New 2005.... RS3 V RS4 V RS6

[Roadie]

Hi all,

I'm new here and have an R32, looking to upgrade next year or so.

I was wondering whether the little forthcoming 350bhp RS3 will be much more fun than a 2005 420bhp RS4, or even a 500bhp-ish RS6. Presumably AMD or similar will offer a chip for the iccle RS3 upping it to at least 400bhp - easily done with it's twin turbos, obviously. I won't need any more space than this as I don't have any kids, so am I right in thinking the bigger cars are a waste of time for me? The bigger cars would probably only have the same power to weight ratio, but probably handle much less well due to their mega size.

Opinions welcome!

[RS4Ever]

the RS3 will definately have its advantages.. i would say more nimble because of its size.. its a very well balanced car.

how is the R32 so far?
its an awsome car to see here on the streets in the states when you get the chance to

[Roadie]

R32 is very well rounded - nippy, very solid handling, comfy enough for longer trips too. Could do with revving a little more freely though.

Can't wait for the RS3 to come out. Any dates people?

[RS4Ever]

i have no clue about dates... you might want to check with RS6 member "tailpipe", he has ordered the RS4.

good luck!

[tailpipe]

Sorry, guys but there is a lot of rubbish written on this forum at times. Please let's stick to fact where possible.

While it is certain that there will be an RS4 and RS6, there has been no information forthcoming from Audi about an RS3. The recent story in the UK magazine Autocar about the RS3 was a photoshop job and not based on real information. All comments about this car are pure speculation at this time. Unless someone has a definitive release from an acredited source which others can verify.

Given Audi's product strategy based on the timings of new model launches, if an RS3 is in the pipeline, it is probably 2 to 3 years down the road, because past history reveals that RS models usually appear half way through the production lifespan of a model. Just to remind you that the next RS model is the RS4 and this is still more than a year away, while the RS6 is probably slated to appear around 2007. (Audi have said there will be a new version of it, but not much else.) Moreover, there doesn't seem to be a strong business case for the RS3 at the moment. Given that a fully loaded 3.2 A3 coupe costs GBP 32,000, an RS3 version would probably cost in the region of GBP 35,000-37,500 in order not to canabilise sales of the cheaper to produce standard 3.2 version. But a car sold at such a price creates a real overlap problem with the S4.

If you know anything different, please tell us - but don't forget to quote your sources. Thank you.