Test Drive: 2011 Audi S4

Audi have been making great cars for years, but in the past they’ve often fallen short in the driving dynamics and performance department when compared to their chief rivals from Bavaria. That gap has been narrowed considerably in the last few years, as Audi has stepped up their game in building cars that appeal to true driving enthusiasts. The high-end R8 sports car has contributed significantly to Audi’s sporting image along with all those wins with the prototypes in ALMS and at Le Mans, but Audi is also making great driver’s cars in the $50,000 range – cars like the S4 sedan you see here.

One of the best four-door sport sedans I’ve driven in the last five years was the 2007 Audi RS4, which had a fantastic 4.2-liter V8 under the hood that put out a robust 420hp. While Audi hasn’t said anything about an “RS” version of today’s A4 sedan, today’s S4 has plenty of performance and dynamic abilities to thrills it drivers. To make the S4 both fast and frugal, Audi installed a supercharged 3-liter V6 that features twin intercoolers and puts out 333hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. These numbers may not sound that impressive in today’s world where 300+ hp sedans are fairly common, but the S4 starts making peak torque at a low 2,900rpm and can get to 60mph in a very respectable 4.9 seconds while delivering 27mpg on the highway. 

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Test Drive: 2011 BMW M3 coupe

BMW is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the M3 this year and each of the four generations of this iconic model has been very active in racing around the world over those years. The first E30 M3 from the late 1980’s was made to homologate the racing version of the car, which dominated European circuits with drivers like Roberto Ravaglia, Johnny Cecotto and Steve Soper. The E36 and E46 versions were raced very effectively by Team PTG here in the U.S. from 1995-2001, with multiple championships that included wins at Sebring and Daytona, as well as the ALMS championship with the fire-breathing M3 GTR’s that were entered by PTG and BMW Motorsport Team Schnitzer in 2001.

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Test Drive: 2010 Chevy Camaro SS

Amid the media hoopla surrounding hybrid, electric, and alternative fuel vehicles, the presence of the Chevy Camaro SS as a new car on the street seems like an anomaly. Powered by a ground-thumping 6.2-liter V8 that puts out 426hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, the Camaro SS is a throwback to the days when American muscle cars ruled the streets and has the looks to back up its performance. Camaro owners from forty or so years ago will recognize the new Camaro right away. The designers did a great job at keeping the best elements of the first generation Camaro from the late 1960’s but have updated it with more modern mechanics and safety features.

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Test Drive: Porsche 911 Carrera S with PDK

The Porsche 911 has to be the single most recognizable car model in the world. Ferrari may have more widespread brand awareness even in obscure countries, but there are probably more people that recognize the “911” model designation than those that identify “F430” or a “599 GTB” as Ferrari’s. Porsche has used the 911 moniker since the car was introduced over four decades ago and has stayed incredibly consistent with its overall design and layout. It’s clear when comparing a modern 911 to a 30-40 year old 911 that they’re the same model from the same car company.

Porsche has also made the 911 famous through racing, as it’s the single most popular model that has been raced over the last few decades and they’re on tracks everywhere, from Porsche Club of America racing through ALMS and everywhere in between. In 2009, Porsche’s won championships in ALMS, World Challenge and Grand Am here in the U.S., often against higher-horsepower cars or more “purpose-built” racing machinery that has little connection to their street car counterparts, which the 911 certainly does.

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