RE: Driven: Audi RS4
Discussion
Not my type of car but I can sure appreciate what's on offer... Shame it's the same old story from Audi, plenty of show AND go but lacking in feedback and emotion. I wish they'd produce more cars with personality and soul. Audi can do it but appear not to want to, maybe they don't need to as after all whatever they make sells very well... And of course from 20 paces it takes more than a glance to be sure which model you're looking at.
I drive a TTS and it's the same story, everything but ultimate soul and feedback, great car though it is my hard earned may go somewhere else next time.
I drive a TTS and it's the same story, everything but ultimate soul and feedback, great car though it is my hard earned may go somewhere else next time.
E38Ross said:
torque is meaningless without rpm in mind though. at 4000rpm most cars will be doing approx 2/3 max rpm, this won't be doing 1/2. if it's all about torque to weight ratio, how come this is faster than a 330d?
for instance, if you rev to 5000rpm that's pushing most engines reasonably hard, but it's not in this. if you talk of it in terms of "percentage of max rpm" it makes a lot more sense. i've been in the old RS4 and an M3 and it still makes me laugh when people say they're weedy on torque.
2 cars driving along doing 70mph in 6th gear, say that gear is geared to 200mph, the RS4 is doing 3000rpm, a car revving to 6500rpm is doing just over 2250rpm......so the car which revs less but has more torque needs to be making approx 1/3 more torque to make the same power at those road speeds in that gear.
Agree with you. I have an e92 M3 DCT and if the gearbox is in lazy mode, it'll be in 7th at 40mph. This has the effect of making the car feel sluggish. I guess it's about flexibility in each gear that makes one perceive 'power'. You can't keep in 2nd all the time though. At peak torque(4Krpm), the RS4 is only producing 220bhp.for instance, if you rev to 5000rpm that's pushing most engines reasonably hard, but it's not in this. if you talk of it in terms of "percentage of max rpm" it makes a lot more sense. i've been in the old RS4 and an M3 and it still makes me laugh when people say they're weedy on torque.
2 cars driving along doing 70mph in 6th gear, say that gear is geared to 200mph, the RS4 is doing 3000rpm, a car revving to 6500rpm is doing just over 2250rpm......so the car which revs less but has more torque needs to be making approx 1/3 more torque to make the same power at those road speeds in that gear.
I'm just not sure the revvy nature of the engine is in keeping with the overall package.
Edited by CJP80 on Wednesday 13th June 14:49
for me, regardless of the handling characteristics etc. i feel it has lost to much of the solid stance, the previous RS4 had.
i feel the audi RS models have traditionally had a very nice stance, due to blistered wheel arch's to make up for handling etc, that some may feel less dynamic than the bmw competition.
even with the wheel arch's i feel like the latest RS6, these are lost on a more bland overall design.
i feel the audi RS models have traditionally had a very nice stance, due to blistered wheel arch's to make up for handling etc, that some may feel less dynamic than the bmw competition.
even with the wheel arch's i feel like the latest RS6, these are lost on a more bland overall design.
mikebradford said:
for me, regardless of the handling characteristics etc. i feel it has lost to much of the solid stance, the previous RS4 had.
i feel the audi RS models have traditionally had a very nice stance, due to blistered wheel arch's to make up for handling etc, that some may feel less dynamic than the bmw competition.
even with the wheel arch's i feel like the latest RS6, these are lost on a more bland overall design.
I agree with this wholeheartedly but I have to invoke the spelling police because this reads like a random word search was used!!i feel the audi RS models have traditionally had a very nice stance, due to blistered wheel arch's to make up for handling etc, that some may feel less dynamic than the bmw competition.
even with the wheel arch's i feel like the latest RS6, these are lost on a more bland overall design.
Capital Letters are nice at the start of sentences (and in acronyms like BMW)
What the f
k is the comma after "stance" indicating? Would you pause there when speaking??What is the 'to' which the wheel arch owns - or is that just a random apostrophe I see before me??
What is "the" bmw competition - "the" is a definite article, it's singular and unique, there is more than 1 bmw (and it's an acronym so it's BMW) so it's just BMW competition - or even better, competition from BMW.
At this point he'll say he wrote it on a phone whilst hanging upside-down from gravity boots but it's no excuse
I'll get my coat now...
MonkeyMatt said:
Dagnut said:
So what is Harris on about?
"It's not a drift king, but this car doesn't feel front-driven - and that's the biggest advantage it holds over the B7 RS4."
Doesn't the RS5 and this new car use the front biased Haldex?
Not haldex as far as Im aware"It's not a drift king, but this car doesn't feel front-driven - and that's the biggest advantage it holds over the B7 RS4."
Doesn't the RS5 and this new car use the front biased Haldex?
A4/S4/RS4 uses Torsen III
NGK210 said:
FWIW, I prefer a DSG-type box's 'auto in town, manual(-esque) for A/B-roads' option/compromise.
However, once these DSG-type boxes start requiring inevitable clutch replacement, how much is it going to cost to replace two clutches in one hit??
Talking to an Audi race instructor recently, he suggested that s-tronic boxes on RS models were set up to be kind to clutches rather than be explosively fast.However, once these DSG-type boxes start requiring inevitable clutch replacement, how much is it going to cost to replace two clutches in one hit??
Given that they make near perfect shifts all the time compared to the occasional howler by a real person with a full manual, I wouldn't be surprised if the s-tronic jobbies last longer on average than manuals.
