B8 RS4 - 24hr test drive with report/pics
Discussion
ecain63 said:
Maybe a little bit of a contrast:
I took a daytona out today for a few hours and to be honest wasnt impressed. Its a step back from the B7 in my opinion, although it is handy having the extra space in the back and a few extra functions and adjustments available. One thing that annoyed me though was the delay between pulling the paddles and the car changing gear. For example I was pulling the upshift paddle at 6krpm but it wasnt changing up until about 1.5sec / 100rpm later. Really annoying when you want to press on. Being used to the SMG in my M5 i was hoping for superfast changes but felt like i was being held up by unnecessary electronic influences. Auto mode is super smooth however, which is nice when youre just pootling about, but i like to feel its actually changing gear when making progress (maybe im just not used to the DCT type box yet). Im sure its a quicker way to get to 100 leptons but its too smooth and uninvolving.
Another point against the B8! Is the steering is more numb than that of the B7? Felt that way, which is incredible. Dynamic mode is so heavy too (although the improved exhaust note is a plus)! Yes its designed to make the car feel more weighted and drivable but for me it just felt like i was having to wrestle it around corners rather than drive it. In the end i reverted back to the lighter steering setting.
On the whole its a fantastic 'car' and the interior is brilliant, but its no sports car. Lacking in low down torque (above 4krpm its decent but not savage like the RS6), a dead weight in your hands and generally and a bit boring. The 20 inch alloys make it quite a bumpy ride too.
I didnt want to be disappointed, but i was. As soon as i got back in my M5 all the things that make the M-brand a superior drivers car were so obvious. I dont know why Audi haven't made a RS4 or RS6 to compete in the handling market, Merc AMG are getting there. As a motorway cruiser the RS brand is excellent, but no more enjoyable than //M or AMG. At least the //M and AMG barges like to be shown a corner or two. As a consequence ive been asked to drive it again next week when its done a few more miles. Maybe it'll loosen up a bit! Not holding much hope though.
Eddie
Hi EddieI took a daytona out today for a few hours and to be honest wasnt impressed. Its a step back from the B7 in my opinion, although it is handy having the extra space in the back and a few extra functions and adjustments available. One thing that annoyed me though was the delay between pulling the paddles and the car changing gear. For example I was pulling the upshift paddle at 6krpm but it wasnt changing up until about 1.5sec / 100rpm later. Really annoying when you want to press on. Being used to the SMG in my M5 i was hoping for superfast changes but felt like i was being held up by unnecessary electronic influences. Auto mode is super smooth however, which is nice when youre just pootling about, but i like to feel its actually changing gear when making progress (maybe im just not used to the DCT type box yet). Im sure its a quicker way to get to 100 leptons but its too smooth and uninvolving.
Another point against the B8! Is the steering is more numb than that of the B7? Felt that way, which is incredible. Dynamic mode is so heavy too (although the improved exhaust note is a plus)! Yes its designed to make the car feel more weighted and drivable but for me it just felt like i was having to wrestle it around corners rather than drive it. In the end i reverted back to the lighter steering setting.
On the whole its a fantastic 'car' and the interior is brilliant, but its no sports car. Lacking in low down torque (above 4krpm its decent but not savage like the RS6), a dead weight in your hands and generally and a bit boring. The 20 inch alloys make it quite a bumpy ride too.
I didnt want to be disappointed, but i was. As soon as i got back in my M5 all the things that make the M-brand a superior drivers car were so obvious. I dont know why Audi haven't made a RS4 or RS6 to compete in the handling market, Merc AMG are getting there. As a motorway cruiser the RS brand is excellent, but no more enjoyable than //M or AMG. At least the //M and AMG barges like to be shown a corner or two. As a consequence ive been asked to drive it again next week when its done a few more miles. Maybe it'll loosen up a bit! Not holding much hope though.
Eddie
I'm surprised you found an issue with the change speed on the DSG. My experience of the reaction time of the shift was really positive. I've driven a 458 as well as bmw's latest F10 m5 box and I found the speeds from paddle to change comparable
Maybe the car you tested had an issue as i expect you'll find it night and day in comparison to your e60 SMG
Perhaps there'll pick something up in the dealer and it'll be a more pleasurable experience next time.
I liked the box other than its cruising tendency to change down too many cogs when applying a prod of the throttle, but this may be a functioned designed in to match the high revving characteristics (read as 'no low torque') of the engine
I agree with your steering statement entirely. I found it just too heavy on weight but light on feedback in dynamic mode and driving it back to back with my B7, it just highlighted how disjointed the whole steering feels.
The car finds massive amounts of front end grip with the front slung engine weight and wide tyres, but you dive into a corner knowing it should grip rather than actually be able to feel it and judge the adhesion limits based on feedback through the wheels. It's all very 'steer and hope'
The B7 steering, I think much like your m5, is a different game altogether
I did hear from a reasonably reliable source that the non dynamic steering is actually a lot better, but I'm yet to try it myself
However, I did drive a car on the std 19"s and although it arguably rode a bit better, there was still no steering difference or percievable grip difference.
[
Edited by graeme4130 on Sunday 16th December 21:27
Understand your points (and will admit I've not driven one yet); but if RS5 is a useful comparison I never touch dynamic and use the individual setting on drive select.
Steering on comfort (lesser of three evils), suspension auto, diff dynamic.
Unfortunately whilst the car is incredibly competent and doubtless a 10/10 score vs its design brief the drama has been added on afterwards and leaves the car feeling like an S, not an RS.
Steering on comfort (lesser of three evils), suspension auto, diff dynamic.
