How does your RS4 compare to your previous car?

[drcarrera]

Drcarrera- I am glad you posted that! I was torn between a 997 C2S and the RS4 for ages. Looks like I made the right choice setting aside the high fuel consumption!

Im afraid I dont agree, I miss my 997 C2S every day and wish I didnt have kids and bikes and trips to the dump etc etc etc

The RS4 is a great car, but its not in the same league as the C2S, hell its not even the same sport!!

Other previous cars that it does compare well against however are....
911 (996) C4S - RS4 better in most aspects....
M3 - RS4 better and less "in your face"....
numerous Scoobies - no contest
R32 - no contest

I guess I should qualify my post by saying that I've owned several Porches before so didn't find the 997 particularly "special".

However, if I'd never been fortunate to have a Porsche before and was choosing between an RS4 and a 997 I'd probably go for the 997.

[klauster]

Thanks for the research which confirms what I said originally - the mazda is not the equal of the audi but it is a very good, under-rated car. Unless I'm buying a race/track car I don't attach much weight to track times as they are usually done on a smooth, dry surface which is very different to UK roads!

Agree that the braking and steering are not great compared to the audi but have to disagree with your cornering point; my cornering speed in the mazda was probably 90% of the audi's.

BTW unless you're pressing on, the mazda will feel like a FWD as it will be putting most of its power (80% IIRC) down throught the front; power is only transferred to the rear depending on your driving style.

That all maybe good and true... but the Mazda looks awful imho, I really don't like the styling... and imagine the interior to be a depressing place to be, no matter how it drives...

[andymcg99]

Came from a 996 C4S, still miss it now and then but the feeling is soon put to the back of my mind when I hit > 7k RPM in the RS4. Looking round for what comes next and cannot see anything that does so many things so well for me.

[mark758]

Unless I'm buying a race/track car I don't attach much weight to track times as they are usually done on a smooth, dry surface which is very different to UK roads!

I think road cars benefit from being developed at the Nordschleife though, possibly even more challenging than UK roads.

[stu]

I went from a 57 plate 3.0si Z4 Coupe to an 07 RS4 Avant a couple of weeks ago. No regrets at all!

The montego blue / champagne nappa coupe was a very good looking car and I had a lot of fun playing with the lively back end when the roads were quiet. I was genuinely worried that my next car would be dull in comparison, but I hadn't realised how brilliant this car is in nearly every way.

Both engines are torquey naturally aspirated affairs. I really can't criticise the 3.0si - I got used to the power after a while, but that didn't really a matter too much. It was very responsive (more so than the RS4) and had a nice exhaust note.

I am amazed by the smoothness of the RS4 on just about any road surface. I can't believe now that I put up with the M Sport suspension and the run flats for over two years! I think the RS4 rolls more on cornering than I expected, and part of me did wonder if the DRC is in full working order. I tried not to get too paranoid but my concerns were partly justified: the audi dealer had set both rear tyres at 26PSI and it only cost me 20p at the petrol station to diagnose and put right

The turning circle appears to be bigger for the RS4 so that's making me sweat a little when manoeuvring into the back yard but I'll get over it.

Both cars were obviously built to last. The quality of the interior in the RS4 is in another league however. And the bucket seats are simply brilliant! I love them, especially the kidney squeezers.

I'm a bit confused as to how to stream my iPhone audio into the excellent BOSE hifi as there doesn't appear to be a physical aux in. The TV, CD changer and SD slots were probably the bees knees back when they first appeared in 2006 but I want my A2DP Bluetooth stereo inputs! Admittedly the Z4 didn't have A2DP support either but I made do with a cigarette adapter and a wire plugged into the aux in.

The sat nav is loads better than BMW's. Beautiful interface and voice overs. I had built in sat nav in the coupe and it felt ancient in comparison (yet the car was six months newer!).

I find it funny that most people think I've downgraded to the RS4! I'm totally ok with that. One of the guys at work (drives a Picasso) changed his mind after he googled it!

[P_G]

Another RS4 in Newcastle? Common as mook I tell ya!

Welcome to RS4 ownership and to eliminate the role further invest in a set of Hotchkis ARB's, best mod you can do to the car. And Picasso drivers should be shot at sight for having given up on life so he's got no room to criticise!

[Doug_S2]

I went from a B5 RS4 as my everyday car to the B7 - It is slow compared to it. But dynamically it is far superior and real life driving on a fast road it is not slow.

[P_G]

But your B5 wasn't exactly OEM was it Doug?

