and suspension.
Sales plug, I get it, that's what we're here for.
The B6 has an awesome powerplant
if you never have to work on it.
Anything past that
and it's actually going to be a pretty tough time.
Being an S4 enthusiast requires you
to also be a heavy duty mechanic
and here's why.
Do you need to change the oil in your B6?
Well, you better take off your front end.
Do you maybe need to change a headlight bulb?
Well, you're going to need to remove your entire front end.
Do you need to potentially fill up on gas?
You guessed it.
The B6, while initially super well received
doesn't see as much love now due to the timing chain issue
and their questionable reliability.
But they do look darn good on air and on some roadies
and some aftermarket exhaust
and they sound insanely good.
Now, the timing belts and the timing chains,
they're all issues that every car has.
The unfortunate thing is that the B6 platform
just didn't put it in the best of spaces
and it gives it just a bunch of bad rap.
Now, the B7 doesn't get much love
because it's too close to the B6
but features some of the same concerns.
Check the timing chains.
Just do it, it's gonna save you a lot of money
and a lot of time.
Now the B8 is a great pick right now
if you're looking to get an all year round car
that isn't a WRX if you can afford the maintenance
and the upfront cost.
The three liter supercharged motor is fun.
It has plenty of torque
and it performs extremely well
and it's all on the quattro system.
So you can drive it pretty much everywhere
it's like snow tires for your car.
The quattro just allows you to do anything you want
even if it's not supposed to.
The B9?
How rich do you think we are?
These cars are practically brand new.
There are many pros for the S4
and there's reasons so many people own them.
Since basically each generation offers a different engine,
there's and S4 out there for everyone.
Looking for a V8 to get that deep V8 sound
that looks like you went through puberty at 14?
It's done.
You want one with two turbos, done.
Want some supercharger whine, easy.
There are not an insanely expensive car
nor are they inherently difficult to modify.
They're just a bit different
and depending on which generation you get
is a direct correlation to how much hair you have left
on your head by the time you're 25.
Yup.
With that saddening comment to close out the video,
let us know what you want us to talk about next
in the next So You Want series
and drop that in the comment section below.
If you just picked up an S4 or you're just looking
for wheels, tires, or suspension
be sure to hit up FitmentIndustries.com.
We got it for all the Audi guys and gals
plus more and if you don't have either of those
that's fine too 'cause we do have it for everything.
Or just pick up a tee, that's okay too, we don't judge.
I'm Alex from Fitment Industries and we will see you later.
Peace.
(upbeat music)