A4 vs. S4/S6 (extremely long and boring)

[Igor Kessel <four_rings@worldnet.att.net>]

A few listers including the Listmeister himself have recently asked this
question. Below is my very subjective evaluation of these cars since I
own both of them.

The regulars probably remember my agony over the same exact question
circa May '97. At that time I owned a tweaked '89 200TQ and a VW Fox
which was a mechanical cousin of an Audi 80 (4000).

The idea was to sell the Fox and to buy a replacement car for no more
than $25k. Naturally the car had to have four rings on the grill. Four
doors, a turbo, a quattro and a manual transmission were a must.
Both a new A4 1.8TQ and a used S4 fit the bill. I settled on the new A4
for the following reasons:
1. A new car with warranty for a change.
2. Allowed friends to convince myself that I *really* wanted a small
car.
3. I am a sucker for cutting edge technology (being an engineer and
all). I recall how back in '94, while browsing at work through the
patents I stumbled upon an Audi patent applied for the "virtual steering
axes" and was astounded by the brilliance and elegance of the idea. It
later became known as the Multilink Suspension. Then came the 5v engine
with variable induction phases, utilising the idea of a variable
resonant frequency for the induction charge (variable length standing
wave for the fellow physicists on the list).

I ended up reordering the car three times and on 22 December 1997 I took
delivery of a Pearl White '98 A4TQ with the factory Sport suspension
(stiffer gas shox, thicker stabiliser bar, lower ride height).
The car was an absolute joy to drive. Yes, the steering was light and
the clutch was Civic-like soft but overall the car was almost perfect.

I promptly installed a set of MOMO Arrows with 225/50ZR16 SP8000, a VDO
boost gauge, a Lambda gauge, a pair of Cobra Daytona racing seats with a
4-point harness, a set of European headlights and the taillights off a
'97 coz the '98 -> forward taillights were all red for the USA market (a
BIG safety compromise). The intention was to properly break-in the car
for the first 10kmi, switch to 100% synthetic AFTERWARDS and only then
to tweak the hell out of it.

Then Mt. Washington '98 came along and I embarked on the traditional
Quattro List pilgrimage to NH. This time I took the A4 coz the word was
Wetterauer was to be on site to offer a tweaked brain as a loaner to any
A4TQ owner. The idea was to try the chip on your very car. A great idea,
BTW.
I slapped the Wetterauer brain into my car and took it for a run. The
car was reasonably quick (not fast - quick) at 14psi (vs. 7psi peak in
the stock form) indicated on the boost gauge.
If I were new to Audi tuning and/or this were my first turbo Audi I
could've been impressed. Alas, I wasn't. Four years of driving the
tweaked 200TQ spoiled me forever. I realised that if I wanted to tune
the A4 to my liking I was looking to do a lot more than just the chip:
EM, turbo, injectors, exhaust, intake and possibly the head too.
I have driven Larry Bartfeld's MTM '93 S4 and have ridden in Andrew
Moffat's chipped '92 S4. A chipped A4 vs a chipped S4/S6? I'll take the
S any day.

At the same time my wife accepted a very attractive offer in another
state (DE) and started to commute 1.5hrs each way on I-95. After a
couple of days of this commute in my 200, with its heavy 350mm steering
wheel, shorted shifter and a very stiff heavy duty Sachs-Boge clutch she
revolted and I had to relinquish the keys to the A4 too keep peace in
the family. As a loaner mind you, for 6 mos till her contract would have
expired. Never saw the car since :-)
Since I worked only 5 minutes from home (and for a year and a half
worked directly from home) I went back to my trusted 200.

Surprisingly enough it was a pleasant comeback. Even on weekends when
both quattros were at my disposal I would take the 200 because for some
bizarre reason I felt more comfortable in the 200. The "fits like a
glove" cliché comes to mind.

The A4 was lightning quick from a standstill, almost no lag. Would blow
the dust off that heavy barge 200. However, with the 2-piece EM, blow-by
valve and chipped brain the 200 had the acceleration of a proverbial
freight train going downhill. The A4 would run out of breath by the time
the landscape in the windows of the 200 would start to resemble a
videotape on FF.

All in all, what I really wanted was the combination of these two
marvelous machines.

Enter the '97 S6.

The same slingshot acceleration from the stand still as in the A4. Same
Pearl White colour. Same soft touch controls. Same express up/down
windows. Same proportional sunroof control. Ankle-friendly clutch pedal.
Small steering wheel w/airbag. Warranty(!) till 2002.

Yet it has the same solid feel or the 200 which only a heavy and very
fast car can provide. The insane 7000rpm red line. The car is fast, not
just  quick - fast. But unlike the 200, the torque is down low. I never
knew a turbo Audi could make a 90° turn in 3rd with the A/C on. Best
part - it has the so dear to my heart and well known 5 cylinder engine
which I happened to take apart several times in the past.

Both the A4 and the S6 are unchipped at the moment.

Don't get me wrong: the A4 is an absolutely splendid little car.
Reliable like ... dare I say ... Honda Accord. Absolutely _ZERO_ (0)
problems in my 1.5 years (23kmi) of ownership.

It's just the S6 suits my needs so much better. Maybe it's my height
(182cm/6'0") or my age (will turn 40 in half-a-year). I don't know.
Don't shoot the messenger.

Oh, one more note. During the recent heat wave the A4 had turned into a
real slug. Drove it to the cinema last night with wife and mother-in-law
and the A/C on. Couldn't make a 90° turn uphill in 2nd, had to drop down
to 1st.
I reckon that he A4's much smaller engine does not have enough torque
when the boost
is low in hot weather. Like they say: there's no substitute for cubic
centimetres. 
The S6 accelerates much better in the same weather.

Yet one more note. Whenever I drive my big Audis other drivers are
polite and considerate. 
Not so with the A4. Same little old me, driving with the same obsessive
correctness and consideration (albeit mostly at twice the posted speed
limit). I get honked at and cut off in the A4 all the time, just like in
the VW Fox before it. Mostly by little young female bleached blondes
driving monstrous boots-on-wheels.
It appears that people tend to respect large cars better.

-- 
Igor Kessel
Two turbo quattros.