Audi at the Paris Show Recap

[tailpipe]

After two years of depressed markets, it looks like car sales are starting to recover. In particular, recent sales data (source: AMS/ Car) shows that buyers are starting to return to sportier models, especially now that many brands combine great performance with low emissions and reasonable fuel consumption.

With this in mind, we could see a whole bunch of new sports cars make their first appearance at next week's Paris Salon. We know Lamborghini and Lotus will debut exciting new models. Mercedes-Benz has got the new CLS, and BMW won't disappoint either with its new 6-Series Concept. Which brings me to Audi. What can we expect. Based on recent rumour and speculation, i see the list as follows:

- A1 1.4 TFSI (Almost and S1)
- RS3
- Q3 Concept (not sure about this)
- A7 / S7
- R4 / eTron convertible
- R8 GT (if this isn't old news)

But what about this: now that the RS5 is up and running and given that the B8 RS4 will be based on the same set up and engine, Audi has very little development work to do before releasing the RS4. So perhaps we could get a nice surprise and the next RS4 will arrive early?

(I guess we can all dream, can we?)

And what about Retro-Quattro? Might that also finally put in an appearance? It is starting to sound like the Lexus L-FA, which took so long to be translated from concept to production car that an entire model cycle passed.

Thoughts?

[RXBG]

any etron model is a major yawn. RS3 is a little yawn. Q3 concept a huge yawn. R8 GT is old news since May. the only thing worthy of it would be the S8 or this nebulous thing people are calling the retroquattro or whatever. S7 i hear--- in Geneva in the spring.

[Joker]

The whole object of surprise is to keep everyone thinking you are going to show one thing when in fact you show something completely different and unexpected.

So with that in mind what would be classed as totally unexpected for Paris?

[darkop]

We all just became pathetic... Inventing new treads just to keeps us entertained instead of talking about actual cars who were suppose to be presented already by now, just a week before the show!
lol

[tailpipe]

My fault, sorry. I got bored waiting.

[ChicagoAudi]

Even worse if you are a Lamborghini fan.

[darkop]

No worries, eventually I would have done the same...
Cheers

[auditt]

I´ll be mad as hell if they don´t show a R8 GT2 and and a Retroquattro. Everything else is just old news.

[andreadebi]

Audi A1 1.4 TFSI/S1/RS 3/RS 7 — AUTO BILD 38/2010 — 24.09.2010

Audis neues Sportprogramm


http://www.autobild.de/artikel/audi-...7-1260284.html

[ChicagoAudi]

RS 7? Audi actually getting ahead of BMW's M5? Now that's serious news, and a staggering development, if true.

[The RS6]

Read the article boys...don't get overexcited...

"Auf der IAA 2011 im September in Frankfurt hat der RS 7 Premiere."

Or in English...

At the IAA 2011 (NEXT YEAR) in FRANKFURT (not Paris) ... RS7 Premiere...

[tailpipe]

I cannot believe that Audi will wait until Geneva next year to launch the RS3 - that certainly isn't what UK Audi dealers are saying. The new A3 is due at Frankfurt this time next year, so they need to get this thing out now if it is not to be obsolete within months of being launched. I don't know of any major manufacturer who releases a new model within 12 months of it's replacement arriving.

[Ritchy]

Audi makes money, so it's not a problem today despite what custumers really want.

I've got the feeling that Audi is an old system entreprise. Reactive, not proactive.

BMW produces an M1.....warning! let's produce a RS3 even it's too late, even if all RS are supposed to be now produced earlier in a cars's life.

RS5 is too slow....but you can not imagine a turbo V8 in the segment ! Just wait for the next C63 (55?). And you'll see 2/3 years later that kind of engine in such an Audi.

Last Audi for me. First time i'm not in a hurry to pick up a new car (supposed to arrive 18th-22th october). I now want something special, not a B7 RS4 with 2 doors and Leds. A car i won't forget ! not that sort of expensive toy with no soul.

