Is the Audi S4 the biggest performance bargain?
Discussion
As much as you S4 guys must hate the fact the little BMW is quicker in the twisties, I am afraid it is.
I admit the 1 series was mapped, but still only 210bhp, but it was also quicker than my 535d as well on the back roads, but it is like a go kart in comparison.
I am now on my second 1 series, this time a 123d, and I love it, seriously quick little car.
My S4 avant would do the sprint from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds, which is not that quick really. My 123d does it in 6 seconds dead everytime, and had a couple of 5.9s, so sod all in it. Remember the S4 also gets off the line easier with Quattro.
Throw a few corners in and the 1 series can keep up so much more speed than the S4, and this is where it starts to pull away.
I used an AP22 Race Technology Timing Meter to test both cars by the way.
I don't expect anyone to believe me, especially not as I owned both cars and at the same time. What do I know??!!
I am not slagging off the S4, in avant form and with an auto 'box it is a really nice car, just don't but a 'stick' and expect it to be a sports car, it really isn't.
Go in with your eyes open and buy it to do the job it was meant to do and you will love it.
One thing that really annoys me is people banging on about 'you shouldn't be driving quick enough on the roads to notice the understeer'.
You don't need to be driving hard, just drive an M3 for a month, or even a 320d, and then jump into the S4 and you will notice where the BMW excels and where the Audi lets itself down.
I got my smiles from the S4 overtaking 5 or 6 cars on a single carrigeway in the way most cars tackle two, however, I would never take it out for a back road blast in the middle of the night like I did with the M3 and like I do with the 1 series. Different cars that feel completely different and you don't need to be going over the speed limit to feel just how different they are.
I remember asking one of the main men from Audi, who had just moved to Porsche, who he saw as Audis biggest rival, BMW or Mercedes. After he stopped laughing he said 'BMW and Mercedes in numbers only, as a car it is neither, our customer is deciding between an Audi and a Volvo. They want something that is reliable, comfy and most of all 'safe'.'
I thought he was mad at the time, but looking back it makes sense. This was nearly 10 years ago now and things have changed somewhat, but still true in many ways.
I admit the 1 series was mapped, but still only 210bhp, but it was also quicker than my 535d as well on the back roads, but it is like a go kart in comparison.
I am now on my second 1 series, this time a 123d, and I love it, seriously quick little car.
My S4 avant would do the sprint from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds, which is not that quick really. My 123d does it in 6 seconds dead everytime, and had a couple of 5.9s, so sod all in it. Remember the S4 also gets off the line easier with Quattro.
Throw a few corners in and the 1 series can keep up so much more speed than the S4, and this is where it starts to pull away.
I used an AP22 Race Technology Timing Meter to test both cars by the way.
I don't expect anyone to believe me, especially not as I owned both cars and at the same time. What do I know??!!
I am not slagging off the S4, in avant form and with an auto 'box it is a really nice car, just don't but a 'stick' and expect it to be a sports car, it really isn't.
Go in with your eyes open and buy it to do the job it was meant to do and you will love it.
One thing that really annoys me is people banging on about 'you shouldn't be driving quick enough on the roads to notice the understeer'.
You don't need to be driving hard, just drive an M3 for a month, or even a 320d, and then jump into the S4 and you will notice where the BMW excels and where the Audi lets itself down.
I got my smiles from the S4 overtaking 5 or 6 cars on a single carrigeway in the way most cars tackle two, however, I would never take it out for a back road blast in the middle of the night like I did with the M3 and like I do with the 1 series. Different cars that feel completely different and you don't need to be going over the speed limit to feel just how different they are.
I remember asking one of the main men from Audi, who had just moved to Porsche, who he saw as Audis biggest rival, BMW or Mercedes. After he stopped laughing he said 'BMW and Mercedes in numbers only, as a car it is neither, our customer is deciding between an Audi and a Volvo. They want something that is reliable, comfy and most of all 'safe'.'
I thought he was mad at the time, but looking back it makes sense. This was nearly 10 years ago now and things have changed somewhat, but still true in many ways.
gizlaroc said:
As much as you S4 guys must hate the fact the little BMW is quicker in the twisties, I am afraid it is.
I admit the 1 series was mapped, but still only 210bhp, but it was also quicker than my 535d as well on the back roads, but it is like a go kart in comparison.
I am now on my second 1 series, this time a 123d, and I love it, seriously quick little car.
