Take a Morning Drive in a B7 Audi RS4 Avant

As an Audi enthusiast, you probably have a strong love for the B7 Audi RS4. I mean, who doesn’t? The screaming V8-powered RS4 is one of the most beloved cars in Audi’s history and for good reason. It’s so good, in fact, that you’d want to wake up at 4AM just to drive it on some good, empty roads. That’s exactly what Dan Prosser does in this new video form Piston Heads.

What a car for a morning drive, too. Under the hood of the B7 Audi RS4 Avant its 4.2 liter naturally-aspirated V8 that makes 420 horsepower and 317 lb-ft. Or at least it did more than a decade ago. Still, that’s plenty of power and it’s accompanied by a killer sound track, as the free-breathing engine revs past 8,000 rpm. A six-speed manual helps keep you engaged as a driver and the rear-biased all-wheel drive system keep it sharp and dynamic.

More importantly, though, the B7 Audi RS4 doesn’t feel like a traditional Audi. Rather than be cursed with understeer and numb steering, the B7 RS4 was a revelation when it first debuted, proving that Audi knew how to make a properly engaging car. Its steering was better than anything Audi had done at the time, its ride/handling balance was better, and it felt like a genuine driver’s car. Prior to that, fast Audis were comfortable and exciting in a straight line but never got the blood pumping in the twisties. The B7 RS4 changed that.

Admittedly, the B7 RS4 not only raised the bar for fast Audi sedans and wagons, it set a bar that hasn’t been reached since. There isn’t a fast Audi sedan or wagon on the road today that can match its sense of occasion or level of engagement. However, there is another Audi that can, albeit with a very different body shape…