2010 Audi S4

The S4 is a singularly attractive sport sedan - although the bright yellow outfit of this particular example doesn't show it off to its best advantage - and the interior is just as nice, in typical Audi fashion. But the S4 isn't as much about appearance as it is about performance, and in that category the S4 delivers. The supercharged V-6 delivers momentum with no hint that it is artificially aspirated. With Audi's Drive Select you can configure the S4's steering effort and suspension damping to your liking. And on twisty roads or on a track day, the S4 makes even an average driver feel more accomplished than he or she probably is. I still have a slight preference for the BMW 335i, mostly because of the manual shifter - the Audi's throws are satisfyingly short but simply not as smooth as the BMW's - but the S4 is tantalizingly close to knocking the 3-series of the top of the sport-sedan heap. Amy Skogstrom, Managing Editor