[Doug_S2]

It was only 470ps - pretty restrained for one of my cars! The thing about a turbo car is you get a buzz from the inital torque kick. So you don't have to drive it over the speed limit to make it a fun drive. The B7, you have to thrash to make it fast, and then you get a buzz from that and the handling when going fast - but you are then doing silly speeds.

[adsgreen]

Unless I'm buying a race/track car I don't attach much weight to track times as they are usually done on a smooth, dry surface which is very different to UK roads!

I think road cars benefit from being developed at the Nordschleife though, possibly even more challenging than UK roads.

Not sure I agree... What you end up with after a car developed at the 'ring is a car that is quite good at the ring.
I think there are plenty of cars that are setup for the ring that are not great on the road.
Parts of the ring are bumpy (esp carousel) but in general it's pretty compliant.

[DuncS3]

Ive just returned from the US where I drove a Saab 93 Aero (2.8 turbo 250 bhp front wheel drive) - was a great car and the most comfortable seats. Didn't like front wheel drive at first as have owned 4wd Audis for a long whole and torque steer was a new feeling to me. RS4 is different league in terms of performance. I also own a UR quattro - now driving that again after picking it up from storage after two years - thats a bit of a shock compared to the RS!

[mark758]

Not sure I agree... What you end up with after a car developed at the 'ring is a car that is quite good at the ring.
I think there are plenty of cars that are setup for the ring that are not great on the road.
Parts of the ring are bumpy (esp carousel) but in general it's pretty compliant.

Manufacturers set up development centres at the Nurburgring as its widely regarded in the industry as one of the most difficult piece of tarmac to get a car round quickly and so allows them to accelerate development of a cars handling balance, grip and braking characteristics. These things are obviously governed by many factors, some being fundemental like engine position, driven wheels, transmission type etc
Although we make great play of our British roads uniqueness Global manufacturers obviously have to make cars fit for road surfaces in many countries.
To get the suspension settings, steering feedback, brake feel etc tuned to suit a particular countries road surfaces further work is often (not always!) carried out at vehicle proving grounds in that country from specific manufacturer facilities based on site.
It's often a journo misconception that ring developed cars are finalised there and then directly hit UK streets, where in fact its just a good place to get the fundementals right.
This is the case for one UK manufacturer anyway...

[rs4m3e46]

had (still have) an e46 M3, put 130k miles on it so far
great car

the RS4 is a better car in every way...and that's no faint praise...

the same here.The same comment

[adsgreen]

Not sure I agree... What you end up with after a car developed at the 'ring is a car that is quite good at the ring.
I think there are plenty of cars that are setup for the ring that are not great on the road.
Parts of the ring are bumpy (esp carousel) but in general it's pretty compliant.

Manufacturers set up development centres at the Nurburgring as its widely regarded in the industry as one of the most difficult piece of tarmac to get a car round quickly and so allows them to accelerate development of a cars handling balance, grip and braking characteristics. These things are obviously governed by many factors, some being fundemental like engine position, driven wheels, transmission type etc
Although we make great play of our British roads uniqueness Global manufacturers obviously have to make cars fit for road surfaces in many countries.
To get the suspension settings, steering feedback, brake feel etc tuned to suit a particular countries road surfaces further work is often (not always!) carried out at vehicle proving grounds in that country from specific manufacturer facilities based on site.
It's often a journo misconception that ring developed cars are finalised there and then directly hit UK streets, where in fact its just a good place to get the fundementals right.
This is the case for one UK manufacturer anyway...

Have to agree to disagree - to me the ring is now more about marketing and spin. It's about as much use as the TopGear lap time board. The problem is that the ring doesn't make a great test track. It's too long and too variable. If you go to MIRA or similar then you can see bits of road specifically designed for one type of test that can be repeated much easier than the ring. Finally one big aspect for the ring is the driver - I know this is true as with most circuits but with the ring it's not only raw talent but also gonad size that affects the times.

[mark758]

Have to agree to disagree - to me the ring is now more about marketing and spin. It's about as much use as the TopGear lap time board. The problem is that the ring doesn't make a great test track. It's too long and too variable. If you go to MIRA or similar then you can see bits of road specifically designed for one type of test that can be repeated much easier than the ring. Finally one big aspect for the ring is the driver - I know this is true as with most circuits but with the ring it's not only raw talent but also gonad size that affects the times.

You may disagree about the effectiveness of the approach but it is fact that at least one manufacturer, of which I have personal experience, work their development this way.
Proving grounds, across europe especially, do have 'bits of road' as you say; there are many advantages to the scale of the ring.
Race car drivers' fear management is often inversely proportional to their talent
The Top Gear test track was designed by Lotus test drivers to specifically challenge vehicle handling and minimise 0-60 and top speed advantages.