Unfortunately whilst the car is incredibly competent and doubtless a 10/10 score vs its design brief the drama has been added on afterwards and leaves the car feeling like an S, not an RS.
coyft said:
I've placed my order without the dynamic steering, arrives in late April. I tried the S4 but found it a bit "weedy" in comparison to the RS4, I suspect it's almost as quick though.
I found the same with the S4. Sure, it's got more torque lower down the rev range so you don't need to swap gears as often, but it just seemed really boring in comparison and the noise wasn't a touch on th V8I may have a really nice RS4 available due to new car arriving ealier than expected. Lists at £62,215 1,700 miles only.
Spec is as follows;
Phantom Black Metallic
Silver and Black leather interior (silver seats, black dash, carpet and headliner)
Dynamic Ride Control
Heated front seats
MMI Navigation Plus
Voice Dialogue
Band and Olufsen
DAB radio
Bluetooth phone prep High
Hill Hold Assist
Load area fixing kit
Storage pack
Homelink
Dynamic Steering
Rear Side Airbags
Top Speed increase to 174 mph
Fold/ dim/ heated electric door mirrors
Spec is as follows;
Phantom Black Metallic
Silver and Black leather interior (silver seats, black dash, carpet and headliner)
Dynamic Ride Control
Heated front seats
MMI Navigation Plus
Voice Dialogue
Band and Olufsen
DAB radio
Bluetooth phone prep High
Hill Hold Assist
Load area fixing kit
Storage pack
Homelink
Dynamic Steering
Rear Side Airbags
Top Speed increase to 174 mph
Fold/ dim/ heated electric door mirrors
Hi All
I thought I'd bring this thread a bit more up to date.
I did renew the warranty on my B7 RS4 for another year (Despite it being extortionately expensive, but still, I guess, cheaper than a new engine)
However, as the months passed, the call of a newer more modern car was just too strong, so I placed my B8 order
Anyway, to cut a long story short, this is my new car ;
I thought I'd bring this thread a bit more up to date.
I did renew the warranty on my B7 RS4 for another year (Despite it being extortionately expensive, but still, I guess, cheaper than a new engine)
However, as the months passed, the call of a newer more modern car was just too strong, so I placed my B8 order
Anyway, to cut a long story short, this is my new car ;
coyft said:
How are you getting on with yours? I've had mine for about a month now, it's alright but I don't love it like I did the B7.
I managed to spec mine without the dynamic steering, it's a bit better but still not as nice as the B7.
The drive select thingy is a waste of time.
The foot rest for the left foot is too far into the well, rendering it useless.
The buttons for radio, media, nav etc., are in a stupid place.
On a plus point, the door stays work better.
It's difficult to say at only a few hundred miles in, but a few points early on are ;I managed to spec mine without the dynamic steering, it's a bit better but still not as nice as the B7.
The drive select thingy is a waste of time.
The foot rest for the left foot is too far into the well, rendering it useless.
The buttons for radio, media, nav etc., are in a stupid place.
On a plus point, the door stays work better.
It's faster than my (dyno'd 409bhp) B7 RS4 avant - it's not exactly scientific, but according to my iPhone performance testing GPS app, it's quite a bit quicker both 0-60 & 30-100
It does 'mundane' driving better as its both more comfortable and with the auto box, it tends to make normal driving a lot easier and less temptation to hold the revs and boot it everywhere.
I personally think it looks a lot better than my B7 as that started to look and feel very dated compared to equivalent cars in the marketplace (m3 /c63 estate etc)
The engine note with the sports exhaust sounds a bit crisper than my b7 did
Steering Feel at initial turn in isn't as good as the B7, but once you have the car settled into the corner, the feel is still there and I'd guess that overall sheer cornering grip is actually better (mine has dynamic steering, which after some deliberation, I actually started to quite like after a demo car and the Audi rs4 driving day) - fwiw I'd still take B7 steering
I'll make a proper write up at the end of June once I've driven it 2000 miles across Europe and back and I've had a better chance to digest it properly
Overall though, I'm very happy with it so far.
just had 24 hrs in a B8 having previously owned a B7. For perspective my daily is a Disco 4 and my weekend is a 991S, I am thinking about an RS4 as a replacement for both (sort of), so I was accepting the compromise. Thoughts against the B7 were that it doesn't have the special feel that car had when I first got behind the wheel, it's good but not (in relative terms) as good as the B7. Quality and fit and finish is right up there, but the car I drove with dynamic steering lacked feel and though I only had a day I couldn't find a good set up, ride way too firm for our roads, poor feedback, great grip but limited involvement. Lovely car and would still look twice, but I don't think they've built on the B7's achievements, which sums up the 991 against the 997 for me, an Audi/Porsche/VW trait perhaps.
Blue62 said:
just had 24 hrs in a B8 having previously owned a B7. For perspective my daily is a Disco 4 and my weekend is a 991S, I am thinking about an RS4 as a replacement for both (sort of), so I was accepting the compromise. Thoughts against the B7 were that it doesn't have the special feel that car had when I first got behind the wheel, it's good but not (in relative terms) as good as the B7. Quality and fit and finish is right up there, but the car I drove with dynamic steering lacked feel and though I only had a day I couldn't find a good set up, ride way too firm for our roads, poor feedback, great grip but limited involvement. Lovely car and would still look twice, but I don't think they've built on the B7's achievements, which sums up the 991 against the 997 for me, an Audi/Porsche/VW trait perhaps.
I think the 997/991 comparison very validI had the same initial feeling on the steering, but with time, I got more accustomed to it and found it ok (although not as good in terms of outright feel as my old B7)
Suspension on dynamic setting is true 'head in hands' firm. Honestly, what were they thinking bringing that to the uk. Comfort setting is decent though
Gassing Station | Audi, Seat, Skoda & VW | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff