Future RS Cars: Opinions

[RXBG]

Agreed Ben. I would trade off the V10 for a V8 with equivalent power in the setting of less weight. Equal in my eyes.

[lucidclif]

One thing I think would be a huge success, would be the introduction of the A3 in North American market- with quattro and the 6m tranny, but with the tdi powerplant. The performance capabillity would be tremendous. Market share would soar in my opinion, no other carmaker offers something in that package.

I really like the 6m transmission versus paddles....I know on paper the paddles shift faster mechanically than people change the gears with manual manipulation. But I feel you lose an essential element of a sports car, the connected feeling to car. I am glad to see Audi continue to employ this feature and hope they continue to do so for the forseeable future.

One last thing, alot of othe manufacturers offer a lightweight version of their respective performance vehicles, example superleggera, csl. Audi is different but I think the true enthusiats would enjoy a model like this.

Great post Qisha,

Clif

[tailpipe]

Qisha,

Although there are limits to what you can reveal about new cars, I have to say that I find it hugely beneficial for Audi customers like me to be able to talk directly to those responsible for making the cars we buy. Your own passion and enthusiasm enhances my ownership of an Audi. When you ask for feedback, and listen to what people say and then make certain changes, we have no excuses for not buying. Which is not to say that we're always right. Clearly, expert designers and engineers know much more about subtle choices that need to be made when producing a new model. So, often we need to be educated by understanding why certain choices where made, and the trade-offs they involved. So, please can more Audi experts contribute to forums like this. In the meantime, thank you.

[Fab]

I fully share this tailpipe : this is a fantastic opportunity for all of us to have Qisha on board listening and questionning us as audi fans.

We don't always agree of course but this is what makes it interesting as well.

[darkop]

Qisha,

Although there are limits to what you can reveal about new cars, I have to say that I find it hugely beneficial for Audi customers like me to be able to talk directly to those responsible for making the cars we buy. Your own passion and enthusiasm enhances my ownership of an Audi. When you ask for feedback, and listen to what people say and then make certain changes, we have no excuses for not buying. Which is not to say that we're always right. Clearly, expert designers and engineers know much more about subtle choices that need to be made when producing a new model. So, often we need to be educated by understanding why certain choices where made, and the trade-offs they involved. So, please can more Audi experts contribute to forums like this. In the meantime, thank you.

2nd this...
more ''Qishas'' please!!

[Joker]

My Santa wish list from Audi.

1: A reduction in overall weight. Saves on fuel, saves on emissions and it improves existing engine output performance.

2: Better balance of weight over each axle. All audi models with the exception of the R8 are too nose heavy.

3: Quattro system to continue to improve their behaviour of a rear wheel drive car but still maintain the added safety the quattro has always had. May be more like 30/60 but with the ability to shift all the power in either direction instead of a percentage of it.

4: More bold designs and each model a bit more unique, it's starting to be impossible to know which Audi is coming toward you on the road.

5: Leading the tread of engineering, not following. New technologies need to be introduced first by Audi and not from the competitors.

6: RS models should always be force feed, either from turbos or a supercharger, or better still both.

Not much, just 6 simply things that can be fixed during your lunch break.

[Benman]

Joker, excellent Christmas list!

[tailpipe]

To which I would add, please can we have RS cars earlier in the model cycle? Within a very short time of the B7 RS4 arriving, BMW released the new 3-Series and quickly thereafter the new M3. As good as the RS4 was dynamically, it was simply a very old design compared to the newer BMW. Important things like Satnav and electronic driver aids in the bMW were simply 7 years ahead of the RS4's.

[RXBG]

my xmas list:

A and S cars introduced at the same time.

