GTR

[doodlebug]

Though RS GmbH is no more.....

[craiginsight]

Some interesting points here.

I've come from an Impreza and hot hatch background so perhaps my comparisons don't stack up against my RS4 B8.5 but, I have driven the new R8, RS3 and RS6/7 and they feel similar obviously excluding the R8 - that thing is immense!

As a daily drive the B8 is great, comfy, good equipment list, nice to look at and it goes like stink when pushed. I like it steps out at the back and the oversteer is minimal for such a big and nose heavy car. I live next to the Peak district and it's great on those roads. I also regularly do Autobahn runs and it's great there too.

I'll have to do a test drive in a GTR to see what the fuss is about

[Madelvic]

Had a GTR. Little pleasure in driving once the novelty of having it wore off. Stupidly fast, could never get anywhere near exploring the performance and way down my list of great cars to drive

[geoffdunk]

Interesting experience, For pure driving I'd take your 111R

[Madelvic]

Nice one Geoff

Predictable, but in terms of driving pleasure Caterham R300 1st then 111R then Boxster. VVC engine in the Caterham easily better than the Toyota 1.8. To get the Elise on cam at sensible road speeds meant 2nd and 3rd gear only. For doing everything well and a fabulous engine the Boxster is superb. Fancy another Caterham though

[535dboy]

Lotus was marginally more practical though I suspect.

Which boxster you in?

[Covkiller]

viewtopic.php?f=47&t=122774

[Madelvic]

Lotus was marginally more practical though I suspect.

Which boxster you in?

987 3.2S. Just enough oomph posting.php?mode=quote&f=61&p=821785#

[geoffdunk]

Nice one Geoff

Predictable, but in terms of driving pleasure Caterham R300 1st then 111R then Boxster. VVC engine in the Caterham easily better than the Toyota 1.8. To get the Elise on cam at sensible road speeds meant 2nd and 3rd gear only. For doing everything well and a fabulous engine the Boxster is superb. Fancy another Caterham though

I worked for Lotus and specifically for the Monza and Skitpon projects which is series 2 Elise and VX220, projects ran in parallel and of course included the 111R. I used to get given test cars to put miles on, its a long story and how I met my wife etc. I had to put 700 miles on an Elise over a long weekend once, I loved it. Also had to put miles on a couple of 340R's too.

Needles to say I have a soft spot for the 111R even though I'm 6'4" lol

[bam_bam]

I am looking forward to the B9 RS4 as there are further weight savings including a smaller electrically assisted turbocharger forced induction 3.0 ltr V6 running circa 480ps.

Tell us more about this engine... please.

[TomRS]

Having just bought one moving on from my RS6 C6 i can honestly say i love the thing, but if you dont plan on doing track days and things it really is a little bit pointless.
Its not the kind of car you buy to just drive around in, i mean on a motorway i thing the thing is comfy and economical and quite pleasant to be in, but put it around town and its a dog.
The RS wins the driveablity card everytime, but your looking at two totally different categories of cars... apples and oranges and all that,

Personally i love the GTR it feels alive and is exciting place to be, its gigantic fun being a hero doing launches (yes i havent grown up yet) and it actually drives alright in normal day to day life considering what it actually is.
The main downside with it really is how poor it is when the gearbox is cold, and all the rattles and clunks it has from the gearbox.

Lastly i'd say its very subjective to how you drive, as said above about not being able to drive it to its full potensial, that i understand... its why i wouldnt get one as my daily driver.
I mean sure its capable of being the DD but you just wouldnt because you'd easily get sick of living with it, even the RS6 wore thin using it everyday... its one of those things... use something too much and it takes all the fun out of it.
I work away monday to friday now and have a MG ZT-T as a work car and the GTR as my weekend play thing.

[geoffdunk]

I am looking forward to the B9 RS4 as there are further weight savings including a smaller electrically assisted turbocharger forced induction 3.0 ltr V6 running circa 480ps.

Tell us more about this engine... please.

Is all being kept quiet at the moment. I have spoken to engineers on the project and they are claiming the power will be circa 480ps. There was a rumour they were going to use a version of the Porsche 2.9 twin turbo but from what I hear directly its a developed version of the new S4/5 3.0 mechanical twin turbo. Electrically assisted turbos will reduce lag and give power from close to zero revs, over boost function could also be designed. All this possibly coupled to an all new 8 speed S-tronic (DSG) transmission, this has not been confirmed at all though but would match competitors road map.

Electorally assisted forced induction is already being used by Audi in the SQ7 which has a type of electorally equipped supercharger which is there to reduce turbo lag or at least fill in the gap.

I get snippets from the design guys every time I catch up with them but as you may be aware, the whole industry is secretive, even to ex-colleagues.

Being a twin turbo its going to be very tunable, well over 500ps with just a remap is going to be possible giving the RS4 great tuning potential.

I was going to go C7 RS6 but its getting old and it big, although I like big as I'm 6'4£ but I am going to wait for the B9 RS4, it'll be the right replacement for my B8.5.

[doodlebug]

I'd be pretty certain gearbox will be ZF8. No cash in the coffers to develop expensive double clutch unit.

[geoffdunk]

I'd be pretty certain gearbox will be ZF8. No cash in the coffers to develop expensive double clutch unit.

AN 8 speed S-tronic (DSG) box is under development with Graziano Trasmissioni who currently design and make the 7-speed S-tronic R8 gearbox. The development box is an in-line unit and not a trans-axle, they have told me no more than that and my source there is very very reliable. I can't swear its destined for the RS4 as it hasn't been confirmed.

The RS6 is the ZF unit, the B8.5 RS4 is an Audi box, the new one will be an Audi box which ever car it goes in unless of course Audi shelve the project. The B9 RS4 will not be without a DSG box as it will be backward step. The C8 RS6 will also need a DSG box as this is the only item than lets it down, made up for by the shear power lol.

[doodlebug]

Don't forget B9 S4 is ZF8. B8 S4 was S-Tronic. If it's still under development likely a bit late for B9 RS4, no? Don't forget R8 is getting a smaller engine derivative.

VAG don't have a pot to piss in (see extraction from WEC, world rally etc etc). At the RS4 price point I'd say it's a bridge too far to design a new gearbox. I fully expect B9 to be the biggest compromise yet, timing could not have been worse.