Thursday 2nd February 2012

New Audi RS4 Avant: see it at Geneva

Rumours of its demise have been greatly exaggerated, we're glad to hear

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An all-new RS4 Avant will make its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in March, contrary to rumours that the performance estate had been axed (or at least postponed) in favour of the next RS6.

The impending show debut of the B8 RS4 Avant was revealed in a document released earlier this week by the Swiss Audi importer (thank you to PHer ze shark for spotting that).

What it reveals is that the catchily titled Audi RS4 Avant 4.2L FSI S-Tronic Quattro, complete with the RS5's 450hp naturally aspirated V8, will join the new A3 and a tweaked TT-RS (power up from 340hp to 360hp) on the Ingolstadt maker's stand.

Which, quite frankly, we're rather glad about - provided the RS4 proves to be less underwhelming than the Audi RS5...

[Matt UK]

Nice, I expected the motor to be the S4 3.0 with the wick turned up

[thinfourth2]

in before a title

[goron59]

Pleased the RS4 will live on, but I do hope it's not a disappointment like the 5. I hear it's going to be double-clutch only?

Anyways, mostly pleased it's still going with an NA V8 and not mucking about with straight sixes and 47 turbos!

[PetrolAholic]

This story has really brought a tear to my eye, being a current B7 RS4 owner and after hearing the B8 RS4 had been axed I was really looking for an alternative, not wanting to go for something as big as an RS6 but still wanting the practicality of 4 doors, a large (ish) boot and the mind blowing performance to match.

Thankyou Audi, and well done

[SD1992]

Sounds great, I just hope they give it a proper manual gearbox with a clutch pedal!

[f328nvl]

Hooray! Saved from the ignominy of buying a Mercedes C63 (and having the same car marque as my 78 year old father). Off to put my deposit down and trade up my S4 to my sixth Avant Quattro and second RS4 after the original one.

[Dale Lomas]

Riggers, my man! You should have asked me about it... here's a video of the beast in action at the 'Ring in its cammo vinyl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLROnPW5c3o

[Dave Hedgehog]

i wonder if the new map for the TT can be put on the 3?

[Dave Hedgehog]

SD1992 said:

Sounds great, I just hope they give it a proper manual gearbox with a clutch pedal!

1930's that way =======>

you will find vinyl records and 35mm film along the way

[Mermaid]

The "old" B7 RS4 is rather special - big boots to fill. The RS5 disappointed (compared to the older E92), why should this car be any different?

[loomx]

Wasn't it just pistonheads who started the rumor... Everyone else sais that it was just the avant that was being produced...

[Cupramax]

SD1992 said:

Sounds great, I just hope they give it a proper manual gearbox with a clutch pedal!

Dave Hedgehog said:

1930's that way =======>

you will find vinyl records and 35mm film along the way

I tend to agree with SD1992. Nothing wrong with a manual gearbox, at least YOU have control of what is going on and not the car.

[E38Ross]

Mermaid said:

The "old" B7 RS4 is rather special - big boots to fill. The RS5 disappointed (compared to the older E92), why should this car be any different?

it does make you wonder whether this will be as good as the old car. one of my closest friends has a B7 RS4 avant, it's now got around 80k on it which he bought from new, think he's selling up soon though.

judging by the name it'll have the S-tronic box.

sad to say, i have an inkling the old one will be better, even the RS5 which is years newer isn't as good, and they went in with the target to better the M3, and that failed.

funny isn't it though how BMW refuse to make an M3 estate, yet audi shifted a few of these. not sure if they'd make up the development costs, mind.

[kambites]

E38Ross said:

funny isn't it though how BMW refuse to make an M3 estate, yet audi shifted a few of these. not sure if they'd make up the development costs, mind.

I wouldn't have thought the development costs would be very high? They already have the shell from the normal estate and the suspension and drive-train from the saloon. Surely the only thing they need to make an estate is some widened estate rear wings (OK it's probably a bit more complicated than that, but you get the idea)?

[E38Ross]

Cupramax said:

I tend to agree with SD1992. Nothing wrong with a manual gearbox, at least YOU have control of what is going on and not the car.

don't get me wrong, i love a manual box in the right car; but i fail to see how the double clutch boxes don't allow YOU to be in control of what's going on?? they can be fully manual, ya know????

is this S-tronic the one found in the R8? if so, isn't this a bit, erm, crap compared to the new DSG and DCT boxes fitted, like the one found in the new M5? looking for an answer off someone like garlick who's driven cars with them fitted

[kambites]

E38Ross said:

don't get me wrong, i love a manual box in the right car; but i fail to see how the double clutch boxes don't allow YOU to be in control of what's going on?? they can be fully manual, ya know????

So can a really good slush-box.

[E38Ross]

kambites said:

E38Ross said:

funny isn't it though how BMW refuse to make an M3 estate, yet audi shifted a few of these. not sure if they'd make up the development costs, mind.

I wouldn't have thought the development costs would be very high? They already have the shell from the normal estate and the suspension and drive-train from the saloon. Surely the only thing they need to make an estate is some widened estate rear wings (OK it's probably a bit more complicated than that, but you get the idea)?

i'm not so sure. ther eason they didn't make an E39 M5 estate was due to the different suspension set ups on the estate cars (not sure if that's still the case). remember, the M3 doesn't share any panels with the normal cars, if that's still to hold true they'd need to design and build new panels (at least for the back end of the car, as you say wings...but boot lid, bumper etc too) likely change the suspension set ups and so on and retool a factory.

it could work but i'm not sure, just curious really. i'd like to see one, but it ain't gonna happen

[Cupramax]

E38Ross said:

don't get me wrong, i love a manual box in the right car; but i fail to see how the double clutch boxes don't allow YOU to be in control of what's going on?? they can be fully manual, ya know????

Thats just the thing though, ultimately you're not in control. The gearbox will always have the last say.

Each to their own but I prefer to be fully in charge. I've recently changed my car for an older model A5 when I could have had the new facelift purely as I wanted a manual quattro and the new model didn't have it, DSG/Quattro only.

[magnus911]

Cupramax said:

I tend to agree with SD1992. Nothing wrong with a manual gearbox, at least YOU have control of what is going on and not the car.

I heard that the reason manufacturers are going this way, including Ferrari, Lamborghini etc, is that it's much easier to write code for the TC systems when the gearbox is under some electronic control of the car. So if you give the driver a manual box, there are more unknowns which have to be taken under consideration, and it's harder to make the car go faster around a track. (or the Kingston one way system)

I'm actually not sure if that's an accepted view, or just some drivel I overheard!

[E38Ross]

Cupramax said:

E38Ross said:

don't get me wrong, i love a manual box in the right car; but i fail to see how the double clutch boxes don't allow YOU to be in control of what's going on?? they can be fully manual, ya know????

Thats just the thing though, ultimately you're not in control. The gearbox will always have the last say.

Each to their own but I prefer to be fully in charge. I've recently changed my car for an older model A5 when I could have had the new facelift purely as I wanted a manual quattro and the new model didn't have it, DSG/Quattro only.

how do you mean? i'm curious. what do you mean by ultimately the gearbox is in control? what can you do with the manual that you can't do (but would actually want/need to do) in the DCT/DSG boxes?

cheers