Audi is out testing prototypes for a redesigned A4 and the latest tester to be spotted is for the sporty S4 model.
The prototype is specifically for the S4 Avant wagon body style but testers for the S4 sedan should also be out and about.
The current A4, the B9, arrived for the 2017 model year and was given a mid-cycle update for 2020. This redesigned A4, the B10, should arrive for the 2024 model year, meaning a debut in early 2023 is likely. Expect the S4 to debut alongside the regular model.
The S4 Avant prototype looks similar to the testers we’ve seen for the A4 Avant, but there are differences like the lowered ride height and quad-exhaust tips. The wheels also feature some covers and are fitted with torque sensors over their center caps, a device designed to detect the amount of wheel slippage during testing.
2024 Audi S4 Avant spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
Our latest shots also give us a clear look at the interior of the latest A4 range. There appears to be a wide floating screen for the instrument cluster, as well as a new concept for the shift lever. This being an S4 prototype, the tester also features a flat-bottom steering wheel.
With Audi having confirmed that it will only introduce electric vehicles from 2026, it means this will be the final A4 generation fitted with internal-combustion engines. As a result, the platform should be an updated version of the Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo platform found in the current A4, meaning longitudinal mounting of engines and standard front-wheel drive.
The current S4 runs a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 good for 349 hp. Expect this engine to carry over in the new generation, perhaps with assistance from a mild-hybrid system.
Interestingly, it has been reported that the redesigned A4 will be topped by a pair of electrified RS variants developed by Audi Sport, one claimed to be a plug-in hybrid and the other an electric model. If accurate, the electric model will likely feature a separate platform to models fitted with internal-combustion engines.