'97 993TT, '14 E63 S-line, '17 GT-R and a couple of '12 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4s for the kids.
Please cool down everyone.
One thing is for sure, at the last Geneva show the was no doubt there are so many new cars that are attractive it's just close to insanity.
I hope we can still discuss all these different brands. This is and has always been a forum with an Audi S/RS niche and will continue to be so,
but there are other tempting brands out there.
I'm a bit surprised that the benchmark, the BMW M5, I haven't seen it on the roads. Ever.
Managed to see one in Germany the other day. My first. Kind of says something.
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M5, and all other M cars for that matter needs xDrive (4WD) either as standard or as an option, if they fail to offer that in next two years, they are doomed!
There was actually a blurb on this from Autocar recently. It looks like it will just be Audi and Mercedes with AWD in their performance divisions:
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/in...ar-wheel-drive
Mercedes is playing catch-up to Audi in several key markets and the transition to AWD for the AMG E63 series is, again, validation of Audi's overall approach to the high-performance arena for the past thirty+ years. Mercedes' AMG series have, for several generations, putting power down to the pavement effectively at lower speeds as torque overwhelmed the available tractive forces. BMW will resist until market dynamics show increased propensity for AWD over rear wheel drive configurations.
However, Audi, in North America, remains a more niche player when compared with Mercedes and BMW, both of which have approximately three times the sales volume. As a consequence, AoA must careful balance profitability with desirability to grow its market share. Something that few have even considered is the lack of harmonization of standards between the EU and the U.S. is the culprit behind European markers limiting product distribution for the North America; sometimes the potential offering is too small of an audience to maintain economic feasibility. The domestic automakers have the same issues when exporting competent products to the EU. The new Corvette and the Cadillac ATS can show the German makers a thing or two!
Audi builds the 2 new cars I most want right now (C7 RS6 and R8 V10). And has built some of my most favorite cars of all time(UR-quattro, RS2, all of the RS4's & RS6's) and they basically own the LMP1 class, particularly their total domination at Le Mans. That's why Audi is preferred! If I lived anywhere else in the world I would have an RS2 and an C6 RS6 Avant. This is why I'm kicking around the idea of doing the A6-->RS6 conversion vs buying an E63.
C5 RS6 - Daytona Grey/Silver, Carbon Fiber, RNS-E, O.CT ECU/TCU--sold :(
DD: 02 G500 - 35" Nitto Trail Graplers, baja roof rack, 52" LED light bar
Business Car: Gulf liveried 01 996TT w/ Tial Alpha A28 turbos + supporting mods - 700hp
IMHO, this is just their way of buying time B/C, and way to keep ''head high'' in the eyes of their costumers that are considering M car right now or have just boght one. I'm more than sure that xDrive WILL BE OPTION on the next M3, maybe not from day one, but in some moment!
They allready have two 4WD M cars, those are X5 M and X6 M!
Quite a project!
Quite a project indeed, but imagine the envy when it's completed. These forums will go bananas, an american with a RS6 Avant
2004 Audi RS6 - 4.2 V8
1993 Audi S4 - 4.2 V8
2007 Audi A8 - 4.2 V8
The configurator is online...
http://konfigurator.audi.de/entry?ma...ext=model-page
On the configurator it says 4.0 FSI engine, is this mistake or Audi is changing its nomenclature of engines once more...?
PTT
Oh, I don't know about that. Motor Trend's numbers are almost identical to Car and Driver's: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...s8_first_test/ (0-60 3.5, 1/4 mile 11.8 @ 118.3).
The US mags use 1 foot rollout, weather adjustment, etc. Let me rephrase. I only trust magazines that actually post times achieved. Not a single European mag has posted a sub 4 Audi S8 time. The same was true for PTT and PTTS. American mags posted identical times for them, when in fact in European mags the PTTS was significantly faster. In truth they are no even close. Not saying I dislike American mags, I actually order two, but the times are not realistic. In truth the S8 wont touch a Panamera Turbo S, even though American mags seem to suggest so.
PTT
I know that this is a repeat of previously posted information; however, look at the acceleration times posted in this group:
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...omparison-test
Until the PTTS and S8 meet in anger nothing, I will refrain from speculating which one is quicker.
I am only seeing S6 times in your post and those are SIGNIFFICANTLY slower than M5 and E63 AMG. Almost 10 MPH slower on a quarter mile run. Please be reasonable, the only same mag comparison I found for you quickly and ok I didnt remember correctly the numbers, but come on, a stock S8 wont touch a Panamera turbo S:. Like you I dont even care to discuss on the matter. The Panamera Turbo is a different story of course.
PTT
In the United States, 0 to 60 is more relevant than quarter mile times. Of course, in parts of the EU, other measures of performance is more relevant for that market.