The RS 4 has landed! Audi invited us to get a taste of one of the first few units that breathed Singapore air. How could we refuse?
To give the RS 4 a proper welcome, Audi Singapore got Audi R8 LMS Cup driver Alex Yoong take the media out on a preview drive in the super-estate. After a chat with Alex over a hot cuppa, we got into the RS 4 and took it out for a spin.
I was first to get behind the wheel, while Alex, the warm and affable racecar driver, shared a bit more about the car and his racing career with Audi.
"The attention to detail in Audi cars is just top-notch. Even in their race cars, everything fits perfectly and you can race the car right 'out of the box'", Alex says with a confident grin. "Our race cars even have power windows!" he adds with a laugh.
But we're not in an R8 today. We're in the family car actually, a really, really fast one. Audi is arguably the master of fast estates, or 'Avant', as they would call it. Beginning with the RS 2 Avant which they developed with a joint venture with Porsche, they've been building ferocious wolves in sheep's clothing for the past 10 years.
The new RS 4 Avant is powered by a 4.2 litre V8 engine with 450 bhp, enabling it to complete the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 4.7 seconds. It then goes on to find 250 km/h on the speedo, but will hit 280 km/h if you lift the limiter. A quick-shifting 7-speed S tronic transmission does all the tranny work. You can do the shifts via the paddles behind the steering work, or leave it to the capable 'box to work it out for you.
After a quick run in the car, we swap seats and Alex takes over the wheel to show me how it's done. He goes ballistic on some roads, and assures me he's fully aware of the environment and familiar with the roads. I just smile and hold onto the sides of the bucket seats that I'm in - thankful for their hugging prowess as this joyride turns into a mini rally stage.
At the rate he was driving, it didn't take long for us to be back at the Audi Centre's lobby. Short it might have been, the preview drive was enough to whet our appetite for the full review we look forward to do soon. We'll share more then!
