Wednesday 13th September 2017

New Audi RS4 - Frankfurt 2017

The RS4 looks to the future by returning to its bi-turbo V6 roots

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It's been quite a while since we've had a new RS4 to get excited about, it having been over five years since the B8 came into the world.

Despite half a decade passing though, Audi still deems 450hp to be sufficient for its most potent A4. Only now it comes from a 2.9-litre, bi-turbo V6 (shared with the RS5) rather than the 4.2-litre, naturally aspirated V8 you got previously. It's not all doom and gloom on the numbers front though. Where the old car was often criticized for being down on torque, the new one steps up to the plate with 442lb ft - 125lb ft more than before - available all the way from 1,900 to 5,000rpm. And, well, twin-turbo V6s have worked OK in RS4s before...

Well course it's Nogaro Blue

Combine that grunt with the new eight-speed tiptronic and the RS4's Quattro all-wheel drive, and a planted right foot will see you getting from 0-62 in just 4.1 seconds - more than half a second quicker than the B8. Top speed is a limited 155mph but can be lifted via the RS Dynamic package to 174mph.

Other tricks up the B9's sleeve include an optional rear sport differential, optional RS Sport Suspension Plus with Dynamic Ride Control, optional ceramic brakes and optional Dynamic Steering. In short, a lot of ways to very quickly make this a very expensive proposition.

One area the new car will hopefully not be so damaging to your wallet though is at the pump. Weighing 80kg less than before, this RS4 is 17 per cent more efficient than its predecessor, hopefully making not only for a more agile and dynamic ride, but a more frugal one too.

V8 gone; huge pipes remain

Styling inspiration is said to have been taken from the Audi 90 Quattro IMSA GTO - because why wouldn't you remind everyone you made that at every possible opportunity - with aggressively flared intakes, and arches that are 30mm wider than standard. There are 19-inch forged aluminium wheels, with 20-inch rims optional, as well as an RS diffuser and the gigantic oval exhausts familiar from before. Nogaro Blue also returns as a paint colour, this car sharing more in common with the RS2 that originally bore the famous hue than the last RS4 to wear it.

Inside there's a flat bottomed steering wheel, of course, RS Sport seats and a healthy smattering of RS badges. The Virtual Cockpit and HUD now also gain the ability to display RS specific information such as g-force without your eyes having to leave the road. Well that's one way to make the commute more interesting!

New Audi RS4 walkaround

Audi RS4 Price & Release Date

The new RS4 can be ordered from the autumn onwards with pricing starting in Europe at 79,800 euros - expect a UK price and spec soon.

 

[culpz]

I like it. Basically a modern re-creation of the B5 RS4 with a few modern tweaks. An RS4 is definitely on the cards one day.

[culpz]

J4CKO said:

Nice car if you can keep hold of it or like meeting chaps with balaclavas and baseball bats in the small hours !

Seems like a strange aspect of the car to specifically focus on. Probably applies to Golf R's more than anything.

[culpz]

Richard-390a0 said:

culpz said:

J4CKO said:

Nice car if you can keep hold of it or like meeting chaps with balaclavas and baseball bats in the small hours !

Seems like a strange aspect of the car to specifically focus on. Probably applies to Golf R's more than anything.

Anything with an S or RS badge & 4 or 5 drs are fair game at the minute over on the Audi forums I browse with almost daily new theft threads.

It is a shame and appears to be more common than it should be. I just think that it's just a bit of an odd thing to comment on and nothing else. It's not exactly in our or Audi's power, is it?

[culpz]

ensignia said:

The biggest problem with this new engine isn't its lack of power, but the flat exhaust note and the lack of drama or character.

This can be said for a lot of the newer engines which have been choked by forced induction.

I know it's where we are and is unavoidable, but I still think the peak RS/M/AMG era was around 10-15 years ago with large n/a engines.

If that's the case, go and buy a decent used B8 RS4. Oh wait, nobody really liked it and it didn't quite take off, did it.

This is what gets me, Audi went for another big N/A V8 for the last model and not that many people bought it. It didn't get particularly good reviews and most complained due to the lack to torque/grunt and an inaccessible power band/delivery for daily driving. It sounded great though and really came alive when you're really able to go for it.

[culpz]

djc206 said:

They sold about 2000 in the UK I believe. One of the advantages of the car was that you could floor it in any gear in practically any condition and it would grip and go like few others. It wasn't as exciting as its competitors but it was more useable, it certainly flattered you as a driver.

I would suggest the limited sales may have more to do with the car being released only in avant form.

From the reviews i watched and the personal opinions from buyers that i read, their experiences with the car were generally described as the complete opposite of usable. That's more to do with the power band and the way it delivers its performance though as apposed to the 4WD grip.