Just come back from my test drive

[Davey_B]

Ok, where do I start?

It's p*ssing down with rain and the schools are chucking out so the roads are not a good place to be. Nevetheless, beggars can't be choosers so seat adjustments made off we go. The dealer has brought the car to me because when I arrived at the dealers for my prearranged test drive, the car wasn't there.

There's nothing I can't add to what most people have said in these threads. That engine is fantastic, the noise, the torque at such low revs., very, very drivable. Seats are snug, I'm 13 stone and with the Sport button pressed they certainly grip you, but then that's what they're supposed to do. Gear change is nice, short amount of travel, not as positive as some but nothing to moan about.

What really impressed me was the ride, although its firm (no sports suspension fitted on demo) it just glides over manholes and potholes like a normal family car. You dont get any shake, or crash you often get with sports car suspension. Much better than the M3 I drove a while back, which incedentally was much noiser in the cabin when you floored it than this car, too much so in MHO.

Didn't really get to push it round the twisty stuff, traffic saw to that but on the two occasions I managed to get a clear run into and out of a bend it just puts it's own rails down. This is only the second Audi I've driven (a TT being the other) so can't compare it to a B5, but I can compare it to a Lotus Elise which is what it puts me in mind of.

So, in conclusion, I'm now just counting the days. 30ish if you want to know, dealer still won't committ himself. BRING IT ON! CANT WAIT! F*ck me what car.

[JustinM]

You are raving because you have never driven a B5 RS4. Most newbies love the B7. Most oldies don't.

[daveweld]

i think thats a touch unfair,
i wanted to go back to a b5 but could not hack it having a 5 yr old car, with maintenance issues, yes the b5 rs4 is a fantastic beast, but one that had many faults, which with 7-10k could be put right.
the b7 is a lot more modern feeling car obviously, fantastic ride, good brakes great engine, not the whooos of the turbo b5, but just look at the stats comparing both side by side, look at the 1 min 25 sec top gear test track time and look what esteemed supercar country the b7 rs4 is in on there league table .thats why i ordered one
dave

[Riz_RS4]

Yes also think its unfair, but like most forums we will see both negative and positive comments.

BUT if you compare both the RS4`s in standard form, its safe to say that the B7 RS4 is more of a sorted package.

The B7 RS4 is a evolution in the right direction I feel, some hate that quattro GmbH has moved away from turbo-charging but I for one love the move.....

Riz

[Davey_B]

As an aside, and this has probably been covered in a different forum but the dealer mentioned they are using the same engine in the RS6 with a twin turbo bolted on. 600 BHp is expected? Take that with a pinch of salt I think.

[bjacks]

I've just come back from a "test drive" (I actually forgot my license so couldn't drive it today) and thought the best bit was the ride also.

Seats were good fun too

Now, performance wise, I reckon my CSL feels quicker, so did my friend that came with me. The CSL also is a darn sight noisier still!

The car looked bloody good in the flesh, which was a relief.

Not so sure now, if it's no quicker then what's the point? My B5 felt much quicker than this B7.

But, with a great ride and good brakes, it is a better package!

Dilemmas

[flossymeister]

could be wrong (no doubt its posted in the RS6 section of thsi forum) but i assumed that the new RS6 was going to get the V10 (Gallardo) engine.... i think the new S6 and S8 are??

I personally would not be surprised if somewhere in the vicinity of 600bhp was achieved..... Merc went psycho a year or so ago with their 65s that kick out over 600bhp and over 700 lb/ft of torque. That said, they cost well over 100 grand...... but even so i wouldn't be surprised if Audi decided to make a point.....

Tim

[JohnW]

b5 had many faults ?!?
I disagree, it has some, but not many, and its early days for the b7 to see just how many that has.

I would suspect the b7 may well also have a slow gearchange, and be in need of a short shifter to improve things.
While the brakes may be better will they stand up to track use ? Again, too early to tell imo.

For me the b5 only needed brakes and a short shifter.
Suspension, chip, etc are all great but not really needed, it is a fine car without them.

The b7 looks like a great car, but JustinM is spot on imo. The diffierent between a b5
and b7 is not significant enough to make me want to upgrade.

Its great ot hear people giving positive feedback though on their experiences, so keep em coming

[HTS]

About 3 years ago I test drove a standard B5, and to be honest I found it completely underwhellming, it wasn't especially quick, the handling was not great, in fact other then the looks it had little to reccomend it.

Now this might have been a poor example, and I know that once fettled, chipped, re braked etc they become very good cars. ....but as a standard machine it was, for the money, poor.

Last week I was a bit bored so I popped into my Audi showroom to have a look at thier Rs4 demo - Chatted to the sales guy who immediately offered me a test drive, there and then! - so 10 minutes later off we go! (cuatomer service or what!) The B7 is quick, handles, rides and brakes superbly and is also beautifully put together, cut a long story short I've ordered an Avant which should be here in august.

SO in my vast experince of Rs4s I'd say that the standard B7 was a quantum leap over the standard B5

[JohnW]

As yet I've not drove a B7 RS4 , but have driven my b5, and several others while looking to buy. You do get good ones and bad ones. I've also driven an RS6+. Now unless the B7 is siginificantly quicker than the RS6, I personally don't see there being a quantum leap from B5 to B7 RS4.

Add to that, I read in Auto express of their test drive of the RS4. Just as I expected while the brakes are initially good, they fade fairly quickly (after 5 laps of their test track I think it said). It also says it understeers a lot, just as the B5 does.

Fair play to all those that buy the B7, it is a cracking car, and as ever it depends on what you want to use the car for and get out of it. I stand by my earlier statement of not being worth the extra dosh required to upgrade from my current B5. Imo anyway.

Cheers,
John.

[JustinM]

Not so sure now, if it's no quicker then what's the point? My B5 felt much quicker than this B7.

But, with a great ride and good brakes, it is a better package!

Dilemmas

I agree, I spent a week with a B7 and B5 driving one and then the other and the B5 definietly felt quicker. I found you had to gear down in the B7 to get the perfomance. On a motorway its sluggish in 6th gear at 80mph.

I was all ready to trade-in my B5 on a B7 but have changed my mind because it just doesn't send shivers down my spine.