The 2008 Audi RS4

The 2008 Audi RS4 has been highly anticipated by car enthusiasts all over the world. The fuss started with the 2007 version of the car. People in the states were told that the only body type available to them would be the sedan even though Europeans were given the choice of the avant and the cabriolet. Rumors abound that the plans could quite possibly be changing, but nobody seems willing to pin down anything definite.
Audi History

Audi can be traced all the way back to August Horch in 1899. Horch was a car producer who wanted to use his family name on his vehicles but in 1909 he was muscled out of the company that he had started. He started a new company but he was forced to use a new name and a new logo. Horch called upon Franz Fikentscher to help him decide on his new company’s name and logo, but it was actually Fikentscher’s son who came up with the name. It was the son who pointed out that the name Horch could be translated to Audi in Latin and that is how the company got its name. The logo did not come until World War II when Audi merged with a few other companies to form Auto Union. Auto Union used the four inter-locking rings to represent the four companies that had merged to form the single entity.

Currently Audi holds some World Records including Top Speed Endurance. The company has become increasingly popular and is considered to be one of the best cars on the road today. It is certainly a “higher end” (to borrow a retail term) automobile and the 2008 Audi RS4 has a starting MSRP of $66,910 (price quoted by the USA Audi website).

2008 Audi RS4 Specifications and Features

The 2008 Audi RS4 has a ton of features and standard specifications that help stand it out from the other automobiles on the road. The car has a 4.2 L Displacement and can boast a torque of 317 lb-ft at 5,500 rpm. The max output of the RS4 is 420 hp at 7,800 rpm and the car has an electronic speed cutoff of one hundred and fifty five miles per hour. Standard features include a four way lumbar adjustment that is electric and head restraints that are also adjustable. The interior is made of silk nappa leather with piping around the seams of the seat. The back seats have a 60/40 split fold and the GmbH pedals are made of Aluminum Quattro®. It even has a built in parking system that utilizes sensors in the rear of the car that are designed to monitor just how close the car is to obstacles and it notifies the driver of possible collisions with a warning signal.

Fun features include a stereo system that comes complete with a six disc CD changer. The CD player can read regular CDs and mp3s. It has a digital radio tuner that has a dual diversity antenna system. The car also comes ready for Satellite radio and allows the driver to preset up to twenty one satellite radio stations. The instrument panel is backlit with a brightness control that is automatic. The instrument panel contains a voltmeter, tachometer, electronic speedometer and an odometer. It also has a digital clock and date display a service indicator and it has both coolant and fuel temperature gauges all right where the driver can see them.

That is a lot!

Safety

The Audi RS4 is a very safe car. The brakes are ventilated to provide fade resistance which has a better braking performance than other types of brakes. There are eight-piston calipers on the front wheels and single-piston calipers at the back wheels which help to improve the car’s braking response. The Audi RS4 also makes use of Quattro®. It is the first Audi model that uses Quattro®. This is one of the defining characteristics of the Audi RS4 and helps to move the power of the vehicle towards the back (giving the car a 40/60 split) which helps the car to handle corners more effectively. The seat belts are three pointed and the car comes with an automatic reminder to make sure that all passengers have their seat belts fastened. There are also head restraints, belt tensioners and belt-force limiters that are built into the front seats.

Of course the Audi RS4 also has airbags. The driver and front-seat passenger have full sized airbags to protect them. These airbags have to stages to their inflation. There are also airbags for the front knees and the sides. Drivers can choose to also have rear side airbags installed to make sure that everybody gets the protection that they need.

Design

The Audi RS4 has been given a design that makes it look like it is moving even when it is sitting perfectly still. It has been given sleek lines that curve from the front grille all the way to the spoiler. The car has an aggressive and almost predatory look, which matches the feel of its engine and performance. The Audi RS4 comes with an optional Titanium package that includes nineteen inch wheels and performance tires. The trim is made of carbon fiber; the tail pipe has been designed in a wide oval shape that is unique to the RS4.

Reviews

The Audi RS4 has gotten stellar reviews from a number of big-name automobile centered publications including Automobile Magazine, the New York Times and Motor Trend. Edmunds.com has also sung the praises of the Audi RS4 saying that it is a master of the winding road and that it has superb front tires, good balance and that they haven’t driven an Audi better than the Audi RS4 (we are paraphrasing, but the article is still available for those who want to read it). The Audi RS4 has also been chosen as the car of the year by About.Cars.Com, The Car Book for 2007 and Chronos Magazine.

Clearly this is a car for people who want something sporty and beautiful!