Power delivery from the Audi’s FSI engine is exactly what you’d expect from a modern large capacity power unit. Even without the help of forced induction, peak torque of 330Nm arrives at just 3,00rpm and stays that way until 5,000rpm. Maximum power is reached at 6,500rpm. In real world terms, this means that the engine has virtually no flat spots, with no necessity to rev it to the high heavens when attempting a quick passing move on slower traffic.

Aim the car where you want it to go, flex your right foot and prepare for warp speed. It’s really that easy.

But it’s never all about going straight, and Audi has done much work to make the car really fun in the winding bits as well. Its electronically controlled six-speed automatic gearbox shifts very quickly and confidently. It has a sequential manual mode as well, operated by small paddles mounted on the steering wheel.

Keeping in line with the competition, Audi has introduced an additional element of driver customisation to the A4 with its drive select system. A row of buttons on the centre console lets you toggle between three main settings, namely standard, comfort and sport. More adventurous drivers can dial in a custom setting. The suspension dampers, throttle map and steering response can be set individually via the command dial from within the car, and the settings saved and recalled with the touch of a button.

The Audi engineers are very proud of the A4’s new dynamic steering system, and the Audi personnel on location in Italy were all too eager to show us the inner workings of the system. The steering ratio is varied according to road speed, with the steering wheel coupled to the steering rack via an electrically assisted high-reduction gearbox originally developed for aerospace use.

The car requires only two turns of the wheel from lock to lock at parking speeds, but this directness is reduced as the car gains speed. The system is tied to the vehicle dynamics software and is adaptive, proportionally increasing steering directness when it detects additional input to the steering wheel.

It proved especially adept at taking multiple mountain switchbacks at speed, where the steering system became imbued with almost Formula One car directness. This becomes more gradual at less dynamic driving speeds, and is so gradual in its transition that you almost never feel it working.

Road feel remains very good despite the dazzling amount of electronic gadgetry within the system, possibly because the steering linkages remain solidly joined to the steering column.

Its Quattro four-wheel drive system directs 40 percent of engine power to the front and 60 percent to the rear wheels under normal conditions, but the centre differential can direct up to 65 percent to the front and 85 percent to the rear axle as necessary when under extreme dynamic loads.

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