2005 changes in S4?

[RS4Ever]

:mech:

Hey guys..

I've been reading the great stuff here on the forum for a while and have finally registered. The clips n pics a great - keep em coming!

i myself am a huge audi fan... and am looking foward to purchasing a 2004/05 S4. This will be my first S4 and first german car as well. really really looking foward to it. i loved the test drive (did it with the tiptronic steering wheel paddles.. too much traffic in Atlanta)

Should I wait till the 2005's come out (because they might look different) or should i just go ahead and get the 2004 and start the fun?

the dealerships in my area are searching for a 2004 S4 that i want , but have a difficult time.

i can wait till Nov-Dec and order a 2005 (im guessing i'll have to also pay a bit more) and then get it after 6 weeks (at least thats what they told me at the dealership).

main question... are there going to be any changes in the 2005 S4 and if there are then what are the changes?


thanks

[itisme]

well, as far as I know in 2005 the A4 facelift is coming and so the S4 will be faslifted, too.

It would be a way too long list to tell you what`s going to be changed, but what I can tell you is, that it is worthwhile waiting.

There are going to be a lot performance improvements because they want beat the 3series in driving feeling and lots of other stuff. I would wait if I`d like to buy a S4. The exterior is going to be changed too.. it´S going to be completly different with new grill and some other changes... that`s the only reason why you may be should buy your S4 now if you don`t like the new design of Audi...

It´s up to you (of course it is)

greets

[tailpipe]

I would advise you to wait until the 2005 model year comes out before buying your S4. Here are the reasons why:

1. The model is now half way through its lifecycle so is due for a significant update/ facelift that will not only correct a number of minor issues but also ensure that the car remains competitive within its category.

2. Cosmetically, the facelift will include Audi's new gaping mouth grille - which I actually quite like, because it's much more aggressive and distinctive. I suspect that this quite radical visual change will affect residual values of all older Audis.

3. More important, we expect quite a lot of under-the-skin changes to improve the dynamics of this model. (One aspect I would personally like to see improved is fuel consumtion of the S4's V8 - it's much more thirsty in the S4 than in other models; which may be due to the redesign required to make it fit in the A4's engine bay.) I understand that the torque split of 50% to rear wheels and 50% to front wheels is also to be changed to 60% rear and 40% to front, which should improve handling. There are sure to be other revisions too.

4. We also expect an RS4 model to appear in March 2005, which will substantially improve on the performance characteristics of the S4. If this car offers the same level of power, traction and build quality as the RS6, then it will be a truly great machine and well worth waiting for.

So, there you have it. If you do decide to buy a current S4 now, then you should try to negotiate a substantial discount.

In Europe, the facelifted A4 range will debut around September/ October 2004 at the Paris Autoshow. I expect it to go on sale around in USA around November and certainly by no later than January 2005, when Audi plans to move most if not all existing models over to new grille.

[RS4Ever]

wow thanks for all the info guys,

are you sure the S4 will be faselifted and not just the a4?

the guy at the dealership said that because the new cabrio S4 just came out that they wouldnt change the S4's. (maybe he was tryin to make a quick sale and get rid of the 2004's)

What is the RS4 going to cost? (around)
Here in atlanta a 2004 S4 costs around $50,000



thanks again

[Audihead]

RS4, I'd say the price here in the States will be around 10 to 15K more than an S4. The only catch is that the market may drive up the price, supply & demand ya know. I do know one thing for sure though, You won't get your car in six weeks. Three months minimum, I have now waited since the beginning of February and am expecting the ride in about three weeks. Sorry for that info. There is also the model changeover comming soon, I know this from my Audi Advocate that helped me with my order. They will shut down for about three weeks at somepoint very soon for this, so I would definately wait for the '05.

:s4addict: -Bimmerhead

[RS4Ever]

Heh.. the Rs4 would be out of my budget (of course i would still love 1.. hehe)

are there any pics of the new facelifted S4?

I saw the A4 Avant facelift from an earlier thread.

And the facelifted RS6 is incredible (the photoshopt one)

My bro and i have done a few photoshopping a while back..

i'll post some pics on a new thread.

peace

[tailpipe]

The issue whereby all Audis will adopt the new grille must be a major headache. I doubt whether anyone will buy an S4 with the old style grille if there are other A4s with the new one.

My understanding is that the only model that won't get the new grille immediately is the A4 / S4 convertible, because of the newness of this model. If your dealer is saying that ordinary saloon/ avant S4s won't get the facelift, then I think he's only trying to shift existing inventory.

[tailpipe]

Last picture is a a pretty good photoshop job lifted from another site. But here is a proper a shot that shows what we can expect. Nice eh?

[Audihead]

Nice, now if we could just paint out the center of the grill it wouldn't look so drastically different. To me it looks like a Chrysler Concorde.

