Smith837

Looking at various MY2013 photos on the Web, and noticing what looks like very different treatments around the instrument panel (e.g., piano black vs. matte silver), I'm beginning to wonder something. This thought surfaced this morning when taking another look at the 2013 S4 Order Guide where for the Stainless Steel Mesh inserts option it reads "Stainless Steel Mesh inserts (with Piano Black center console & instrument panel surround)". The Order Guide doesn't mention piano black at all for the Carbon Atlas decorative inlays option. So my question is, do you only get a piano black instrument panel surround if you order the Stainless Steel Mesh option? Hmm...

PS: Part of my confusion stems from the fact that some of the photos on the Web show the Carbon Atlas with a piano black instrument panel surround, whereas others show Carbon Atlas with what looks like a matte silver instrument panel surround.

Stereodude

Yes. SS inlays are the only one with piano black around the cluster and shifter.

Smith837

Thanks. It would appear that way from the language on the Order Guide, but where are you getting your info? What then surrounds the instrument panel on stock cars or cars with Carbon Atlas?

JD15

A horrendously cheap piece of silver painted plastic surrounds the instrument panel and MMI on all 2012 and earlier models. I've looked at pictures of the 2013 online and saw what you noticed: Models with the stainless steel inserts have piano black instrument panel/MMI and shifter trim, whereas models with carbon inserts have the silver painted plastic instrument panel surround. If this holds, it might be a reason to opt for stainless steel.

Stereodude

The US order guide, UK brochure (facelift), and pictures of the facelift model online.
Like this:

Stereodude

The silver brushed look trim doesn't look bad to me in the pictures for the facelift B8.5 S4. It seems to match the door handles and other brushed look trim in the interior.

FWIW, I wouldn't want a piano black trim piece around the shifter. A gloss black trim piece will show dust and scratches easily and by the shifter it's going to to see abrasion and get scratched.

I'm planning to get oCarbon trim since I think it looks better than the Audi CF inlays. At most, I'd only want the piano black trim around the cluster. However, SS inlays + oCarbon inlays gets to be way more money than I wanted to pay at ~$750 + $600 on inlays. Also, I'm not sure they can rework the piano black trim for the shifter piece.

JD15

It all depends on whether it's the same cheap piece of plastic that is currently being used. Hopefully, the look has been improved, but if not, it looks cheap and out of place in person.

Smith837

Understood. I've been living with that painted silver panel as well. I've seen photos of a 2013 show car with the Carbon Atlas AND piano black instrument panel surround, but until we see what shows up on U.S. shores, the only way to know for certain that you'll get piano black around the instrument panel is to opt for the Stainless Steel Mesh inserts. I quite like the mesh -- a nice change from the carbon -- and even though the piano black may show abrasions more so than carbon fiber, I'm not too concerned about that. It's not like the Carbon Atlas is scratch resistant.

Going to switch my order to the mesh. Since the new interior employs the piano black in various spots, including the steering wheel, I think the mesh scheme results in a nice cohesive look.

FWIW, if the Carbon Atlas option retains the silver, SS Mesh might just become the new hot insert option. Ultimately though, any way you option this thing, it'll be beautiful. Really just a matter of taste and preference.