RE: New Audi RS4: revealed

[TomTVR500]

Dave Hedgehog said:

Nors said:

jamesghwilson said:

Do you know of any decent video clip links of either of those upgrades in the flesh? I guess Youtube...

The White one is standard.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkql5k61KyA

lol wtf @ the noise this one makes on launch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1...

That is amazing but I can't believe how close a standard Mk2 Tuscan putting out probably not much over 320bhp if they are honest manages to stay to a 560bhp RS4!

[Dave Hedgehog]

TomTVR500 said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

Nors said:

jamesghwilson said:

Do you know of any decent video clip links of either of those upgrades in the flesh? I guess Youtube...

The White one is standard.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkql5k61KyA

lol wtf @ the noise this one makes on launch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1...

That is amazing but I can't believe how close a standard Mk2 Tuscan putting out probably not much over 320bhp if they are honest manages to stay to a 560bhp RS4!

RS4 is about 5 tonnes heavier

[stinkysteve]

E38Ross said:

in fairness to BMW, loads of people on here moaning there was no E39 M5 estate. BMW make an M5 estate and sell fk all.

i believe the tourings have different suspension set up so the cost to re-engineer a new suspension set up, new body panels, change all the tooling at their facilities to make a touring would most likely cost far, far more than they'd ever make through sales.

don't you think?

Yeah, but the latest gen M5 was unique; Amazing engine with amazing blandness. (and cost up there with RS6's)

I don't have stats to hand on how many X's6 and 5 series Gt fastback's have been sold, but it can't be many. BMW have invented new niche markets with these, and their pretty new X1, but the smaller fast estate is a well established niche market that should sell fairly well.

[E38Ross]

stinkysteve said:

E38Ross said:

in fairness to BMW, loads of people on here moaning there was no E39 M5 estate. BMW make an M5 estate and sell fk all.

i believe the tourings have different suspension set up so the cost to re-engineer a new suspension set up, new body panels, change all the tooling at their facilities to make a touring would most likely cost far, far more than they'd ever make through sales.

don't you think?

Yeah, but the latest gen M5 was unique; Amazing engine with amazing blandness. (and cost up there with RS6's)

I don't have stats to hand on how many X's6 and 5 series Gt fastback's have been sold, but it can't be many. BMW have invented new niche markets with these, and their pretty new X1, but the smaller fast estate is a well established niche market that should sell fairly well.

i'd be willing to bet they sell more of the hieous X1's than they would M3 estates. the X5s also seem to sell well (see plenty about - more than M3 coupes) and the X5/X6 models are doing very well in China. i stand by the fact it wouldn't be worth their time, as much as i'd love to see one.

[stinkysteve]

E38Ross said:

i'd be willing to bet they sell more of the hieous X1's than they would M3 estates. the X5s also seem to sell well (see plenty about - more than M3 coupes) and the X5/X6 models are doing very well in China. i stand by the fact it wouldn't be worth their time, as much as i'd love to see one.

At the end of the day you're probably right. But you have to question why people are still making them? How many M5 tourings, RS4's (any vintage), RS6 avants, C63 estates etc do you see? Not many. But they still make them. I don't think teh tooling costs are that high and the global market should make it worth it for most i'd have thought. They can't all have been wrong to make these?

Sorry, i meant X6's. quite a rare sight here but perhaps some global markets (china,) as you say, like them.

X1's were just an example of a weird niche! yep, they'll sell loads of them, despite their challenging looks. What about the X1M then?

[Some Gump]

In 2 minds on this.. I'm sure it will be great, but I really wish there was a manual - I just don't deel as involved in an SMG / PDK DSG whatsit jobbie, would be different on a track but on the roads you;re so far within the cars limits the extra job to do is fun.

Looks wise, it's not as mad as the B7, but to be fair I think subtle is better than aggressive - for me the current M3 is too "look at me", it would be better more subtle. Lots of other posters clearly don't like the launch photos, but TBH only a German could launch a big slab sided car in Red with loads of chrome. Noggy blue with black optic pack, and IMO opinions would be different.

[jason s4]

TomTVR500 said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

Nors said:

jamesghwilson said:

Do you know of any decent video clip links of either of those upgrades in the flesh? I guess Youtube...

The White one is standard.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gkql5k61KyA

lol wtf @ the noise this one makes on launch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1...

That is amazing but I can't believe how close a standard Mk2 Tuscan putting out probably not much over 320bhp if they are honest manages to stay to a 560bhp RS4!