Just a thought.
goron59 said:
NGK210 said:
FWIW, I prefer a DSG-type box's 'auto in town, manual(-esque) for A/B-roads' option/compromise.
However, once these DSG-type boxes start requiring inevitable clutch replacement, how much is it going to cost to replace two clutches in one hit??
Talking to an Audi race instructor recently, he suggested that s-tronic boxes on RS models were set up to be kind to clutches rather than be explosively fast.However, once these DSG-type boxes start requiring inevitable clutch replacement, how much is it going to cost to replace two clutches in one hit??
Given that they make near perfect shifts all the time compared to the occasional howler by a real person with a full manual, I wouldn't be surprised if the s-tronic jobbies last longer on average than manuals.
Just a thought.
"That was one of the best things about the last RS4 - it just worked out of the box."
He speaks the truth, that was what I found most appealing about the last RS4, manual + big V8 = fun. Nothing extra added, no fancy steering or DSG or diffs, just pure and simply mechanical fun.
When you talk about cars becoming more electronic and computerised, here lies the perfect example, this is the modicum of "progress". Thank god that variable steering isn't standard.
My god does look the part though, full on Q-car.
He speaks the truth, that was what I found most appealing about the last RS4, manual + big V8 = fun. Nothing extra added, no fancy steering or DSG or diffs, just pure and simply mechanical fun.
When you talk about cars becoming more electronic and computerised, here lies the perfect example, this is the modicum of "progress". Thank god that variable steering isn't standard.
My god does look the part though, full on Q-car.
HighwayStar said:
Not my type of car but I can sure appreciate what's on offer... Shame it's the same old story from Audi, plenty of show AND go but lacking in feedback and emotion. I wish they'd produce more cars with personality and soul. Audi can do it but appear not to want to, maybe they don't need to as after all whatever they make sells very well... And of course from 20 paces it takes more than a glance to be sure which model you're looking at.
I drive a TTS and it's the same story, everything but ultimate soul and feedback, great car though it is my hard earned may go somewhere else next time.
And therein lies the rub. Like Hollywood, car manufacturers don't care care what we think as long as they have the accounts/board/shareholders happy with that all-important bottom line. Me? I'd say as an ownership proposition you could do worse... And fair play to Audi for at least trying to halt the horsepower war.I drive a TTS and it's the same story, everything but ultimate soul and feedback, great car though it is my hard earned may go somewhere else next time.
Dave Hedgehog said:
i put 50k miles on my R32 DSG and spanked the living daylights out of it from cold, where ever possible it was full throttle no lift gear changes, box took it in its stride
As Denzel Washington would say 'my man!'. My 8P 3.2 got the same treatment- utterly thrashed always- didn't break!I too own a B7 RS4 and have had the pleasure of driving an RS5. It will be interesting to see how this new model compares to the aforementioned.
I found the RS5 certainly felt as quick as my car, yet the later car didn't quite match the RS4 on the twisty bits.
The various gearbox and steering options took a little getting used to.
I also concede that the interior of the RS5, and of this new model RS4 do make the B7's cabin look rather dated.
It is a shame to read that the new model will be auto-only, but I guess it was to expected, given the RS5's transmission.
The new model certainly looks cracking!
Darren
I found the RS5 certainly felt as quick as my car, yet the later car didn't quite match the RS4 on the twisty bits.
The various gearbox and steering options took a little getting used to.
I also concede that the interior of the RS5, and of this new model RS4 do make the B7's cabin look rather dated.
It is a shame to read that the new model will be auto-only, but I guess it was to expected, given the RS5's transmission.
The new model certainly looks cracking!
Darren
get the impression that possibly this will help to cement the cult status of the B7.
On this new version the engine probably has the legs to be a decent unit but accessing it performance is hindered by the electronics for a good blast - however, at the sametime that also prob makes it a good option for the missus to pop to the shops and get the kids...
still, will have to make a visit to the local dealer for a little testdrive and see for myself at somepoint - loved my old B7 too much to think that experience could all be lost!
On this new version the engine probably has the legs to be a decent unit but accessing it performance is hindered by the electronics for a good blast - however, at the sametime that also prob makes it a good option for the missus to pop to the shops and get the kids...
still, will have to make a visit to the local dealer for a little testdrive and see for myself at somepoint - loved my old B7 too much to think that experience could all be lost!
British Beef said:
No manual....no thanks!!
Only hope now for new German super saloons / estate with a manual box lies firmly in the hands of BMWs next M3 and I bet it wont be NA.
If you want NA and manual it will have to be the soon to be replaced M3 or the previous RS4.
Manual boxes are on their way out, sad but true. Especially in performance cars.Only hope now for new German super saloons / estate with a manual box lies firmly in the hands of BMWs next M3 and I bet it wont be NA.
If you want NA and manual it will have to be the soon to be replaced M3 or the previous RS4.
M@1975 said:
Makes you wonder why BMW don't do an M5 estate...
Like it but still don't like the Audi badge these days, it screams rep car more than the BMW badge to me (mainly because our carpark is end to end with A5s, A4s, RS' etc, the CEO even had an R8 (but hated it and went back to Ferrari)
I just had to look out of the window to check I wasn't dreaming....Like it but still don't like the Audi badge these days, it screams rep car more than the BMW badge to me (mainly because our carpark is end to end with A5s, A4s, RS' etc, the CEO even had an R8 (but hated it and went back to Ferrari)
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