2007 Audi RS 4 First Drive

Anything with a $68,820 price tag (including a $720 destination charge and a $2,100 gas guzzler tax) should be big on standard and lean on optional. Such is the case with the 2007 Audi RS 4, which comes decked out with a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, headlight washers, heated mirrors, adaptive high-intensity discharge headlights, dual-zone climate control, power heated Recaro front bucket seats, leather upholstery, and a lap timer. There’s also a power sunroof that, like all side windows, features one-touch opening and closing, as well as a 10-speaker audio system with an MP3 player, subwoofer, and six-disc CD changer. The $66,720 sticker also buys a rear parking aid, a tire pressure monitoring system, a trip computer, an exterior temperature gauge, and six airbags – two front, two front-side, and two side-curtains.

Should that bounty of equipment not be enough, a short list of options aims to satisfy buyers of the fully-loaded persuasion. In exchange for $4,700, the Premium Package offers multiple memory functions, rain-sensing wipers, electrochromic interior and exterior mirrors, Bluetooth capability, heated rear seats, a power rear sunshade, a navigation system, and a Bose sound system. Individual options include Sirius satellite radio, rear side airbags, brushed aluminum interior trim, and a sunroof delete option for weekend racers looking to cut weight.