Maybe but look at that fker go!

[pSyCoSiS]

Lovely interior.

Will it drive as good as it looks?

[Some Gump]

Digger said:

i think the + / - needs the old swaparoo too . . .

FFS, they've done that AGAIN?

Dear Audi, when every other semi auto box with a stick is "pull back to go up a gear", and "push forward to downchange", why do you feel the need to be different? It just makes your car piss everyone off more.

Oh, and by the way, you do the same fecking trick on the ICE / nav too. Anticlockwise to go up? Cocks.

[splitpin]

pSyCoSiS said:

Will it drive as good as it looks?

Not unless they've finally broken a very old mould

[Richard330s]

Dave Hedgehog said:

AlpinaB5s said:

I think it needs more buttons.......

pretty stock for most audi's now

the twiddle thing and buttons are on the head unit on the A3

I would only buy one if it has a lovely electronic handbrake...........


NOT!

I love this progress from something easy to use and practical to a useless little switch or button.

[Richard330s]

soad said:

RichTBiscuit said:

No Manual gear box

Change of times it seems.

+1

[Vladimir]

Richard330s said:

I would only buy one if it has a lovely electronic handbrake...........


NOT!

I love this progress from something easy to use and practical to a useless little switch or button.

Agreed. The 750i I tested a while back had one - WHY?!!

I think it's because replacing mechanical stuff with electronics is cheaper. And that's it.

[Adam B]

That is everything I hoped the new RS4 would be, not a single thing makes me want it over my B7 RS4

Ok if I am honest the interior is a bit more modern, and I like the new alloys

But it's only 30 horses more, heavier from what Autocar said (1750lb ish), auto only, estate only, still has DRC which will go wrong on UK roads, boring design a la new RS6 with insufficient flaring and lack of generall beefing up.

Not sure how it will handle but my money is on more RS5 than previous RS4

Whew!

[Dave Hedgehog]

Richard330s said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

AlpinaB5s said:

I think it needs more buttons.......

pretty stock for most audi's now

the twiddle thing and buttons are on the head unit on the A3

I would only buy one if it has a lovely electronic handbrake...........


NOT!

I love this progress from something easy to use and practical to a useless little switch or button.

the modern audi electric handbrake is vastly better than the older ones, no handbrake turns thou

i suspect the TTRS will be the last RS with a handbrake lever

[Scoobman]

Yet another Pistonheads fail.
Yet again!

All these articles. 400hp this new x hundred hp Porker that
It is all interesting but, What is the weight...you never mention the weight.

The power bit is all totaly meaningless unless people can work out the power to weight ratio and bhp per tonne.

Incidently.... I am writing this from North Ingolstadt


The Chris Harris videos are great by the way...enjoying them very much.

[Scuffers]

To be honest, don't care about the handbrake/dsg/etc, but only being an Avant rules it out for me.

[Moog72]

Scuffers said:

To be honest, don't care about the handbrake/dsg/etc, but only being an Avant rules it out for me.

I personally think that the Avant suits the A4 better (but then I am biased having the S4 Avant) which, incidentally, has more buttons near the gear lever than that shot of the RS4 console posted earlier!

Echo the comments about the gear shift though. Shirley it should be push forward to downchange and pull back to upshift?? Annoys me a bit on mine although paddles replace that. Same with the AMI, hadn't really realised it was the "wrong" way around until someone mentioned that, sort of an "oh yeah" moment that

[Scuffers]

Moog72 said:

I personally think that the Avant suits the A4 better (but then I am biased having the S4 Avant) which, incidentally, has more buttons near the gear lever than that shot of the RS4 console posted earlier!

Echo the comments about the gear shift though. Shirley it should be push forward to downchange and pull back to upshift?? Annoys me a bit on mine although paddles replace that. Same with the AMI, hadn't really realised it was the "wrong" way around until someone mentioned that, sort of an "oh yeah" moment that

agree with the MMI and gear +- but I have just got used to the MMI and don't use the stick anyway.

[breadvan]

stinkysteve said:

At the end of the day you're probably right. But you have to question why people are still making them? How many M5 tourings, RS4's (any vintage), RS6 avants, C63 estates etc do you see? Not many.

I've just bought a C63 Estate and whilst researching, I found MB figures saying the saloon : estate ratio is approx 9:1 (pre coupe launch) meaning they bring in only around 60 estates a year.

I doubt they make much money with that number, but I'm grateful they do.

Brownie points to Audi and MB. Now c'mon BMW, join the party.