The new engine will be...

[bem_ho]

OK, we've got the engine!! What about the look?? Hmmm... any confirmed design yet?? I hope Audi won't apply those A8 6.0L style front grill! Yuck...

[Joshie]

Great news that it will have turbos (if confirmed) - so much for the argument that they couldn't fit turbos to the 4.2 because of the space constraints.

The tunability potential must be enormous and apart from the BHP the torque should be phenomenal. Begs all sorts of questions about the transmission and of course the look but if confirmed I'll be on the list.

[JamesB]

I can't see Audi go back on the habits of years and putting out a Bangle-esque design extravaganza. [img]images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

I suspect it would look quite a lot like the S4, maybe with very slightly flared wheel arches to put some bigger wheels in, new alloys, different front grille(although I think the A8 6.0L look is specifically for a bigger car) and something done to the back. Aside from the addition of the letter R.

And agree with Gareth that should be priced the right side of £50k.

Ooh, the excitement. [img]images/graemlins/rs4-button.jpg[/img] [img]images/graemlins/boots.gif[/img]

[JJRS4]

Very disappointed to hear this. V8 is so boring, so commonplace.........so American.......throw a big V8 at it to get performance. A tuned, high revving V6 would have been much more in tune with the tastes of RS4 drivers.

Oh well. [img]images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/24430-audibash.gif[/img]

It must have major bodywork to stand out from the crowd.

[johneroberts]

Well here the rub guys....
They are trying to keep the weight under 1400kgs [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
so 420bhp will be fairly interesting.
cheers
jr

[TimJMS]

Well matey, that suddenly makes it very much more interesting... and the tweaking that follows would give so much more than currently possible for every hp / nm gained.

Lets hope its one baaaad chariot [img]images/graemlins/biggrin3.gif[/img]

[wazza]

Lets hope its one baaaad chariot

Fingers crossed

[DuncS3]

1400 kgs - so why the special effort for the RS4 - learnt something from the RS6 or aiming at a different market (to the RS6)?

Dunc

[wazza]

mmmmmm....
1400kg
420bhp

= 300bhp/ton [img]images/graemlins/biggrin3.gif[/img]

How does that compare? Has anyone got a chart?

[JamesB]

Well here the rub guys....
They are trying to keep the weight under 1400kgs [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Any ideas how?

The engine is surely going to be significantly heavier so they're going to have to do some fairly radical axeing elsewhere!!!

[Dippy]

Doesn't make sense. If they only want 420bhp and want to keep the mass low then an aluminium V6 biturbo would be the way to go. Cosworth got 380bhp (supposedly [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]) from the RS4 2.7 V6, so 420bhp from a 3.0 V6 should be fairly straight-forward.

Audi will need to be careful with this strategy. These low mass cars are low-volume sellers (e.g. M3 CSL and stripped-down WRXs and EVOs) produced AFTER the base car. After all, MOST of the buyers want comfort (aircon, entertainment system, sat nav) as well as performance.

[Nige_RS4]

Here's my 2p worth ...

1. I can't see how Audi could go down the V6 route for the RS4 when the S4 has a V8.
2. It has already been said, but the new V8 4.2 is the same weight as the old V6 2.7.
3. Audi are unlikely to produce a one-off V6 3.0 engine for this model - it would not make economic sense.
4. Last but not least, think american market ....

[FatBoy]

I, for one, will be delighted if its a V8.
I just love 'em [img]images/graemlins/FIREdevil.gif[/img]
Regardless of what you think of the RS6 as a drivers car, you won't hear anyone who's driven one, complain about the engine. On the contrary, most people rave about it.

Paul

[johneroberts]

Here's my 2p worth ...

1. I can't see how Audi could go down the V6 route for the RS4 when the S4 has a V8.
2. It has already been said, but the new V8 4.2 is the same weight as the old V6 2.7.
3. Audi are unlikely to produce a one-off V6 3.0 engine for this model - it would not make economic sense.
4. Last but not least, think american market ....

Good perception Nige [img]images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] all those points are the reasons why this will happen, espically because the Americans will get the car, and all the work they have done on getting the emissions low on that engine.
BTW just had confimation from Audi UK indirectly on all the point covered
Cheers
jr

[kcsun]

So how much does an existing RS4 weigh then?

and what is the power to weight ratio of the old and new

and what about P to W of a 460 chipped existing car?

kc [img]images/graemlins/s4anogaro.gif[/img]