My S4 avant would do the sprint from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds, which is not that quick really. My 123d does it in 6 seconds dead everytime, and had a couple of 5.9s, so sod all in it. Remember the S4 also gets off the line easier with Quattro .
Throw a few corners in and the 1 series can keep up so much more speed than the S4, and this is where it starts to pull away.
I used an AP22 Race Technology Timing Meter to test both cars by the way.
I don't expect anyone to believe me, especially not as I owned both cars and at the same time. What do I know??!!
I am not slagging off the S4, in avant form and with an auto 'box it is a really nice car, just don't but a 'stick' and expect it to be a sports car, it really isn't.
Go in with your eyes open and buy it to do the job it was meant to do and you will love it.
One thing that really annoys me is people banging on about 'you shouldn't be driving quick enough on the roads to notice the understeer'.
You don't need to be driving hard, just drive an M3 for a month, or even a 320d, and then jump into the S4 and you will notice where the BMW excels and where the Audi lets itself down.
I got my smiles from the S4 overtaking 5 or 6 cars on a single carrigeway in the way most cars tackle two, however, I would never take it out for a back road blast in the middle of the night like I did with the M3 and like I do with the 1 series. Different cars that feel completely different and you don't need to be going over the speed limit to feel just how different they are.
I remember asking one of the main men from Audi, who had just moved to Porsche, who he saw as Audis biggest rival, BMW or Mercedes. After he stopped laughing he said 'BMW and Mercedes in numbers only, as a car it is neither, our customer is deciding between an Audi and a Volvo. They want something that is reliable, comfy and most of all 'safe'.'
I thought he was mad at the time, but looking back it makes sense. This was nearly 10 years ago now and things have changed somewhat, but still true in many ways.
The bit I've highlighted shows you up in your "knowledge" 4WD makes cars slightly slower to pull away, unless you enjoy trashing clutches. You need to be a little gentler to get the power to all four wheels.I admit the 1 series was mapped, but still only 210bhp, but it was also quicker than my 535d as well on the back roads, but it is like a go kart in comparison.
I am now on my second 1 series, this time a 123d, and I love it, seriously quick little car.
My S4 avant would do the sprint from 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds, which is not that quick really. My 123d does it in 6 seconds dead everytime, and had a couple of 5.9s, so sod all in it. Remember the S4 also gets off the line easier with Quattro .
Throw a few corners in and the 1 series can keep up so much more speed than the S4, and this is where it starts to pull away.
I used an AP22 Race Technology Timing Meter to test both cars by the way.
I don't expect anyone to believe me, especially not as I owned both cars and at the same time. What do I know??!!
I am not slagging off the S4, in avant form and with an auto 'box it is a really nice car, just don't but a 'stick' and expect it to be a sports car, it really isn't.
Go in with your eyes open and buy it to do the job it was meant to do and you will love it.
One thing that really annoys me is people banging on about 'you shouldn't be driving quick enough on the roads to notice the understeer'.
You don't need to be driving hard, just drive an M3 for a month, or even a 320d, and then jump into the S4 and you will notice where the BMW excels and where the Audi lets itself down.
I got my smiles from the S4 overtaking 5 or 6 cars on a single carrigeway in the way most cars tackle two, however, I would never take it out for a back road blast in the middle of the night like I did with the M3 and like I do with the 1 series. Different cars that feel completely different and you don't need to be going over the speed limit to feel just how different they are.
I remember asking one of the main men from Audi, who had just moved to Porsche, who he saw as Audis biggest rival, BMW or Mercedes. After he stopped laughing he said 'BMW and Mercedes in numbers only, as a car it is neither, our customer is deciding between an Audi and a Volvo. They want something that is reliable, comfy and most of all 'safe'.'
I thought he was mad at the time, but looking back it makes sense. This was nearly 10 years ago now and things have changed somewhat, but still true in many ways.
Ae you sure that your issue isn't that you went from an S4 to a 123d
Time to resurrect an ancient thread.
Just purchased my first S4 avant and it only happens to be the one PetrolTed had back in the day!
The performance and practically you get for the price I've paid most certainly makes this the biggest performance bargain!
Just purchased my first S4 avant and it only happens to be the one PetrolTed had back in the day!
The performance and practically you get for the price I've paid most certainly makes this the biggest performance bargain!
Edited by danj3000 on Monday 5th June 16:12
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