Torquey engine (twin turbo V6)
Quattro AWD
Mercedes level refinement
Unbeatable price

Rear seats a little cramped
Overpriced weak Navigation System

Overall, a *great* car. Very few weaknesses and the strengths would just keep on going forever. Doesn't get any better.

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BMW M3

Blindingly, almost imperceptibly quick, sports car competence, any weather, with room for passengers.

Shifter takes practice. Bridgestones err on all-weather side.

Imagine a Porsche Carrera 4 in sedan form. Slick inside and out, you can stop to drink your coffee, peruse the paper, and still be well ahead of the stoplight pack a short time after takeoff. There are very few cars out there that match this one in all-around competence.

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BMW 540i, M3; Audi A4 1.8TQMS.

Tons of Torque!!! I can't imagine what this car would feel like with a chip in it.....I just has sooo much damn power stock.

Perfect Blend of Luxury and Performance. Much more luxurious than an M3 or M5.

Shifer has a very long throw, but is really quite smooth...I like it! I could see installing a short shifter if you were doing a lot of road racing and needed much quicker shifts.

If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one of these beasts up. You will not regret it!!!

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M3, MR2 Turbo, Supra Turbo, Porsche 993. S4 just gives you the best of both worlds.....does it better than any of these other cars.....and the price is right.

Bank vault construction; thick slabs of low-end torque; elegant interior finish with the silver alcantara; understated exterior, with very goodlooking Avus wheels. Bottom line sports car capability coupled with the practicality of a wagon layout.

Like just about everyone else, I think the S4 could do with an upgraded shifter. The driver's center armrest also leaves a bit to be desired.

I always wanted a true sportscar/station wagon. Never really found one until the S4 Avant popped up (the Volvo T5 wagons never really cut it for me). The S4 Avant has around 90% of the performance of my Porsche 928S, which is very very cool. Until BMW comes out with an M3 wagon (with or withouht all-wheel drive), the S4 Avant is the ticket---in North America anyway. Actually, I'd love to have an RS4 in my garage, but hey....

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BMW 325xi Sportwagon---severely underpowered to the S4, and just about as pricey. I agree that the BMW pricing approach, which is to nickel and dime you to death with options, is bogus and stinks in comparison to the Audi pricing approach, where the base model is reasonably equipped and a handful of sensible option packages are offered. I don't underestand how BMW think their sportwagon can possibly compete with the S4 Avant for the price. When I told my local BMW guy that I was also looking carefully at the S4, his face kind of dropped and the fight went out of him.
Passat Wagon w/4motion---A very nice wagon, larger than the S4 and the 325xi, but not quite up to the performance or construction standards of the other two. For buyers more sensitive to price who are looking for a good AWD wagon, though, the Passat is very competitive.

Tons of torque, gets up to speed (and then some) without a fuss, excellent handling and roadgrip.

Clumsy shifter.

I'm familiar with Audi cars, having driven an A4 for the last two years. I love driving the S4. It's an unbeatable blend of luxury and performance: it's easy to surge up to 90 mph and feel that you're slaloming down the highway at only 60. The low-end torque means that you don't have to downshift to pass, even in 6th gear. Not quite like having an automatic, but nice when you're blowing by the BMW poking along in the left lane! Also, I love the whine of the biturbos spooling up!
My biggest complaint is with the gearshift, which could really benefit from a shorter throw. As this is an almost universal complaint with the Audis, I wonder why the company hasn't done anything about it?

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Much improved over the A4.

Price. German engineering -- the sound the door makes when you close it. Engine. Ride quality. Looks. Accelerating from a red light.

That I had to get the Tiptronic (my wife refused to drive a stick)

I'm moving to Dallas and was tired of an SUV (but loved my Montero).
I started shopping about a month ago, mainly looking for something to take me away from a 330i. I was impressed with the 330i and the similarities of its engine to the older M3. I WAS NOT impressed by the fact that every single little thing on the BMW was an option -- I'm sorry, but a $40K car ought to come with floor mats. Realizing what this would mean with regards to the new E46 M3 price-wise, the only logical solution was to read about some other cars (not to mention that the new M3 is rarer than hen's teeth). Initially rejecting Audi due to the anemic A4, I suddenly found the S4 -- rational price with performance and luxury. Geez, by the time I added everything together, a 330i was more expensive than the S4. I also looked at the S60 T5, which is a great car with a great engine, but lacks the refinement and fit and finish of its German brethren. For this class of car, there should not be plastic wrap like material seen hanging out from one of the leather wrapped seats, and the cupholders shouldn't feel like cheap plastic crap. Again, a loaded S60 T5 is more than an S4. I finally broke down and drove an S4. Nothing in this price range or this class compares. Hands down. I have not seen or driven one of the new E46 M3s, and I am sure it will be a great driving car, but I have a suspicion my S4 will match it as a performance vehicle, and beat it price wise. Take it from a former BMW craving lunatic -- the S4 wins hands down, any which way you look at it.

