Audi S4/100 info wanted

[Animal Mother]

I have read that the Audi S4 was a 100 converted, as the S2 was an 80 converted. IS that true?
What is the S4 like?
In comparison to the S2 what is it like?
Any other info on the s2/s4 matter appreciated.

[caterpillar]

I have read that the Audi S4 was a 100 converted, as the S2 was an 80 converted. IS that true?
What is the S4 like?
In comparison to the S2 what is it like?
Any other info on the s2/s4 matter appreciated.

audi 80/90/ s2 / vw32b are the same car : only diff engines and new outher chassi parts.....
the audi 100 from 92 ( c4 chassi i think) and s4 are the same car, only different outher part, and bigger engines. more sporty chassi, stiffer springs and so on.
so what are the s6 then... i wonder

[mcandmar]

Yes the S4 was an Audi 100 in those days, about 1994 they were changed to A6's, and the S4 became the S6. S6 was supposed to be a softer car than the S4, mainly due to suspension setup, though the S6 had better front brakes.

Engine is more or less a late S2 ABY engine with a few differences in the intake side, mainly due to the extra room under the bonnet. Power was quoted as being the same as the S2. AFAIK 6speed was an option as i've seen some with 5speeds.

I've also read that they all left the factory as V6 models, were shipped over to quattro gmbh for an engine change and some fettling. Dont know if thats true or not. There is a lot of subtle differences with the S4, for example the front wings are an inch or two wider to cover the wider track.

Vs and S2 i think they handle much better, little to no body roll and much more acurate steering. I find ours much easier to drive on the limit than the CQ, its just more precise.

Mark.

[Animal Mother]

S2 or S4 is sharper in your opinion?
The S4 I've seen is an auto anyway and not to my taste.

[mcandmar]

S4, i think the bigger car helps to balance out the weight, never feels as nose heavy as the t89 chassis cars.

[andrewd]

I have a '93 100 S4. It's a big car, and heavier than an S2, so it'll perhaps never have the agility of the 80-based cars? On the plus side, it's a very comfortable, relaxed and capable car. it's also relatively economical given the size and performance. Aside from the badges it just looks like a big old Audi, with nothing to suggest the 4wd and 230bhp.

General consensus is that the S4 is one of the most solidly constructed Audis ever to leave Ingolstadt. Spec is usually good on S4s with many having leather, heated seats, climate, etc. (Although mine has none of those!)

As the engine bay is less cramped, I'd imagine it's easier (and therefore cheaper?) to work on than an S2. All but the very late S4s came with UFO front brakes which are fantastic when working, but can be prone to vibration if not in tip-top order, and are expensive to replace.

The BIG advantage is that the S4 seems to have slipped under the insurance industry's radar. It's in group 17 (as opposed to the S6 which despite identical performance, is in group 20) and costs me less to insure than a Mk2 Golf GTI.

[Animal Mother]

Seen one for sale but its white and auto. Would consider one as long as its not white and not auto!

[Animal Mother]

It seems an S4 attract less money than an equivelant S2.

[UrS4boy]

First generation S4 (1991-1994) based on the C4 chassis

Body style(s) 4-door saloon
5-door estate
Engine(s) 2.2 L 20-valve turbo I5
4.2 L 32-valve V8

Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic
5-speed manual (North America got only the 5 spd)
6-speed manual
Wheelbase 105.8 in
Length 193.4 in
Width 71.4 in
Height 56.1 in


Audi was re-configuring its lineup during the early 1990s, and introduced the S4 in 1991 as the performance version of the re-styled 100 sedan. Despite being based on the C4 Platform and sharing its basic structure with the 100, the S4 effectively took the place of the 200 Turbo Quattro, which had been discontinued the year before. Being the first in the S4 lineup, it is commonly referred to as the UrS4, coming from the German words Ursprünglich (original).

The S4 was purpose built and was not a converted from a V6 100 at Gmbh.

The S4 was sold worldwide with a turbocharged AAN version of Audi's 2.2 L (2226 cc), 20-valve inline-5 engine developing 230 PS (227 hp/169 kW) and 350 N·m (258 ft·lbf) of torque. Since this engine was in the first S4's built in the fall of 1991, the ABY is a version of the AAN (but you could argue that both are a version of the RR or 3B - but with the different coil-on-plug ignition system).

A 280 PS (276 hp/206 kW) 4.2 L V8 became available to European customers as an option (never offered in North America). Quattro all-wheel-drive and a manual transmission (five and six-speed in Europe, five-speed only in North America) were standard equipment, although a 4-speed automatic transmission was available as an option. The most common configuration 2.2 L 6-speed offered good acceleration for its day, achieving 100km/h (62mph) in just 6.2 seconds.

After Audi dropped the 100 nameplate and re-badged the car as A6 in 1994, the S4 became the S6 for the 1995 to 1997 model years. The only real changes to the model were minor cosmetic updates and slightly softer suspension. The 1996 and 1997 model year cars had the wider first gear in the transmission. The addition of a more powerful S6 Plus model to the lineup again using the V8 engine for one year (1996?).

After 1997, with the development of the B5 S4 and the C5 S6, the two designations "S4" and "S6" have no relationship to each other or the older cars. Hence we call the older cars "UrS4" and "UrS6".

Like the ABY, the AAN in the UrS4 and UrS6 can be tweaked with RS2 hardware and aftermarket software to yield 350 to 370 reliable crank horsepower (with 26 to 28 psi relative psi boost).

In North America (I'm in Canada), we never got the UFO brakes on our UrS-cars (we didn't get the S2 either). We got Girling G60 front brakes. Many people convert to Brembo/Porsche front brakes and A8 or S8 rotors using RS2 or purpose built brackets.

Many people convert the suspension to lower and stiffen the car using Eibach and Bilstein or H&R and Biltstein.

They are great, fast cars (at least if they are at least chipped to 280 hp) capable of taking four people in confort on long drives. They are also fun to drive in the twisties. They are not the best track cars because of their weight (around 3800 lbs).

Hope this helps.

Dave F.