V8 power loss

[tartan_rob]

Don't read too much into the quoted times.....I'd go with that.

Seat of the pants is a good test. I have yet to take anyone out in the car (apart from Doug) who has not though the RS4 was a quick car. An E46 M3 driver thought the car was mental, a V8 M3 driver was gobsmacked how easy it is to drive quick and how fast cross country driving can be. A mate with a 911 tt (996) was gobsmacked also. His Porsche may be quicker on spool up but catch him with his pants down or the driver not being quite so quick with the gearchange or not changing gear at optimum time and that can make a BIG difference to quoted times.

On another note, recently on a jolly into town, he could not take his Porsche as it would not seat 4 adults. They had to slum it in the Audi...

[SR71]

ScoobyC,

Its an old debate on the forum if you search the archives....

Robbo, the 996TT FEELS much faster but it isn't much faster than an RS4 B7 saloon. I appreciate you have an avant and hence it is slightly slower due to the extra weight but as already discussed:

996 TT 30-130 mph = 15s
RS4 B7 saloon 30-130 mph = 15.5s
996 TT x50 pack 30-130 mph = 13.44s

I've witnessed the above myself at bruntingthorpe during vmax and 30-130 timed runs several times.

I think you'd be hard pressed to notice a 0.5s difference between the 2. I agree off the line the 996TT will get to its quarter mile distance faster but that is purely because of better rear traction and lower weight. Once things are moving, the RS4 is a close match (in saloon form).

I know my car is faster than a 997 C2S (which does not have the powerpack) and slower than a 996TT...the power:weight ratio of the B7 RS4 is ~255hp/ton, the 997 C2S is ~246hp/ton and the 996TT ~272hp/ton so they're all pretty close.

But I know as Rob says, if I missed a gearchange the C2S would be gone....

[Housemaster]

I know the RS4 is quite a bit slower than my GT3 was and MUCH slower than a 997 Turbo having just run against one at VMax. It left me like my car was parked. At Fighting Torque I was pulling 159mph in 3/4 mile from a standing start in my GT3 and at VMax I was pulling 160mph limited in 2 miles from a rolling start in my B7 when the GT3's were seeing 176mph. I don't think a B7 would have got much past 165mph in standard form with the limiter removed and off the line I was getting my arse handed to me by GT and Turbo 911's. The E92 M3 was only slightly quicker however, by 2 mph I think and my car put our 366bhp on a Rolling Road about 4 weeks back.

[scoobyc]

don't think you give the full picture by giving bhp/ton. If you add in porsche 266lb ft /tonne against rs4 192lb ft/tonne probably gives a clearer picture why the turbo is a fair bit quicker in-gear times. Also a little sceptical of the rs4 time of 30-130mph above as never read of one doing it in this time before, but all just imho!

[ARSEY4]

This is a pointless, why compare a 996tt to an rs4?

[scoobyc]

because they both have the same bhp (maybe )

[ARSEY4]

because they both have the same bhp (maybe )

And?

[MikeD]

because they both have the same bhp (maybe )

but thats ALL they have in common.

[scoobyc]

they can both be had for very simlair money (40k) now and are held in high regard by the motoring press hence the comparisons?

[Housemaster]

because they both have the same bhp (maybe )

but thats ALL they have in common.

People with 45K to spend might consider both options. MANY people who buy cars don't simply compare the 4 door cars with one another, they say "I have X to spend what can I get". We can all agree they are different cars but people often compare them in this and many other forums out of interest. I don't really understand why people have an issue with that, I suggest they would be less concerned if the Turbo was the slower car.

[SR71]

Absolutely.

When I bought the RS4 it was between the 996TT (X50) and the B7.

In the end the B7 won for various reasons that are probably similar to those that tilted other owners in the same direction.

It's a bit tricky getting your snowboards and kite-surf gear in the Porker.

For the small edge in performance I was sacrificing, I was getting a new car with 07 technology, a V8, space, and the ability to go about my business without drawing too much attention to myself...except from the cognoscenti...

[drcarrera]

I traded in my 997 C2S for the RS4. From a performance/handling/fun point of view driving up to 9/10ths there's a lot of similarities!