Edition 25 celebrates RS 4’s quarter century
AUDI will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its iconic RS 4 by introducing a new Edition 25 model, limited to just 250 units in Europe, with 50 scheduled to come to the UK.
Technical changes are subtle, but Audi has deployed an aggressive remap of the engine-management system to squeeze an extra 19bhp out of the standard car’s twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6. Peak power is now rated at 463bhp, with torque remaining unchanged at 600Nm, while a collection of other upgrades borrowed from the previous RS 4 Competition feature. These include a more aggressive transmission calibration, unique tuning for the Sport Quattro differential, a reduction in sound deadening to increase the noise inside the cabin and a louder RS Sports Exhaust.
Audi quotes a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds, 0.4 seconds faster than the standard car, and a top speed limited to 186mph. These figures are still short of rivals such as the BMW M3 Competition, but the RS 4 remains an astonishingly fast estate.
As for the chassis, Audi has fitted an RS Sports Suspension Pro system that swaps the standard adaptive dampers for fully adjustable coilovers. These sit 10mm lower, and if customers so wish they can be dropped by a further 10mm by using a set of tools included with the car.
The biggest change visually is the iconic Imola Yellow paint that’s borrowed from the original B5-generation RS 4 introduced in 2001. This is matched to a matte-finish for the carbon-fibre styling elements within the front and rear bumpers and mirror caps, plus there’s yellow stitching and more carbon fibre inside the cabin.
The RS 4 Edition 25 costs £119,180, around £47,000 more than the standard car, but based on past Audi specials, we expect the limited run to sell out quickly.