In recent times we've enjoyed a glut of talented fast saloons. On your screen we've extolled the virtues of various Japanese, British and German saloons of wondrous capabilities and desirability. You'll have noticed that several of our favourites are German but that few have the four Audi circles on their nose, where as BMW features prominently. Past Audis have been fast but overly clinical and lacking the involvement and fulfilment found in something like a BMW M3. Audi must be sick of hearing this, constantly trying to match Munich's finest and always falling slightly short.

The latest submission tested here, the Audi RS4, looks like the typical offering: powerful and fast with restrained good looks and a nice spec sheet. Where it differs is in that rather than try and match the BMW M3 it seeks to beat it outright. This RS4 is a clear statement that Audi has had enough. The boys and girls from Ingolstadt obviously intend on setting the record straight once and for all.

The new Audi RS4 is a great looking car. The corporate grille dominates the car's face but as you run your eyes around the body the muscularity begins to shine through. Swollen arches house sexy 19-inch alloys of suitably generous proportions behind which lurk equally grand drilled brake discs and huge brake calipers. The front bumper features 'gill' slits to cool said brakes as well as feed the engine the cold air it so craves. A lower ride height, subtle badging and a couple of large two into one rear tail pipes are the other giveaways to the model's designation, but it isn't a huge departure from a regular Sportline equipped Audi A4 saloon. Personally I believe cars like these shouldn't be vulgar and loud, in a visual sense at least, and the Audi RS4 has it down to a tee.

Needless to say the RS4's interior is the epitome of class and quality. Over the last few years Audi has made the art of interiors its own and the opposition have been left in its wake. The RS4 takes the already impressive A4 interior and adds some of its own character. Figure hugging leather bucket seats embossed with the RS4 logo are fitted with a plethora of electronic adjustments. They are comfortable, supportive and good looking, as well as signalling the RS4's intentions with cut outs for harnesses to be fed through.

The steering wheel is a square bottomed item, though significantly meatier than seen in the VW Golf, with a variety of controls fitted, including an 'S' for sport button that sharpens throttle response, alters the exhaust flow to beef up the exhaust note and even squeezes the side and thigh bolsters of the driver to make sure they feel very much part of the action. The leather rim is great to hold with indentations just where you'd want them. The steering isn't the most communicative though, as the unwanted corruption of the front driveshafts needs to be damped out, but it is very direct and nicely weighted; light at low speeds, reassuringly weighty when working hard.

The dash in the test car was dominated by the optional DVD and TV set up, itself a triumph of logic and intuition. All of the switchgear is well laid out and is a treat to use. The dials are clear and easy to read, classy and restrained. There is a little screen between the dials that is emblazoned with the RS4 logo at key on, before it begins displaying a variety of information such as fuel economy, tyre pressure alarms and lap times. Overall the interior reeks of understated class with a hint of serious intent. It's just how a subtle super saloon should be.

As is the common trend now you begin proceedings by turning the key and then pressing a button to spark the engine into life, and what an engine! The RS4's V8 motor is a masterpiece worthy of comparison to the very best the competition has to offer. The 4.2-litre enjoys the benefits of race proven FSI direct injection technology as well as continuously variable valve timing on all four cams and a development strategy that balanced outright power (of which there is plenty with 414bhp on tap at a heady 7800rpm) with a tremendous breadth of torque: 90% of the engine's peak torque of 317lb.ft (itself found at 5500rpm) is available between 2250 to 7600rpm. The rev limiter is set 650rpm above this at 8250rpm, and so free-revving and powerful is its nature that it hammers into the limiter in most gears with ease.

The noises this engine emits are glorious. In normal use it is distant and muted when you'd want it to be, getting vocal as you place more demand on it. However, a complete character change is just a flex of the thumb away. Pressing the S button exchanges restrained limo woofling for the full-on NASCAR soundtrack. Here, even at low revs and light throttle openings the exhaust noise is naughty. At higher crank speeds and loads it verges on the pornographic. It turns heads and drops the jaws of those lucky enough to be in earshot. The occupant of the driving seat will find themselves seduced, amused and enticed into pushing the throttle and revving the engine a good deal harder than is strictly necessary.

We found the RS4's powerplant to be a phenomenal all rounder that pays all manner of dividends. Needless to say outright pace is breathtaking with the benchmark dash to sixty taking around 4.8 seconds, and 0-124mph in 16.6 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155mph, but the RS4 would no doubt run onto 180mph plus if unshackled. In-gear performance is equally impressive, as that torque curve, well plateau, ensures a rapid change of pace without the need to stir the cogs. This in turn means that you can make good progress without working the engine hard, short shifting through the 'box barely stunts the pace and there is no such thing as the wrong gear coming out of a corner. On most roads third and fourth gears will take care of most circumstances with second being on hand where ultimate pace is needed for very quick overtaking.

On our test routes the Audi RS4 proved itself to be a formidable cross country tool. The power dominates at first but as you grow accustomed to it further talents can be explored. The huge brakes are as powerful as they suggest, although given the bulk of the car I can't help think that they will fade under the heaviest of punishments, such as extensive track work. The weight also makes itself known under heavy braking as the shift of mass onto the front wheels makes the back-end feel very light. We found it slightly disconcerting at first but again, with familiarity found it great fun to back into corners Valentino Rossi style and a real boon to getting the nose into corners more quickly.

Not that the RS4 is hesitant to turn in to begin with. The faux agility that feels odd in the lesser A4 is displaced here with the real thing. Response to the helm is swift, incisive and roll-free. Once into the corner the humongous power can then be fed into the driveline. Thanks to the new 40:60 rear-biased quattro system's cleverness it is perfectly possible just to plant the throttle and hold on; the sure footedness and grip offered by quattro four-wheel drive and 255 section tyres ensuring that not one horse is frittered away in something as inappropriate as wheelspin. Even in the wet the Audi RS4 clings on doggedly and it is here that it offers a significant advantage in cross country pace compared to cars such as the BMW M3, which would call for more driver ability.

The Audi's controls allow for smooth, fast and confident driving. Well placed pedals, the lovely wheel and the finest gearshift I've ever experienced in an Audi (one of the best, full stop) allow intimate involvement in the experience, although some offer more detailed dialogue. So seductive is the level of ability that reality checks are necessary to prevent license losing extravagances, as the limits are so high that approaching them on the public road becomes a question of morality rather than a ceiling of talent.

Needless to say then that the new RS4 is a fast and refined cruiser, but then so are most modern Audi saloons; where the RS4 differs is in that it offers a genuinely sporting drive that the others only begin to, and that includes previous S and RS models which were just too cold and calculated for their own good. The RS4 is a huge improvement over these recent fast Audis. Not since the hallowed Ur-Quattro has the marque offered such dynamic indulgence and enjoyment. Can't wait to try that new TT!