[nene]

That's exactly what I said way back a few months. It's starting to look like the Chrysler dude!!!

[lukegarratt]

That red :eek: does not suit the new S4 IMHO.

But the blue! Wow! Seems to tone down the gaping mouth (which I love).

I imagine the black would look pretty swish too :0:

[itisme]

Glad, that here in Europe there are no uckly Chryslers :D.. that thing looks horrible in my eyes...

anyway that bluephotoshop of the S4 is great :eek:..

:s4addict: love it :heart:

[Klint]

Originally posted by nene
That's exactly what I said way back a few months. It's starting to look like the Chrysler dude!!!

NoNoNo!!

Everyone who's comparing the gaping maw grill on the Audis with that stupid Concorde thing is on the wrong planet.

Those new grills look 110% better in person than what any picture can depict and they look nothing like the Chrysler's....

I'm looking forward to the RS4 more than anything. :D :D

[RS4Ever]

you guys are great. how do you know all the stuff you tell me?

My gut is telling me to wait another 6 months (prob more) for the 2005 S4. However, does anyone know if the '05 will have the tiptronic paddles (i heard that the DB9 has the same paddle technology) and that engine note.. i cant get past that engine sound.. its very thrilling.. i love the sound!
if i had an S4 at this time (an '04 model) then i would probabaly turn down the volume of the breakbeats pumping out of the stereo so that i could hear the engine.


some new grills n concepts...

http://www.jackdanielsmotors.com/beta/audi/news.html



-peace

[lukegarratt]

Maybe it is the camera angle, or the curved front, but the chrysler's grill seems to poke out like a goldfish's mouth. Whereas the grill on the audi looks part of the car, if that makes sense.

If anything the concorde is just the ugly sister...

[Audi Advocate]

If you can afford it now get the current S4V8.

Life is too short to be on a waiting list.

I am mixed on the new grille - European plate looks fine bisecting the bumper but a North American plate won't work as well.

:s4addict:

[RS4Ever]

hey Audi Advocate,

i understand what you mean. im also mixed about the new grill since i havent yet seen it live in person.

the only problem is that this new grill is going to take over and when it will come time to sell my car ... if i dont have the new facelift it will look like a selling an older car and all.

about the bumber.. i told myself that in any case ('04 or '05) i will add on a european liscense tag.

i now drive a jeep grand cherokee, '95 , 4wd fulltime, 5.2 L V8 which is quite a guzzler if put next to the '04 S4.

the dealers keep coming up with wrong matches as to what i want... and will prob not find what i do want.

still in the mix.


-peace

[RS4Ever]

kind of strange.. no?

does anyone know why they govern (in the states) the speed limit to 130mph on the S4 and give the M3 a 159mph limit and the C32 AMG at 156mph?
:vhmmm:


thanks

[itisme]

Originally posted by RS4Ever
kind of strange.. no?

does anyone know why they govern (in the states) the speed limit to 130mph on the S4 and give the M3 a 159mph limit and the C32 AMG at 156mph?
:vhmmm:


thanks

well, in germany, the big labels once made a decission to limit their car to a max speed of 250km/h. I gess they refer to the fact, that they have set the limit only here in europe and do what they like abroad?? Only my explanation :D...


by the way, they think about braking this "law" here in europe because then there is a better competition which car can run fuster :).. well don´t know whether I should find this good or bad...

[gjg]

I think the speed limiter (at 130) is because of tire rating being H for some car in the production line and just stays on all/most of them.

S6 had 155 limit but came with Z rated tires ....

:rolleyes:

[Audi Advocate]

Right on - good luck with your decision.

:s4addict:

[CSBM5]

Does anyone have any further information on the 2005 S4 (face-lifted, updated version) in terms of when it is going to be available here in the USA? Normally, I would assume that the '05 cars would show up in the fall (October?), but I read where in the UK it is expected that sales would start in "early 2005." Typically it seems that the USA is the last to get updates, so it wouldn't surprise me that we wouldn't see it until later than that (and perhaps tagged as a 2006 model, perhaps on sale in late spring...something like that).

I'm looking to sell our 2004 V70R (many reasons, although the car has been 100% reliable) and replace it with an S4 Avant (or preferably an S6 Avant which doesn't look to be coming for a long time), and my local dealer claims there "are no significant differences" coming for the '05 S4. If true this led me to ponder the above scenario for S4's here in the US. It sure would be nice if the car is available with DSG also.

Thanks,
Chuck

P.S. This is my first post to you cool forum:) . We used to own an Audi many years ago during the dog days of car performance (1983 4000S -- at least it handled well when I was done with it back then...sold in 1986 for 535i).

[Nickerz]

I like Audi but I can't get used to the new grille.

Did Chris Bangle have anything to do with that? j/k.

I really feel though, if you have to get used to something or have to see it in person to get used to it...it just doesn't look right to begin with.