The Audi RS4 is a masterpiece. It’s a weaponised wagon with power to burn, but it’s also quite expensive at around $150,000 brand new. What if you could get something that’s just as fast as an RS4 for half the price? Is it even possible? With a bit of software and a 2011 Audi S4 — the RS4’s younger brother — absolutely.
Drive’s latest foray into motoring shows an old S4 square off with the new RS4. A straight drag race between the two unmodified, untuned vehicles shows that the RS4 beats the pants off its younger brother by a huge margin, but when the S4 is switched into “Performance Mode” with the help of a quick software patch, it flies.
The drag race was run again, and the scummy, torquey, old S4 gives the newer, more powerful RS4 a run for its money from go to woe. The RS4 still beats the S4, but only by a car length or two.
Considering that you can get a 2011 S4 for about $80,000 compared to the RS4’s $150,000 price tag, it might not be a bad investment.
Watch the video for some phenomenal tuning results.
Originally published on Business Insider Australia