SPEC your ideal RS4!

[mruser]

As other threads have been speculating for months on what engine the car will have and if it will be a wagon only or not.. I would like to focus on other topics.

Apparently the 4.2 NA V8 will be the engine for this car. I'm no engineer hence to me is the same engine that sits in the car I drive daily! As tech-wise my RS is pretty much outdated I assume that if Audi is going to deliver a new model after 5 years with the same engine the packaging must be pretty special. So here are my expectations on what the next car should have to be as much of a game changer as the old RS4 was:

First and most important weight savings. I hope for a 100 kg saving over the previous model. Possibly not driven by extensive use of expensive carbon but rather engineered in the car.

Traction: latest gen of quattro (or even an unreleased one) supported by full torque vectoring and the possibility of having a fair degree of electronic adjustment over the distribution of torque from front to back (i guess choice of3 pre-sets via MMI would be cool).

Gearbox and transmission: if the third pedal must die then a "proper" box is required. Something that thumps like a dog leg sequential in sport mode, but is as easy going as a full auto when the kids are sleeping.

Re-using of energy: It would be nice to have the RS4 as a showcase for new hybrid related techs aimed at performance. But I feel it's too early for that...

Dumping: I guess an update to the latest standard (RS5) will be a big step from the old DRC.

Electronics: I guess an upgrade from the RNS-E to a last gen MMI is a must. however I do not know is the A6/8 related MMI can be fitted on the A4 platform.
obviously the full MMI would require the full spectrum of options that come with it like the cruise control with distance control, full led lights and so on...

What would you look for in the new RS4? And what would be feasible considering platform constrains?

[youry]

the RS4 V8 and RS5 engiens are very differnet.... test drive an RS5 adn you will see. just at idle hearign how fast in revs, is a clear difference.... same engine on RS4 B9 of course...

[join9527]

http://www.ywseo.net/seo4.jpghttp://www.ywseo.net/seo3.jpg
http://www.ywseo.net/song.jpghttp://www.ywseo.net/signature.jpg

[mruser]

Are there any new rumors on the RS4 now that the new S line it's official? Will it have the 4.0T engine in S8 spec or should we expect something new just because of its RS badge?

any hint?

[youry]

lik mentioned many times all over the place..... 99.9% sure it will have same engine as RS5...

[Ruergard]

I wan't to see a new engine. Or at least something else than the 4.2 NA.

[youry]

we all would love to see the new 4 L TFSI in there, but it just won"t happen that the RS4 will be released with an engine that works better then the RS5.

[mruser]

still I hope... it would be such a disappointment! after all they could simply upgrade the RS5 to the same engine...

[mruser]

Thinking back to what was said above... I fail to understand how Vorsprung Durch Technik applies to an RS badged car powered by something that is not the latest in technology and progress.

How can they make their motto valid by installing a power plant of old generation (compared to the S6/7/8 engines) on an RS car... The RS should be the pinnacle of their achievements, a showcase of what they are capable of... not a body filled by "used" parts, not just a marketing showcase.

RS was always about superior performances and innovation in a somehow discrete package. At least this is what I see when I look back at the RS2 and all other RS badged cars so far.

What a disappointment would be... Same car with different headlights and few more gizmos... I expect more from the RS4 at least something as radical as the change we have seen from the 2.7t to the 4.2 NA.

[chewym]

The 4.0T is a heavier engine than the 4.2 so the additional horsepower would be offset by worse weight distribution.

[mruser]

You might be right on that, however my point is not about power, is about the innovation an RS should bring. Not innovating or having features that have not been given to other models before is already a disappointment. From my point of view having a old generation engine is a no go. I hardly see the marketing around it. How are they going to show reduced emissions compared to previous models? where is the increased efficiency that everyone demands if the engine is the same as of the previous generation? I do not like much the idea but I guess I could be more keen on an RS4 with a 2.5t (with mental performances) than on one with the old engine... It would be easier to swallow all the downsizing bla bla than accepting a new car with an old engine! After all is Audi.. not a an American muscle car brand launching a new sport car with technology from the 50'...

I love the NA V8 of my car... I really do! but I expected more from Audi in this case.

After reading the fantastic write up on the RS3 by Tailpipe.... I will wait to see what Frankfurt confirms or denies, than I guess I will choose between the 2.

How long the RS3 will be in production for?

Sorry about spitting my frustration out.... I really had my hopes up for the next gen RS4 and it's been a long time since I expected one to come out...

[doodlebug]

If you haven't got your name on the list of an RS3 now you're unlikely to be able to spec a new one. There will of course be a selection of slightly used and speculator cars, numbers will depend on the market.

[tailpipe]

@Mr User,

Thanks for your kind comments about my RS3 write-up.

It seems almost certain that any new RS4 won't get the 4.0-litre TFSI. Audi can write-off the development costs of the RS5 by using essentially the same set-up in the RS4, although I expect that the current 4.2-litre will be tweaked for better economy, emissions and output. Qisha has also suggested elsewhere that the new 4.0-litre V8 would be used exclusively for upper-end models. It's also been said that Audi is developing a new turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 to replace the existing supercharged engine. This is likely to form the basis of future RS4 / RS5 models, so the current V8 RS4 and RS5 will probably be the last hurrah for V8s in the Executive model segment. Pity.

This doesn't worry me in particular. Firstly, the 2.5-litre engine and 7-Speed S-Tronic in the RS3 is the quite simply the best engine-gearbox combination I have experienced in 30 years of driving. All in all, the RS3 feels like a much more complete package than the RS5. In fact, I am beginning to think it is better than the B7 RS4. The RS3 is proving to be such a success that I believe it will be built for as long as demand exists or until the factory in Gyor needs production space for whatever comes next. I am if you call a dealer, I'm sure he'll manage to find a 'cancelled order' or something.

The other reason why I'm not bothered about the next RS4 is because of the new S6. What a car! I think this will be superb. So at one end you've got the RS3 and at the other the S6. I suspect that the S6 will cost £55K-£60K. The RS3 is a bargain at £39K-£43K.

[mruser]

So i guess I will have to set my frustration on the side, get myself the RS3 and change my wife A6 (4.2 previous generation) for either the new 3.0 TDI twinturbo or the S6... I guess that should do it to keep the grin on the face every time i sit in either one... The larger for comfort and kid's entertainment the smaller for sheer pleasure...

I still have a glimpse of hope on the new RS4... but I guess I have a good back-up plan... mostly thanks to your write up!

[mruser]

It seems there is no RS4 at all in Frankfurt... Did Audi decide to present it in Geneva?

[youry]

it was never planned to be anyway.... RS4 is for 2012 at best.

[Qisha]

Dear Friends,

the RS 4 Avant is pretty much production ready and will debut around the same time the A4 product improvent will be introduced. Scheduled for Geneva 2012.

Qisha

[rs4some]

Pics of it here. Please tell them to go back to product improvement and get rid of the understated bodywork - RS5 style

http://www.autoblog.it/post/35127/foto-spia-audi-rs4-avant

[Erik]

Dear Friends,

the RS 4 Avant is pretty much production ready and will debut around the same time the A4 product improvent will be introduced. Scheduled for Geneva 2012.

Qisha

Great news, thanks!

[mruser]

http://youtu.be/XkrsxUX8apA

It sounds very familiar... infact it sounds exactly like my RS4 at low and high revs. After all I guess there are no more hopes into gettting a different powerplant under the bonnet!

[rs4some]

Its already stated that it will have the RS5 drivetrain in it. Just a shame the body work looks less agressive than the B7 model its replacing