Audi S4 Avant (B9)

Among the 51 cars in the catalogue that use a V6 engine layout, the Audi S4 Avant (B9) sits in a particularly defined corner: it is one of just 11 turbocharged V6 cars, and one of 21 that combine a V6 with AWD. That combination is the detail that separates it from its engine-layout peers. Rather than standing apart through excess, the S4 Avant represents a focused formula within the 600-car collection, pairing a turbocharged 3.0 litre V6 with all-wheel drive in a four or five seater saloon body.

The wider catalogue places the S4 Avant in a more measured performance position. Its 349 bhp ranks 467th of 600 cars, placing it in the top 78% for power, while its 4.9 second 0-100 km/h time is faster than 146 cars in the collection. A top speed of 250 km/h places it 414th overall. These figures frame the S4 Avant as a car built around balanced capability rather than chasing the upper extremes represented elsewhere in the garage.

Its technical case is supported by the numbers beneath the surface. The V6 produces 500 Nm of torque from its 2,995 cc displacement, giving the S4 Avant the kind of specification expected from a serious performance saloon. The 2016 Audi combines that engine layout, turbocharging and AWD in a way shared by very few cars in the catalogue. It also carries a used price of £35,000, ranking 500th of 600 cars by price, with a cost of £100 per bhp. That makes its place in the collection a calculation of specification and character rather than simply a measure of expense.

The S4 Avant’s position becomes clearer when viewed as part of the whole 600-car landscape. Audi contributes 25 cars to the catalogue, while Germany accounts for 197 of the entries, placing this car within a substantial group but with a configuration that remains less common. The result is a performance machine that occupies a precise middle ground, combining a V6, turbocharging and AWD without needing the largest numbers to make its case.

Returning to those 51 V6 cars, the S4 Avant’s distinction is not that it overwhelms the group, but that it captures a specific idea within it. Adding this Audi to a dream garage creates a space for a 349 bhp turbocharged V6 AWD saloon that brings together practicality and performance in a format few of the 600 cars share. It is the kind of choice that gives a collection another dimension through its exact combination of attributes.