RS cars widebody without exception as their hallmark exterior design feature, lighter and unique composite body panels, along with a totally unique engine showcasing audi's "vorsprung", i.e. twincharged, light, powerful. they should be ultratuned so that going to APR or MTM would be superfluous. make them stage 3 from the get go, keep them limited, keep them expensive. if they are that awesome and unique their expense will be worth it. for example- if the current RS5 had come with a 300 lbs weight loss over the S5 courtesy of aluminium and CF and composite body panels and had been powered by some kind of light 5 cyl or 6 cyl or even charged V8 with 500 hp that yielded CTS-V accel times and a 7:48 ring time it would have easily been worth every penny of it's near 100 euro cost.

a huge campaign to introduce a totally new quattro concept (quattro IV) across the range

DSG or 8 speed auto across the range

manual option on all S and RS cars

bring back standard 4 year maintenance

reinvigoration of aggressive dealership/sales philosophy to rival Lexus.

a new R8 concept in December

[Qisha]

Dear Friends,

thank you once again for the interesting feedback!

I would like to recommend to those who are able to get to Paris by the end of the month.. go and visit the Autosalon.

Qisha

[Joker]

Dear Friends,

thank you once again for the interesting feedback!

I would like to recommend to those who are able to get to Paris by the end of the month.. go and visit the Autosalon.

Qisha

All the magazines are claiming that the A7 has much more alloy in it's construction, can you possibly tell us what percentage of overall weight is over the front axle as it is sharing it's chassis with the next A6?

[QuattroFun]

I hope Audi does the following when creating RS cars:

1) Carefully analyses what kind of character at a reasonable price can best be achieved from the basic A/S version and develops the package rather than the components. If S5 is not lightweight, why spend tens of thousands per car to shave off 100 kg and still be left with a still heavy yet very expensive RS5 car. Case in point: E92 M3 GTS. Hilarious price and very impractical, but still cannot beat the E46 M3 CSL from 2003 on the intended stronghold, the track.

2) Focus more on exhaust and engine sound and chassis & steering precision and feel. Distant itself from S cars not only through raw power but better feel, precision and joy. Lower and less nose tilted weight of course helps handling, but this point goes way beyond it. With different development and tuning, the very same heavy RS5 could have been even more enjoyable than it is today.

3) Reserve the RS badge for A4, A5 and TT line-ups. Call all intrinsically heavy and numb A6 and upward/cheap A3 and downward cars something else. Go back to exclusive own line assembly for the RS cars.

4) NOT go into mindless templates and mechanical downsizing - always turbo or NA, but rather develop the package to the best possible. There is no shame in honing the old RS4 engine further into the next gen RS5 (Porsche standard practise, really) if it indeed would have been the right engine for it, but they should in this case have thought more about weight and emissions (gearing) and their consequences before making that decision. But of course there is no escaping force-fed engines now - I just hope the next A4-A5 will get an economical turbo V8, not a environmentalist pleasing turbo V6.

[tailpipe]

Qisha,

I will be at Paris. Are you going? I am hoping to be there on Press Day.

[Fab]

my xmas list:

RS cars widebody without exception as their hallmark exterior design feature, lighter and unique composite body panels, along with a totally unique engine showcasing audi's "vorsprung", i.e. twincharged, light, powerful. they should be ultratuned so that going to APR or MTM would be superfluous. make them stage 3 from the get go, keep them limited, keep them expensive. if they are that awesome and unique their expense will be worth it. for example- if the current RS5 had come with a 300 lbs weight loss over the S5 courtesy of aluminium and CF and composite body panels and had been powered by some kind of light 5 cyl or 6 cyl or even charged V8 with 500 hp that yielded CTS-V accel times and a 7:48 ring time it would have easily been worth every penny of it's near 100 euro cost.

this is it really : super power, light and able to compete with the most powerfull cars around. Then I spend even 130k euro for it.

[Joker]

I don't want my RS model to feel like a big Bentley, even it's sportiest of models, that is the job of the S model. The Audi A series should be economical, practical and should feel luxurious with sporting under tones, the S should build on these, making it the best Grand Tourer in the class but the RS should offer performance, feel, connection and poise but without feeling harsh or too compromised to achieve all this performance.

A1/2/3/4/5 series : economical + practical + luxury + sporty

A6/7/8 series : economical + practical + luxury + sporty

S1/2/3/4/5 series : economical + practical + luxury + sporty

S6/8 series : economical + practical + luxury + sporty

RS series (All) : economical + practical + luxury + sporty



And it must always have quattro, without that it will offer nothing different than the competition.

[Ritchy]

I'll be at the Paris motor show on the first press day. Kind to meet anyone from RS6.com....