New RS4 - is it 414BHP or not!

[W8PMC]

Paul was the tt and M5 towing anything?



The power gain on a 'loosened' up engine is only going to be small, surely the fact the car feels quicker with time is because it takes some time to adapt your driving habits/skills in line with the car you drive.

No & why would it be??

The result against the 996TT was a tad surprising, the M5 however was not & why should it be surprising??. Recall i owned an E60 M5 (DMS) for close on a year so i know exactly how close these 2 cars are in a straight line & defo the differences when off a straight.

If launched correctly, the RS4 would has no issue keeping up with an E60 M5 to over 100MPH & the mfctr figures state the same. The M5 may have an extra 80ishBHP, but it's also carrying an extra 200KG.

Can't explain the Pork scenario as perhaps the driver was a tad more cautious than i was, who knows. But for sure it did not get away with any menace until well into 3 figures & up to 100 their was little between them, although the Pork was a gnats whisker quicker.

The flip side was an Alpina B5 that certainly had the legs on me up to 100MPH, as it was pulling away slightly once it got decent traction. The Steptronic Box mated to the S/C V8 is just awesome & that to had the legs on the M5.

[rs4v8]

Very interesting chief. thanks for the info. I would not have considered my car to be terribly close to a 911 turbo, there again I've not actually tried as there are not too many around where I live.

[Contigo]

They just feel slower than other cars as has been said.

Mine had done 5k miles when I got rid and it definitely got quicker with the more miles. It's a really smooth power delivery and nothing like a modded b5 in it's brutality. I have had runs with B7's and B5's and there's very little in it with a modded B5 (420bhp) up against a standard B7.

Modded b5 faster (420 bhp) or the stock b7? I think as the speed increases the b7 should be a little faster.

No chance, the B5 MRC I've got is with the B7 stock all the way up to 120 and beyond it pulls round slighlty quicker.

From a standing start to 100 there's nothing in it.

[BlingBling]

I might put my car on the dyno when I have some spare time, might explain why it feels a little sluggish under 4000rpm. The RS4 has quiet a lot of drivetrain loss. I've seen dynos that put the B7 at 330hp at the wheels and 380 at the crank.

At 4000 rpm the B7 produces 230-240 bhp, its not until 5500 rpm that it steps up the pace to around 315 bhp so its going to feel sluggish.

It doesnt sing until 7600 rpm, which is where you want to be to get the best out of it.

Yeah, but in everyday driving that's annoying and besides, the engine feels strained at high rpms. Not creamy smooth like BMW I6s.

Go and buy a turbo diesel if your looking for grunt instant grunt below 4000rpm.

[t_urbo]

As a comparison,on Dragtimes.net

The Average 1/4 mle speed for a RS4 is 105 mph

The average 1/4mile speed for a std tt is 118.5 mph.

I'd say that was a big difference.

[rs4v8]

Yup, agreed. does it say 1/4 time as well?

[t_urbo]

Yup, agreed. does it say 1/4 time as well?

Yes and they too are quicker but 1/4 mile times are not the full pic due to reaction times.

For a car that costs almost half the price i think it does a pretty good job in all fairness.

[rs4v8]

Agreed, guessing by your comments and your user name I'm guessing you may have an affinity for 911t's?

[W8PMC]

As a comparison,on Dragtimes.net

The Average 1/4 mle speed for a RS4 is 105 mph

The average 1/4mile speed for a std tt is 118.5 mph.

I'd say that was a big difference.

Fair enough & i do not think & have never said the B7 RS4 is quicker than a 996TT, but it won't get scared by one & i'd have a play all day long.

On a drag strip in perfect conditions, i can't disagree with the times Dragtimes state, but in a head to head (more than once), my findings are factual, as are experiences at The Ring etc. when i've encountered such vehicles. Either that or i'm just better at launching, although i was purely pitting the cars & not the drivers.

[t_urbo]

As a comparison,on Dragtimes.net

The Average 1/4 mle speed for a RS4 is 105 mph

The average 1/4mile speed for a std tt is 118.5 mph.

I'd say that was a big difference.

Fair enough & i do not think & have never said the B7 RS4 is quicker than a 996TT, but it won't get scared by one & i'd have a play all day long.

On a drag strip in perfect conditions, i can't disagree with the times Dragtimes state, but in a head to head (more than once), my findings are factual, as are experiences at The Ring etc. when i've encountered such vehicles. Either that or i'm just better at launching, although i was purely pitting the cars & not the drivers.

Out of interest how have you been launching, im finding the clutch seriously weak.
Ive done several standing starts now and TBH they are a bit hit and miss, the problem is the clutch lets go if you pile on too much power.

[rs4v8]

yeah snap and it smells really bad!! I'm more used to RWD which slips / spins a bit more. I think the 4wd set up is exposing a flaw in my launch technique as I'm not engaging the clutch quickly enough... Still it does go like F!

[audijohn]

Let's all just agree that they're okay if you like that kind of thing, but that if you want real performance then the way forward is either;
- A hire car or
- A renault laguna

[audijohn]

Given the choice though, i'd take a 997 Turbo all day long if i could find a spare £100K behind the sofa

This is great but at a PRICE, £100K+ Vs £50K RS
I will have the £50K car thanks.

[rs4v8]

Given a lottery win though.......

[W8PMC]

As a comparison,on Dragtimes.net

The Average 1/4 mle speed for a RS4 is 105 mph

The average 1/4mile speed for a std tt is 118.5 mph.

I'd say that was a big difference.

Fair enough & i do not think & have never said the B7 RS4 is quicker than a 996TT, but it won't get scared by one & i'd have a play all day long.

On a drag strip in perfect conditions, i can't disagree with the times Dragtimes state, but in a head to head (more than once), my findings are factual, as are experiences at The Ring etc. when i've encountered such vehicles. Either that or i'm just better at launching, although i was purely pitting the cars & not the drivers.

Out of interest how have you been launching, im finding the clutch seriously weak.
Ive done several standing starts now and TBH they are a bit hit and miss, the problem is the clutch lets go if you pile on too much power.

The only very hard launches i've done to date were at VMAX, as per my earlier post. I'd not trust any clutch to cope with that continued level of attack.

Basically i let the revs climb to just over 3K & then (in the case of VMAX) when the hands were dropped signalling to go, i'd bang the revs slightly higher to just over 4K & drop the clutch. It always felt fine & the launch was very very quick. I didn't get it right every time & once missed 2nd & another time ended up riding the clutch (very briefly) at 5K which was not clever, but still no smell eminated from the clutch & it was still a quick launch.

Traffic light launches when i can be bothered are revs up to about 2K & then drop the power & i've never yet had any problem, however this really is a rarety.