[IT]

Almost to the hour, I've now had this motor for 7 whole days. I spent the first 3 hours hating it, scheming a multitude of ways to move it on quickly and quietly, but now, a week on, things are much different.....

I still find it small, underspecced and a bit feeble, function wise, compared the A8 - I've tried several times to put more than one thing into the door pockets, and failed. I dont think they're really pockets, more a lip, somewhere to balance something carefully. A well to do 8 owner with a wallet full of cash can pop it his (or her) fully recessed door pocket, and close it, knowing full well opening the door in the harshest of gales will see every hard earned penny retained. Not in the S4 though, you're more likely to find notes falling out whilst you're still driving, never mind waiting to open the door.


I discovered I have to use the ashtray for my loose change, as the handy coin areas in the 8 are no more, and my mobile phone and wallet now have to live in the armrest, which leaves nowhere for my drink - 600ml pepsi max bottles - which just wont stay in the single cup holder..... Hmmm. My huge scale inch thick philips road atlas that I carry with me religously in the front seat pockets, wont fit in the S4 seat pockets at all. Its a non starter, and theres nowhere else to put it.

Never mind, I dont care. Genuinely.

After a week, the s4 is averaging just under 24mpg on its all time average, and it made it to Birmingham and back with enough left for a spirited drive when I left the A1 on the way home. The A8 in contrast with basically the same engine managed less than 21mpg, and wasnt anything like as surefooted or fun. 3mpg doesnt sound much, but thats nearly 15% better economy....

I was worried my umpteen-way adjustable A8 sports seats would be missed when I was forced to manage with the basic functionality of the S4 ones, but really, they're just fine, nice and comfy, firm, but not too much.

The RNS-E is slow compared to the MMI, and it doesnt pop up out of the dash, and I cant fiddle with numerous on board computer settings, but somehow I'm not overly bothered as its less to go wrong. Its less distraction, and leaves more time for gripping onto the wheel and grinning.

I absolutely, 100% cant believe how pleased I am this car has the tiptronic box - I intially avoided it, but im so pleased I didnt. The gear changes are uber-smooth, yet so much faster and sportier than the A8. It wasnt at all a strain to get stuck in some slow moving traffic, where the manual would have been a ball-ache I guess.

and sports mode.

Well.

Chuff me. I cant get over it. Its basically the same engine, same gearbox, smaller body, but made out of heavier metal. It just shouldnt be this much more fun. Its like everytime you stop at the lights, some bloke out in front carries on marching, only your car is tied on to him with some bungie cord. The light goes green and wahooooooa, next thing you know you're slamming on for the car in front again. I find myself willing lights to turn red so I get poll position...

The last time I experienced this much willingness, V8 growl and attention from onlookers, I was in the RS6. This isnt quite as loud as that, and it is 0.7 seconds slower 0-60, but, only 0.7 seconds.... I can live with that, given that I get in the region of 50% more MPG than an RS6 driver...

+ it fits places. I'm finding round town I get A to B with less stress as I fit through gaps, parked cars for example, where I no longer have to wait for the other person. I dont have to circle the car park looking for a big space where I can park, and open the doors.

I love 8's, I always have, but sometimes a change is nice, and this is really, really nice. I'd like to think I work towards maybe a 2008 S8 sometime in the not too distant future, but right now, I'm enjoying the present...

A8 has had its number plate change sent off, and will be sold soon. Its been a great car, and I dont think I could have wished for a better example of a D3 to own for the past 9 months, but I dont carry passengers, I dont need all that space, and I'm just not going to miss it anything like as much as I thought......


P.S. I'm enjoying screen wash. That beautiful, slightly intoxicating waft of screen wash when you have a nice strong solution in your washer bottle and you give the screen a good squirt. I missed that. Fortunately, the auto recirc is an option on the S4, which nobody seems to buy, so if you want to enjoy fresh air (mostly) you have to leave it on fresh, and take whatever else comes in. Diesel fumes for example have become strangely desirable, gives an open top natural airy feel to driving. Any Audi with auto recirc will switch to recirc whenever it gets dirty outside or you touch the windscreen washers, hence many of us had been deprived of this smell for a good few years now.......