I'll finish by noting that you have a standard S4. I'm sorry but that means that you do not know the full potential of your car. A chip makes a serious difference. A chip and a full exhaust system makes a stonking difference. I've not tested my 0-60 (Joshie knows why), but have no doubt that it would be under 5 seconds.
That is so true.
An interesting slightly off topic discussion I had with a friend’s brother who has just replaced his B5 S4 for the new S4. I couldn't persuade him that a chipped B5 S4 with only 305-320 bhp felted markedly quicker than his stock B6 S4. All was explained in the torque figures. With 370-380ftlbs V’s 307-310 ftlbs despite 340 something bhp.
It's the drastically improved torque that makes all the amazing difference between similar hp cars with lower torque such as the M3/B6 S4 and even the stock RS4.
Having driven the M3, B6 S4, B5 chipped S4 and very importantly the B5 RS4. I found the chipped S4 was much more responsive on acceleration than both the M3 and B6 S4 but more importantly the B5 stock RS4 didn’t feel remarkably quicker, which to some degree was a little disappointing given the 380bhp but again 300something ftlb torque.
Both the B6 S4 and the M3 were noticeably slower in the pick-up in gears upwards of 3rd than my chipped S4. Hence my dilemma to go B5 RS4 or new S4 was solved. (AMD’s chipped B6 S4 aside).
But then he said you choose the right gear for the revs. Yes, all very true, but you find you really have to work the gearbox to match the revs correctly to the gear and in the main of 90% of my daily driving, given the choice it’s so much better to simply sink the throttle in 6th and the car still takes off even at 90mph
To some extent I’ve developed a degree of mechanical sympathy when ringing a cars neck these days.
I don't know how many of you have been in the situation where you have wanted to accelerate harder but found yourself in the wrong gear. So you drop one. But the max acceleration was still just out of range and you’re left thinking do you drop one more or wait a second for the optimum revs.
The worst case of this is the Honda V tech engines. Loads of BHP no torque. I had to drop to second gear to get full power out of an accord while coming out of a fast roundabout. The car wasn't interested until it was singing past 5500 and had to be held to near 7000rpm hhmm I’m just not interested in driving like that anymore. Don’t get me wrong I drive fast, very fast on a regular basis but I don’t like holding an engine at near 6000 rpm.
With the higher torque car it's more like maybe I'll drop a gear or just plant the throtle - Woosh you're off 5300 next gear (if your running K03’s on a stock exhaust!)
With this in mind I will pay much more attention to a cars torque from now on than the quoted hp.
Chipped RS4 Ooooo that’s got to be so impressive!