For information, last dyno values in a french magazine: RS5 422HP - GT-R 505HP.

[Joker]

Audi makes money, so it's not a problem today despite what custumers really want.

I've got the feeling that Audi is an old system entreprise. Reactive, not proactive.

BMW produces an M1.....warning! let's produce a RS3 even it's too late, even if all RS are supposed to be now produced earlier in a cars's life.

RS5 is too slow....but you can not imagine a turbo V8 in the segment ! Just wait for the next C63 (55?). And you'll see 2/3 years later that kind of engine in such an Audi.

Last Audi for me. First time i'm not in a hurry to pick up a new car (supposed to arrive 18th-22th october). I now want something special, not a B7 RS4 with 2 doors and Leds. A car i won't forget ! not that sort of expensive toy with no soul.

For information, last dyno values in a french magazine: RS5 422HP - GT-R 505HP.

I wonder who actually started the development work first, was it BMW with the M1 or Audi withe the RS3?

Also, are those dyno results rated at the wheels for both cars or estimates of the engine output?

[Ritchy]

Real engine outputs. I remember Youry has explained the way new generations dynos works on the RS5 topic.

Sorry to be always disapointed with Audi, but quite fed up to buy magazines telling the car is a good looking car, but incrediblely slow compared to a C63 or GT-R.

I almost know 20 owners of RS4 disapointed with the performances of the car and the dynos results.....and Audi didn't change anything with the RS5 5 years later. I cannot accept that.

[RXBG]

Audi makes money, so it's not a problem today despite what custumers really want.

I've got the feeling that Audi is an old system entreprise. Reactive, not proactive.

BMW produces an M1.....warning! let's produce a RS3 even it's too late, even if all RS are supposed to be now produced earlier in a cars's life.

RS5 is too slow....but you can not imagine a turbo V8 in the segment ! Just wait for the next C63 (55?). And you'll see 2/3 years later that kind of engine in such an Audi.

Last Audi for me. First time i'm not in a hurry to pick up a new car (supposed to arrive 18th-22th october). I now want something special, not a B7 RS4 with 2 doors and Leds. A car i won't forget ! not that sort of expensive toy with no soul.

For information, last dyno values in a french magazine: RS5 422HP - GT-R 505HP.

i think that what motivates a car co, like any business, is money; as in- development costs vs return. rarely do you have a stud like piech who says- we are gong to make a bugatti even if we don't make much money or any money at all. as such, i don't think it is as much a matter of laziness as it is a matter of timing. audi saw the RS4 engine as a cheap, easy to install engine in the RS5. perhaps they were already on the road to developing the next HO V8 wiith 500 hp but it just wasn't ready- and so- rather than delay the RS5 or not have one at all they decided to package it thus. i'm sure lexus fanboys hate the ISF engine- it is the last "relic" V8 to go into a that kind of car, vis a vis the gas guzzling peers that BMW and Audi and even mercedes makes.

there is one thing to be said though. what can differentiate one car company from another is its ability to foresee trends and plan develoment timelines efficiently. audi will need to step it up and hopefully it has developed a stout, solid, flexible new V8 that will be what it needs to compete for the next ten years, with the built-in flexibility to make the engine insertable/modular into multiple applications. for example- i hope audi has had the foresight to see that this engine will be essential for the powering of the next A6 all through the next R8, with an inherent production process that will not delay the production of any of the cars it is going to go in yet still be malleable enough to be modified to meet potentially changing needs (such as a hybrid system). the same should be said of the upcoming rumored V6 engine AND the current I-5 that is supposed to go into the next midrange of sportscars in the line up.

[auditt]

www.automotorsport.se

[RXBG]

welp- no "sportquattro" coupe. e-tron roadster with a battery. that other one is a TT. audi is really milking the etron thing. but i think the milk bottle is empty.

i am moving on to the LA show at this point.