Story by Mark Borlace
This year's final was an all-German affair again, with Audi unveiling a stealthy sports sort to challenge the established Teutons.
BMW's M3, the reigning champion for the last three years, was up against its coupe nemesis, the Mercedes Benz CLK 320, and a revised S4 sedan from Audi.
The omens for the sports stoush were good. The rain stopped and the roads started to dry.
But by afternoon the almost unthinkable had happened, the iconic BMW M3 had been toppled from top position. However, it took a car with the grunt of a V8 and the benefit of all-wheel-drive to vanquish the BMW.
Rear-wheel-drive has been the tool of choice in this category, however the new Audi S4 forces a rethink.
Audi is a pioneer of all-wheel-drive, or quattro technology, and when the German company couples it to an outstanding 4.2-litre, V8 engine, like that found in S4 the combination takes the vehicle's performance and handling to a new level.
The S4 revels on wet or dry roads, and there was a fair share of both during our final test week.
Full Details: www.australiasbestcars.com.au.
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