Using the brand’s quattro all-wheel-drive system with a Torsen center differential, the RS 4 usually functions with 60 percent of the output going to the rear wheels and 40 percent to the front, though 100 percent can be reapportioned to the front or rear as necessary. If only Audi’s engineers could better distribute the 3,957-lb. curb weight, calculated to be 58 percent carried in front and 52 percent in the rear. The 2007 Audi RS 4 sits 1.4 inches lower than the A4 and rides on a four-link front suspension with a double wishbone setup out back. Dynamic Ride Control employs a central reservoir joined to diagonally-connected dampers in an effort to limit pitch and roll.

Front and rear tracks have been widened, the 36.4-foot turning circle is more than a foot tighter than the S4’s, and the cross-drilled brake rotors are larger by 20 mm and 4 mm, front and rear, respectively. Functioning vents in the lower front fascia and liquid jets help to prevent brake fade, and automatic brake drying heightens stopping ability in wet conditions by causing slight, periodic contact between the pads and rotors. The braking system also features ABS and electronic brake-force distribution. Audi’s Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) includes a two-stage defeat whereby one touch of the button on the instrument panel deactivates the traction control, while a second touch turns the system off completely – best to play with this mode on a track or in a big, empty parking lot, and make sure that all insurance policies are current. Steering is addressed by a rack-and-pinion system with Servotronic speed-sensitive assist.