Today I installed a set of Red Supercharged badges on the S4.

What do you think?

Special Thanks to I Am Audi and Audi Wilsonville

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1. Road Review: Audi S4 gets Bridgestone Blizzak’s to battle Boston winters

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Buying winter tires was something that I was dreading… Almost as much as the weather that they are designed for. I went back and forth between buying all-seasons or dedicated snows, which brand performed the best under the expected conditions, their performance rating and ice versus snow traction.

After consulting several different shops, friends and OEMs I settled on Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 — They are stud-less ice and snow tires. I decided to stay away from the performance snow tires due to their mixed reviews.

As somebody who has lived in New England his entire life and had only driven all-season tires. The handling characteristics of the snow tires forced me to change my driving habits in a major way. I had them installed in November just when the  summer tires had just started to become useless due to the plummeting temperatures. The temperature was still not cold enough for the very soft snow tire compound and living with them for the first few weeks was an adventure. The  car change was dramatic — it was scary on the highway. Turning the wheel slightly gave me more response than I was expecting. Once the temperature dropped into the 20s the handling changed again and for the better.

Once the snow started to fall I didn’t regret my buying decision for one minute. It’s been a very harsh winter and there is much snow and ice on the ground. The only standout limiting factor on the car is it’s ground clearance. I’ve yet to get stranded and as long as I let the ABS rattle the car apart I haven’t had any issues.

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1. Road Review: Clean Audi S4

You're reading Road Review: Audi S4 gets Bridgestone Blizzak’s to battle Boston winters originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

We finally had a break in the weather today and I decided to get the car washed. Too bad it’s already covered in road salt.

Mileage: 7300

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1. Road Review: S4 Mileage Update

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The gas mileage started out a little rough. It was tough to crack 18 MPG. After talking to several people about the issue I was able to resolve it by using high-grade gasoline. I was using Hess 93 and soon found it be the problem. After switching to Shell V-Power I can easily achieve 25-29 MPG on the highway.

I wish that was the case while driving in the city. After pulling out of my driveway down a few side-roads and onto the main commute stretch the car is averaging about 8 MPG. That is with very light throttle and low RPMs. This car is heavy and it shows. After a few minutes on the main stretch I will see about 16-18 MPG trying to get through all the stop-and-go traffic. I’ve started to keep track of my weekly consumption here. It has been rough but that’s due to the wonderful traffic in Boston.

Have an S4? How are your MPG numbers?

- Mike J.

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1. Road Review: 9 month 2010 Audi S4 Update

You're reading Road Review: S4 Mileage Update originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

It’s been nine months and about 7,000 miles since I took delivery of the S4. There is so much about the car to love. The acceleration, traction, and braking ability of the car are incredible. The exhaust note under hard acceleration is amazing, especially with the S-Tronic, with a little extra burble with each up-shift.

The S4 is extremely smooth, responsive, and comfortable. The only thing that ruins the fun of the car is the law. Triple-digit speeds approach very quickly and it’s easy to loose track of how fast you’re going. Did I mention it has a quiet cabin?

The sport suspension keeps the car well planted and very smooth. It can be a bit harsh driving on these awful Boston streets. But who needs coffee? The S4 is the perfect wake up during my morning drive.

The Sports Differential is my favorite option. Taking tight turns you can feel the sports diff pushing the car into the corner. It simply makes me feel more confident in the car and willing to push it a bit harder. The drive select system that accompanies the sports diff allows you to tame the car for city driving. While switching through the modes, the changes are very noticeable. Switching from comfort to dynamic you can immediately feel the steering tighten and the throttle becomes incredibly responsive.

When stopped at an intersection, people always stop while crossing in front of it to take a look. They’re also always pointing at it. Other Audi drivers are always giving me the thumbs up. The car definitely attracts a lot of attention…and not just because of the blue paint and LED lights.

Looking for anything in particular on the S4, let me know in the comments below!

- Mike J.

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1. Road Review: 2010 Audi S4

You're reading Road Review: 9 month 2010 Audi S4 Update originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present “IL Track Tested.” It’s a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy. Video after the jump.

Volkswagen, celebrating the Jetta TDI CUP racing program, released a TDI Cup street car at the 2008 SEMA Show. The concept had red brakes, bitchin’ 10-spoke wheels, antiroll bars sport suspension and a racy body kit.

And now the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition is here and it’s got red brakes, a racy body kit, 10-spoke wheels and a sport suspension. The TDI Cup Edition has 140-horsepower from a 2.0-liter diesel motor, a six-speed manual transmission and a whopping 236 lb-feet of torque.

Vehicle: 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Edition

Odometer: 1,606
Date: 07-20-2010
Driver: Chris Walton
Base price: $24,990
Options on car: Salsa Red Exterior; Interlagos Cloth interior; Jetta TDI Cup Edition Body kit ($2,350– includes front bumper, side sill extensions and rear valence.); Power sunroof ($1,000); Jetta wing spoiler ($499); Jetta mat kit ($225 — includes 4 rubber mats and trunk liner); Media device for iPod Integration ($199); Six speed manual transmission.
Price as tested: $30,013 (inc 750 destination charge)

Specifications:
Drive Type: Front-wheel drive
Transmission Type: Six-speed manual
Engine Type: Inline-4
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 1,968cc (120 cu-in)
Redline (rpm): 5,100
Horsepower (hp @ rpm): 140 @ 4,000
Torque (lb-ft @ rpm): 236 @ 1,750
Brake Type (front): Ventilated disc
Brake Type (rear): Disc
Steering System: Electric speed-proportional power steering
Suspension Type (front): Independent, MacPherson strut
Suspension Type (rear): Independent, multilink
Tire Size (front): 225/40R18 92H
Tire Size (rear): P225/40R18 92H
Tire Brand: Pirelli
Tire Model: P Zero Nero
Tire Type: All-season
Wheel Material (front/rear): Alloy
As tested Curb Weight (lb): 3,282