BTW, Joseph Northland is the largest Audi dealer in 5 states (OH, KY, W. Pennsylvania, Michigan, Southern half of Indiana) and really treated me well. This is in comparison to the other dealer in Cincinnati (couldn't care less about me), and my hometown dealer (tried to rip me off).

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'95 Mitsu Montero -- 'nuff said, but I truly love my Montero -- just needed a change, 95 M3 (belongs to a friend) -- S4 blows it away. 1986 Volvo 740 Turbo Wagon -- again, no comparison, but beating a 944 0-60 in a VOLVO wagon was fun back in the early 90s

comfort, ergonomics, style (esp. Nogaro/alcantara), torque, traction

notchy shifter is irritating, terrible city gas mileage, doesn't come in a coupe

I test drove all the above cars and chose the '01 S4 6-speed. I love to drive this thing hard and fast...and as others have noted, this thing sticks like glue in all driving conditions. The real weakness of this car is that the shifter basically sucks. It's very notchy/rubbery; I can't fathom how Audi has overlooked this. I'm single, so I'd also love to have this is a COUPE. Also, city gas mileage sucks. That said, there isn't a better buy on a luxury sports coupe/sedan on earth--with the exception of the new E46 BMW M3.

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BMW 330Ci, 330xi, old E36 M3

Flawless fit & finish, stead fast German engineering, gobs of torque & power in any gear, tracks through rain & slippery surfaces like its on fly paper. Ergonomically correct positioning of controls & seats. Great stereo, huge trunk, stealthfully good looks.

I'll second, third, forth etc. everybody elses comment on the short shift kit. Feels like I'm driving a truck sometimes. Exhaust sounds something like a sewing maching with a small header on it, could use a little more "throatiness" (or an MTM or Borla exhaust) Other than that... nada.

This is just quite possibly the most awe inspiring, confidence building, smile inducing, local tire store salesman relationship building, CHP befriending vehicle I have had the privilige of owning in my short 35 years. Yes I will probably have to cough up $1100 for a new set of tires every 9-12 months (less if my wife drives it to work more often) & I may be attending comedy traffic school once or twice in the upcoming years & yes I just might have to see a man about that short shift kit & exhaust but a labor of love is never an easy one. In short, go buy one!

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93' Porsche= The S4 can take two more passengers & handles better in inclimate conditions.
VW GTi VR6= Same fun factor but multiplied by 5. Less conspicuous. Not in college anymore.
Jeep Grand Cherokee= My last two (95' & 97') were my "slow down, don't put chains on when going to Tahoe, haul a bunch of crap & friends around in" cars. 220 HP V8 was fast & pulled but that little 2.7l with a pair of turbos will make trips to the mountains just as enjoyable, only quicker.

Twin-Turbo POWER.
Quattro AWD.
Big, Strong Brakes.
Sweet Looks (Santorin (Dark) Blue + Silver Leather).
6-Speed

Needs seat memory.
Thirsty car in city.

The Silken-Rocket. An eleagant, true European sport sedan with Porsche-like acceleration and Mercedes-like smoothness and luxury.
Drive them all (BMW, Benz, Lexus-Toyota?, Volvo-Ford?) THe S4 is the jack of all trades. It can do it all and will never let you down.

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BMW Who? (330ci, 330xi, Old M3, C-Class, Lexus IS300/ES300, Volvo S60)
BEATS THEM ALL. COMPLETE SATISFACTION OVER COMPETITION.

Piant finish
Seats

Balky shifter
Turbo lag
Poor Handling

A good compromise between Sport and luxury.
The attention to detail is almost as good as Lexus. The paint finish is first rate. Ride is good if you are looking for sporty sedan. It is a good car if you can only have one and want to look good and drive hard ocasionally. Turbo lag is annoying at times. Shifter is balky. If you are really into sport driving then this is a bit weak. I am considering to trade this car in for 2 cars: one real sedan (Used Lexus LS400) and one real sport car (Honda S2000).

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More sporty than my previous BMW 530i. Not as high quality as Lexus LS400. It is a good compromise (half and half) sedan and sport.