Top Gear RS4 vs M3

[P_G]

I finally managed to watch Sunday's Top Gear on i-Player up last night and found the IS-F vs M3 bit interesting, but moreso for the lap times they did. 1:25.3 for the M3 and 1:26.8 for the IS-F.

Now what I noticed was that the RS4's lap time was never put up on the Power Laps boards when Clarkson did the Leo vs RS4 in the alps piece 2 years ago, but IIRC from the repeats Clarkson did actually say they gave the RS4 to the Stig to go round their track and it did either a 1:25.4 or .7.

Does anyone remember this. Am I just imagining it? And if true, the mighty M3 which is supposedly soooo (in Clarkson speak) much better than the RS4 isn't actually that much faster even in the hands of a tame racing driver? Not for a minute am I belittling the M3 as it, the IS-F and C63 are all awesome cars in their own right and I wouldn't mind owning any of them, but there isn't that much real world difference betrween what is supposedly the new best of bread compared the one that first set a time 2 years ago

BTW what is more suprising for me is that the LP560-4 is a full 6.3 seconds quicker than the old Gallardo, both on a dry track. (and the new M3 is 6.5 seconds quicker than the old one)

[svassileou]

It was around the 1:25 mark, certainly. Unfortunately, the "RS4 vs climbers" clip after which the statement was made seems to have been removed from YouTube.

[jhw]

Hi, Wikepedia says:

1:25.7 – Audi RS4[11]

[11] Top Gear Series 7, Episode 2 2005.11.20 – Jeremy Clarkson: "You know we put it around the track this morning, with the Stig driving it, OK, 1:25-point-something." – Actual lap not shown. Also Clarkson said that the RS4 is "more than a second quicker than the Cayman ", so the RS4 is at least 1:25.7 around the track.

[sonny]

Interesting stuff

[P_G]

So the M3 is 0.4 second quicker and the RS4 is quicker than the C63 (supposedly also 1:26 something) and IS-F.

It's not a lot is it?

[Dom81]

But the Cayman went round in 1:26.2, so JC's comment that the RS was over a second quicker makes it sub 1:25.2. I've always assumed it to be 1:25 dead

That's why I was delighted when the M3 did 1:25.3

[svassileou]

Well, the clip was removed from YouTube because parts 1 & 2 can now be seen at http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/rs4-v-climbers - unfortunately, the statement at the end in which the time was given hasn't made it into the clip(s), but they're still worth watching again.

[svassileou]

OK - found the clip at http://warlocksfs.multiply.com/video/item/4 - Clarkson says "1.25.something".

[Dom81]

Clarkson says "1.25.something".

Yes, but the relevant comment is the "over a second quicker than the Cayman" bit

They list the Cayman (and always have) at 1:26.2 on their Power Laps board, so the maximum time for the RS must be 1:25.1

[Love_iTT]

Hang on a minute, we are talking about Top Gear and Audi here. You know that whatever evidence or proof was put up to prove that an Audi is better/faster than car X then JC or the Top Gear team would knock it down in some way. "All Audi drivers are cocks" stumbling from that over rated journo last week kinda proves that, obviously he gets more money from BMW than he does from Audi.

And I don't wear Oakly sunglasses or huge watches either.

I thought the funniest part of that program was the actual footage of him versus the Saloon car champion driver - forget the cars - so JC can go round that track of theirs as fast as the Pro can he? Well that was a fair test then. Cock!

Graham

[P_G]

I don't wear Oakly's either but I wear Oakley's

Graham, the RS4 was on track 2 years ago, the time when Clarkson was saying all M3's were driven by cocks and the RS4 was better than the M3 and the latter V8 version would have to come with 'a free moon', all before E46 M3 drivers began to drive RS4's

[HYFR]

the problem is all these bloody salesman going about in A4 and A6 S-Line diesels thinking they've made it. . . these are the cocks

you've not made it until you have an RS !

[rs4v8]

Having owned both I must be a double cock!

At least I'm not a double cock in a suit jacket and jeans!! Very bored of JCs rantings. Change the record BBC..

[SR71]

http://www.fastestlaps.com/car4585874a284a1.html

1:25.6

They are 42nd and 43rd respectively out of 122 cars.

But look at the relative time on the Sport Auto wet circuit...

The only car of 44 that is faster is the 997 GT3, which is strange as its a 2WD car...

[P_G]

Good find, so if that is correct the RS4 is 0.3 of a second slower than the M3 in the hands of a racing driver. Not all that much then.

Given a CLK 63 Black was 1:26 dead I can't see the C63 being quicker, more like an IS-F time

also they reckon the M3 is a whole 74kgs lighter than the RS4, an entire person! Must shed some more wieght from me / the RS and then there would be nothing it it at all