USA RS4 (B7) Edition News

[RS4Ever]

ok.. here it goes..

"Today, Audi hopes the latest RS4 will do the same and plans both sedan and Avant for Europe while North America, we're told, will get the sedan for now with few changes from the car you see here. Among those few changes, we hear the sport seats will not make it to the USA as they're unavailable with side-impact airbags. For North America, this doesn't fit with the product strategy and as such it is expected that the RS4 will make use of its own versions of the S4's highly capable Recaro seating."

Found Here - Click Me (http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Audi_News/article_1064.shtml)

:cry: :w: :w: :w: :w: :w:

[rheudabaga]

bloody germans! can't they see that we want the freakin wagon! and the seats! nooooooo!

oh well. wonder what the S6 will hold for us....

[AriciU]

Heh, it's US's fault really. You want those damn side airbags :)

[5000S old skool]

Dammit.... I'm sure the owners will get the seats installed themselves once the RS4 gets here.

[Audihead]

Originally posted by 5000S old skool
Dammit.... I'm sure the owners will get the seats installed themselves once the RS4 gets here.

Your damn right, no matter how much it costs.:w:

:s4addict:

[nene]

Originally posted by Audihead
Your damn right, no matter how much it costs.:w:

:s4addict:


Same sentiment observed by most RS6 owners, yet I don't believe we've had any in the USA upgrade to the Recaros.
Sometimes the price makes it prohibitive, but it's possible that a few souls will go that route. I won't expect it to be more than 0.5% of total US owners though.

Car will be quite expensive as is, considering it's an A4 sized vehicle. I personally don't know of many owners that will buy that size car for that price. Considering there will be more RS4 vehicles shipped to the US than RS6 vehicles, I'd say there will be quite a few sitting at dealerships.

Not trying to be a sour grape. I think I'll get one for the GF so I can actually get to drive it. But I'm only getting it, because she likes the cars smaller, but still powerful. She loved my 2000 S4.

[Benman]

Originally posted by AriciU
Heh, it's US's fault really. You want those damn side airbags :)
To be more precise, it's the GOVERNMENT of the US's fault. I coule care less about the "mighty US safety standards". :rolleyes: What a joke.

That totally SUCKS if they don't bring those seats Stateside. And Nene is RIGHT. All the TALK of RS 6 owners upgrading their seats has resulted in next to NO results. Once again, we'll have to take it up the shorts thanks to our governments greed.:(

Ben:addict:

[5000S old skool]

the regular seats are heavy too. Probably around 150lbs total for the both.

[A418TQTip]

Originally posted by Benman
To be more precise, it's the GOVERNMENT of the US's fault. I coule care less about the "mighty US safety standards". :rolleyes: What a joke.

That totally SUCKS if they don't bring those seats Stateside. And Nene is RIGHT. All the TALK of RS 6 owners upgrading their seats has resulted in next to NO results. Once again, we'll have to take it up the shorts thanks to our governments greed.:(

Ben:addict:

I, for one, don't mind extra safety features... Plus, it's not like the Recaros suck...

[rks838]

He's got a point - Recaros are not bad seats at all. In fact, the seats in the pics looked quite thin, unpadded, and actually uncomfortable. But maybe that's just my American taste...

[Benman]

Originally posted by A418TQTip
I, for one, don't mind extra safety features... Plus, it's not like the Recaros suck...
I think you misunderstood my comment. It was not stating that air bags on seats suck, it was stating that the US governments VIEW on safety sucks!

Why can base model Kia and Hyundais be sold HERE in the States WITHOUT front side impact air bags? Because they're not luxury cars? So if you're poor, you shouldn't be entitled to the "mighty safety features" of the US? Why is it required on EXPENSIVE cars that are imported? It has NOTHING to do with safety and everything to do with :deal: . Why do you think that for YEARS, trucks were allowed to sell here without FRONT air bags when imported passenger CARS were required to have them as STANDARD safety features?!?:vhmmm:

Remeber, it's ALL about the greenbacks and Audi doesn't feel like spending the $10 million dollars to get their stuff "federalized" on a low volume car. Same reason there were no Recaros for the RS 6 but yet the Recaros for the S4 which debuted here shortly after passed with flying colors.:vhmmm:

It's ALWAYS about the :deal: .

And you're 100% right about the S4's Recaros. I've been in them and they're great. But if you're gonna fork out $20K+ for the RS 4 over the S4, why would you want the same seats when you know the REALLY sweet ones are out there?

OK, rant's over.

Ben:addict:

[RS4Ever]

Benman has a good point...

check this out...
---------------------------------------

Also.. Info about Avant to US... Wheels... etc..

Full Article - Click me (http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Audi_News/article_1070.shtml)

When will the RS4 turn up for purchase?
In his speech at Audi’s annual press conference, Audi AG Chairman of the Board Martin Winterkorn stated that the RS4 will see its market launch, presumably in Europe, later this summer.