Test Results:
0-30 (sec): 3.4
0-45 (sec): 5.8
0-60 (sec): 9.7
0-75 (sec): 14.5
1/4-Mile (sec. @ mph): 17.0 @ 79.5
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec.): 9.4
30-0 (ft): 33
60-0 (ft): 129
Braking Rating: Average
Slalom (mph): 61.7
Skid Pad Lateral Acceleration (g): 0.78
Handling Rating: Average
Db @ Idle: 47.5
Db @ Full Throttle: 76.3
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 68.5

Acceleration Comments: Pretty quick to 30 mph, but power falls off pretty quickly, too. A little bit of wiggle / tug from the steering wheel at WOT, but nothing I’d call torque steer. Smooth, long-throw shifter we’ve grown to expect from VW.

Braking Comments: Brakes are average for this class of car, and don’t seem upgraded one bit for this “cup” designation. Fade resistance is average, too. Straight stops, all.

Handling Comments: Skid pad: Non-defeat ESC first breathes throttle, then uses brakes. light steering loads only slightly and doesn’t offer much feel. Slalom: again, not sure where the “cup” part comes in, but this Jetta feels as rubbery and flaccid as any other. Non-defeat ESC prefers smooth inputs, but I’m not convinced there would be much to gain by shutting it off. Lots of wind-up and roll.

- Inside Line

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It’s 6 A.M. The light is soft and the air cool. In two hours, it’ll be about 95 degrees F., the sun pouring heat onto the pavement until the place feels like one giant hotplate. Around here, oil isn’t a dirty word; how does 90 cents a gallon sound? Thanks to vast oil reserves and even bigger natural gas stores (14 percent of the world’s total), tiny Qatar, thrust out into the Persian Gulf like a sandy thumb, has the highest per capita income on earth.

Full article on MotorTrend

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Many of you have asked if we will ever do car reviews. Many of you have asked for specific cars to be reviewed. A month or so ago, it hit us. A good friend of ours, @Mike Juergens, had ordered a 2010 Audi S4. A perfect car to start off with! We asked him if he would like to do a long term road test on it and he welcomed the idea.

We wanted it to be “from the owner” and not a typical “magazine” read. It will live on as the miles accrue. Likes and dislikes, mods, recalls a few videos and more will be included. Please feel free to ask questions, leave comments etc. Onto the intro and gallery!

Mileage: 280

You know what’s crazy? Corey asking me to contribute my thoughts on the new Audi S4. I’m Mike Juergens, a 24-year-old IT professional from Boston and a member of the Audi community after purchasing my first five years ago. Since, I’ve owned two others — including my recently purchased 2010 S4.

I could start this introduction by talking about how I was shocked when I read that Audi was going to be swapping the V8 for a supercharged V6 — but I won’t. That observation has been abused by every other blogger and journalist out there.

After driving a 2005 A4 1.8T for three years, then a 2008 A4 2.0T for another three, I’m glad to report that Audi has crushed the mold they used to build those cars.

Good riddance. My week old S4 is incredible.

I know some will say, “Well, you went from an A4 for an S4 — of course it’s going to be incredible.”

It’s not that simple. I’ve spent plenty of time behind the wheel of the previous-gen B7 S4, and never became fully confident in its handling ability. The V8 and its sonorous exhaust note were impressive…too bad the rest of the car wasn’t.

Audi engineers have put a lot of thought into the full “B8″ generation, unlike the two previous iterations which were just a series of small upgrades. The drivetrain alone has undergone major improvements and it’s immediately apparent. They positioned the engine and differential slightly behind the front wheels — a clear break from Audi tradition — and it’s very noticeable. The car now flows from turn to turn, instead of nose diving. Where do I feel it the most? In quick downhill turns.

Having a rear-biased Quattro system with the optional “Sports Differential” helps keep the car planted in high speed turns. The 7-Speed S-Tronic always seems to know the appropriate gear to be in for the most rewarding shifts. The exhaust note sounds amazing even from a V6 — a friend said that “…the rasp the exhaust makes is the voice of god. Just sayin’.”

That may be an exaggeration, but I’m not complaining.

I’m currently at 280 miles and have left the transmission to self manage itself and not push the car north of 5,000 RPM. The dealer suggested waiting until the 700 mile mark is reached — then I will start to see what the car can really do. Hopefully, my next update will talk about more, ahem, aggressive driving once the car is broken in.

- Mike Juergens

Specs:

• 2010 Audi S4 S-Tronic
• Supercharged 3.0-liter V6
• 333 HP / 325 TQ
• Premium Plus
• Sprint Blue/Black Leather seats + Silver Alcantara inserts
• Bang & Olufsen Sound
• Navigation
• Sport Differential
• Carbon Inlays

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You're reading Road Review: 2010 Audi S4 originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

Great read over on the ‘tex!

‘We always had a GTI in the family, from the first to the fifth,’ says racing legend, Hans Stuck. ‘There were no gaps here. Even when I was under contract with BMW, I preferred to drive to the Nürburgring in a GTI. It was in a GTI that I drove 911 drivers to distraction on the North Loop. That was the genius of this car and it has stayed that way right up to today.’

The GTI is one of the few cars that transcend both social and economic barriers in Europe, where it can be found in the garages of both the most wealthy and the less fortunate. More importantly, it has remained true to its roots as an economical, fun-to-drive hot hatch. So does the new sixth generation model still capture that spirit? After a full day tearing the car up and down the mountain roads in southern France we were left with big perma-grins and felt like we could breath a sigh of relief that the newest GTI is still a GTI.

– vwvortex

Discuss in the vwvortex forums

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