Depreciation Station: 2009-´15 Audi A4 and S4

Looking for a deal on a mid-sized, performance-tuned German sedan? Before you jump to the usual suspects, check out an Audi A4. If you have a little extra cash, zero in on its sportier sibling, the S4.

“The S4 is a nice alternative to an M3,” says Hugh Bate, president of Chariots of Palm Beach. “It’s right there between a 335i and an M3 for performance.” 

Of course, these Audis are more than just their looks–which some people can find a bit conservative. The interiors feel upscale, and few manufacturers can match the touch of Audi’s switchgear.

Then there’s Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive setup. The base A4s came with only front-wheel drive, leaving the rest–including the S4 models–equipped with quattro. 

If you’re looking for a solid kick in the pants, check out one of those S4 sedans. They came stateside starting with the 2010 model year and can best be described as beefed-up A4s. 

Where the base A4 received the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo engine found in countless Volkswagen and Audi products, the S4 came with a supercharged V6. Audi shelved the V8 used in the previous S4, but less displacement doesn’t mean less fun. It offers practically the same amount of horsepower and even more torque.

The supercharged V6 sends its 333 horsepower and 325 ft.-lbs. of torque through a six-speed manual or seven-speed, twin-clutch transmission. The rest of the S4 comes nicely equipped, sporting a premium Bang & Olufsen sound system, eight-way power sport seats, and meaty wheels and tires. 

The driving experience? Call it a great daily driver that delivers good fuel economy and isn’t going to suffer a meltdown if the weather turns bad.

CARE & FEEDING

Hugh Bate of Chariots of Palm Beach has sold new and used Audis for many years. 

“The A4 cars tend to be pretty well put together,” Hugh says. Small electronic items like power windows have generally been weak spots on later-model Audis, but he says they’re getting better. Plus, the smaller Audis tend to have fewer issues than their upmarket, gadget-filled siblings.

The supercharged V6 engines found in the S4 models are aging well. Previously, the top-of-the-line A4 had a V8–a glorious engine–but those models are a bit rare. 

The quattro all-wheel-drive systems are marching along steadily, too. 

The dual-clutch transmissions are also running smoothly as the miles rack up. What’s a dual-clutch transmission? Even though the interior only features two pedals, the transmission itself operates more like a manual transmission. A pair of clutch discs stacked together allows the transmission to make lightning-quick shifts–quicker than any mere mortal could manage. 

Not fast enough? Neuspeed and APR both offer drivetrain, suspension and brake upgrades for both the A4 and S4. 

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