Sources inside Audi of North America suggest a North American RS4 will arrive six to nine months after the B7 S4 – the latter scheduled to arrive in April. Following that timeframe, the car could arrive by next fall, though a conservative estimate would be the first quarter of 2006.


So it’s coming to the USA, what about Canada?
Both the USA and Canada will be graced with the presence of the RS4, though pricing has yet to be confirmed.


Will it be an Avant like the B5 RS4?
We don’t expect Audi to show the RS4 Avant at Geneva, though it will make a showing before this summer’s launch. Unfortunately for those diehard Avant purists, Audi just doesn’t sell enough of the wagons in North America to make a business case.

The A4 and S4 sell in a 10:1 ratio of sedans to Avant. We’re told they expect to sell roughly 1,000 units a year of the RS4 sedan. Going through all of the hoops it would take to federalize and sell the car in North America for 100 cars a years doesn’t make the sale of an RS4 Avant compelling from a business perspective.

That said, one can never say never. Sale of the Avant is simply not likely, but overwhelming success of the RS4 or a move to do something wild as the car reaches the end of its planned production run isn’t an unheard of move in the auto industry.

What about pricing
Ask anything about pricing right now and Audi representatives remain coy. Trying to guess exchange rates for the time of the car’s launch is a little bit like soothsaying. However, given the relatively low expected allotments, one can expect a healthy premium.


How will North American RS4s differ from European models?
Details on this are somewhat unclear, but we’ve managed to nail down a couple details.

For Europe, the RS4 makes use of some trick sport seats with some sort of automatic adjustment or might could even have an optional racing-style seat like those found in the limited B5 RS4 Sport. Unfortunately, neither of these European market seats make use of side-impact airbags – something that doesn’t meet Audi of America’s market needs.

For this reason, Audi of America will probably make use of a version of the Recaro seating found in today’s S4.

We hear other details such as the European optional 19-inch wheels are being debated. One photo of the 5-spoke 18-inch design was released with Audi’s annual report, and it’s possible that North Americans may have that as their only option. Here’s hoping Audi will at least offer the handsome 19-inch split 7-spoke design as an option.

[Benman]

Originally posted by RS4Ever

check this out...
---------------------------------------

Also.. Info about Avant to US... Wheels... etc..

Full Article - Click me (http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Audi_News/article_1070.shtml)

[I]When will the RS4 turn up for purchase?
Following that timeframe, the car could arrive by next fall, though a conservative estimate would be the first quarter of 2006.



Will it be an Avant like the B5 RS4?

The A4 and S4 sell in a 10:1 ratio of sedans to Avant. We’re told they expect to sell roughly 1,000 units a year of the RS4 sedan. Going through all of the hoops it would take to federalize and sell the car in North America for 100 cars a years doesn’t make the sale of an RS4 Avant compelling from a business perspective.

That said, one can never say never. Sale of the Avant is simply not likely, but overwhelming success of the RS4 or a move to do something wild as the car reaches the end of its planned production run isn’t an unheard of move in the auto industry.

What about pricing
Ask anything about pricing right now and Audi representatives remain coy. However, given the relatively low expected allotments, one can expect a healthy premium.


For Europe, the RS4 makes use of some trick sport seats with some sort of automatic adjustment or might could even have an optional racing-style seat like those found in the limited B5 RS4 Sport. Unfortunately, neither of these European market seats make use of side-impact airbags – something that doesn’t meet Audi of America’s market needs.

For this reason, Audi of America will probably make use of a version of the Recaro seating found in today’s S4.
I] [/B]
This is what I'm talking about. It's just not worth it to "give" the US government a VERY large sum of money to "federalize" seats for a LOW volume vehicle. It just doesn't add up. The S4 was never meant to be a low volume car and sales were anticipated @ 3000-5000 units a year, making it much more cost effective for them to pay the fees to have their seats legalized here. The RS 4 will not have that luxury and therefor we will probably not get the seats the car was intended to have which is a shame. It also is the reason we probably will not be seeing the Avant. Even though it is the SAME vehicle, it must be tested completely independant of the sedan to make sure it meets the "requirements" of the Fed. Since they sell 10-1 in the US, this again, will make it extremely NOT cost effective to bring the Avant here. I'm not trying to stick up for Audi or the Germans, just trying to educate people on were the REAL blame lies.

The launch time for the RS 4 sounds about right, I'd think LATE spring, early summer, we might see it here in the States. It more than likely will spill into the end of 06. Let's hope not.

Ben:addict:

[Finnus]

I'm just happy to see that Audi is going to import the RS4-Beast! (Not that I had much of a question) Also, everything we had heard to date was late 2006, so 1st quarter if accurate is great news!!

Finnus
:addict:

[Benman]

Originally posted by Finnus
I'm just happy to see that Audi is going to import the RS4-Beast! (Not that I had much of a question) Also, everything we had heard to date was late 2006, so 1st quarter if accurate is great news!!

Finnus
:addict:
True That!:cheers:
Ben:addict: