2017 Audi S4 Avant

After unveiling the new S4 sedan—based on the redesigned, 2017 A4—at the Frankfurt auto show last fall, Audi has now seen fit to unwrap its wagon companion, the S4 Avant. Unfortunately, as Americans, we can only look on in envy. The wagon’s new mechanicals mirror those of the sedan. The S4 goes turbo, with a new 3.0-liter V-6 replacing the previous supercharged unit. Output climbs to 354 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, and Audi claims 4.9 seconds for the zero-to-62-mph sprint (versus 4.7 for the sedan). In place of the previous seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, an eight-speed torque-converter unit now handles the shifting; it enables freewheeling when the driver lifts off the throttle at speeds between 34 and 99 mph.