Clarkson on the B8 RS 4

[MikeFish]

Up against a B7 RS4 I can't help thinking the B8 RS4 looks a bit like a hairdressers version of an RS4. The B7 looks mean and pumped up. The B8 looks slender and underwhelming. Like comparing a 100 metres runner with and 800 metres runner. Both good but the 100 metres runner looks the business.

I know what you mean. Personally, I think the new RS6 looks-wise is the successor to the B7 RS4

which is strange as the b8 RS4 has similar looks to the c6 rs6... Weird...

Its not strange. The B8 RS4 has taken design tones from the C6 RS6 with its squarer arches as you stated. But the C7 RS6 (which is what I think Stu was referring to as 'the new RS6') has gone back to the B7 style flared arches. I think a lot of B7 owners will be holding out for the C7 RS6 as the successor to their current cars. If only they'd make a saloon....

[doodlebug]

Surely there's a financial element in the B7 vs C7 realm. C7, I think, will be rare, rarer than C6 and they don't number many. C7 is big bucks and it won't handle anything like the B7.

[PetrolDave]

C7 ... won't handle anything like the B7.

And that's the problem with most of the current RS models, they lack the finesse in ride and handling that the B7 has.