Friday 7th February 2014

Audi announces RS4 Nogaro

Tribute to the RS2 appears a case of what might have been, sadly

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The Audi RS2. The original fast Audi estate. The template for a host of subsequent RS Avants, some rather better than others. A car that celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2014.

You've spotted the matt black roof rails. yes?

So how best to mark the occasion? Well the RS4 is now the RS2's spiritual successor, the RS2 was famously fettled by Porsche and Audi now has Porsche under its wing. A dose of Stuttgart dynamic magic sprinkled on that stunning RS4 powertrain would just be right, wouldn't it?

Unfortunately the dream of a 21st century RS2 will have to remain just that for now. A special RS4 has been commissioned for two decades of the RS2, but it's nothing more than a paint job disappointingly. There's no doubt an RS4 in Nogaro Blue does look bloomin fabulous, but it smacks of cynical cashing in on heritage more than anything else.

The homage by hue RS4 gets more Nogaro Blue inside, with the option of it featuring on the seat's centre section and the door cards. It's bold, but again looks great in a nod to the past. Blue stitching for the armrest and wheel is also available, with matching piping for the mats too.

Bar some black accents outside including the exhaust tips, everything else is standard RS4. The 4.2 V8 makes the same 450hp and 317lb ft and there are no tweaks to the seven-speed DSG or 4WD.

The RS4 Nogaro will be shown at Geneva. At present, it will be available in Europe as a limited edition later this year with UK production 'still under discussion'. But if it doesn't make it to the UK and you still want a fast Audi estate with a Porsche flavour, how about a Riviera Blue RS4?

[British Beef]

Should have had the joined up rear lights as a minimum!

Ideally a few Porsche parts thrown on for a nod towards the RS2 would have been nice.

Ironically this is one of the few cars which has evolved FROM Turbo TO naturally aspirated!!!

[moskvich427]

Could have done something about the wheels too... still looks great though IMO

[J4CKO]

Wow, Audi do a car in a shade that isnt black, grey or white and it gets declared a special editon with no other significant changes.

[Liquid Tuna]

I wonder how much more it'll cost?

[Axionknight]

Nice colour no doubt about it, but those seats look nasty IMO.

[Escort3500]

Audi just milking the RS name for all it's worth. And that interior

[LukeR94]

Axionknight said:

Nice colour no doubt about it, but those seats look nasty IMO.

Now I quite like them IMO, what makes you say that?

[davo23]

I'll just leave this here.

[British Beef]

davo23 said:

I'll just leave this here.

I approve !!

[PizzaPeas]

Shameless corporate branding exercise to cash in on the sentiment of the wealthy.

[Dave Hedgehog]

im pretty sure noggy blue can be spec'd on just about any car as an exclusive paint option, in the same way you can spec Avus Silver

[VeeDub Geezer]

British Beef said:

Should have had the joined up rear lights as a minimum!

Ideally a few Porsche parts thrown on for a nod towards the RS2 would have been nice.

That was my thoughts when I first sat it. Porsche wheels, Porsche mirrors and a heckblende to truly hark back to the RS2.

I like the seats too. The RS2 had similar.

[schmalex]

Yet another cynical, shameless branding exercise by, quite possibly, the most shallow car maker on the market today.

[P4ROT]

What a missed opportunity (especially so, considering the stake Audi now have in Porsche!)

[Carl_Docklands]

PizzaPeas said:

Shameless corporate branding exercise to cash in on the sentiment of the wealthy.

Yeah, give us the real thing Audi Management not this steaming pile of codswallop.

Pitchforks and pyres.

[Mark-C]

schmalex said:

Yet another cynical, shameless branding exercise by, quite possibly, the most shallow car maker on the market today.

Are Audi really any more cynical than BMW or Merc? Or any other big manufacturer (and maybe some small ones as well) for that matter? And is making something that somebody will buy actually cynical or simply what they are supposed to do as a car maker?

But anyway .... an RS2 for me please

[pad58]

Automatic Vs manual I know which one I'd prefer

[nutter965]

davo23 said:

I'll just leave this here.

OMG !!! aftermarket men get it sorted infillpanel and 18" cups please, now we just need to squeeze on cup mirrors to !!!!

[PHMatt]

• ** me some people are never happy!

The RS2 was immense in it's time but the world has moved on.
315bhp inline 5 Vs 450bhp V8
A souped up A80 Vs a purpose built car.

I kind of liken this to the Escort Cosworth Vs Focus RS. The Focus, despite not having an evokative name and (arcaic) 4WD was vastly more powerful and faster yet all people banged on about was the Cosworth name. It's just a name...

Then there's the Lotus Carlton Vs the VXR8, which in tests was proven to be comfortably faster. But people still hark on about the Lotus.

These older cars were incredible in their day, but the world has moved on and 9 times out of 10 their replacements are a galaxy apart.

The RS4 of now is infinitely better than the RS2 of then.

[British Beef]

PHMatt said:

**** me some people are never happy!

The RS2 was immense in it's time but the world has moved on.
315bhp inline 5 Vs 450bhp V8
A souped up A80 Vs a purpose built car.

The RS4 of now is infinitely better than the RS2 of then.

I think you are missing the point of the complaints.

The RS4 exists, no one is complaining about that car.

The complaint is making a special edition to commmorate the RS2, without making any real effort to actually differentiate from the original! Pure marketing ploy by VW to screw some more Euro's, £'s and $'s from marque enthusiasts.