Showing posts with label B8 S4. Show all posts
Showing posts with label B8 S4. Show all posts

29.9.08

Audi Mania!

Audi has done it again and again. If there is a third time, I promise it will be a charm. Audi has blessed the world with two new sport-sedans and they’re pissed off.

The new RS6 sedan will be utilizing the same power plant as the avant, which is out overseas. The statistics are astounding: 580 bhp accompanied by 479 lb-ft of torque. Essentially, that is the same as God descending from the heavens. Striking and awesome.

Source: Autoblog.com

The twin-turbo V10 means business and will not stand for anything less. 0-60 comes in an Audi-claimed 4.5 seconds. I think it is safe to assume it can knock off a couple tenths of a second from their claim, albeit with 580 bhp, I was hoping for a sub four second number.

Source: Autoblog.com

I am going to stop there though. Long story short, it would be a fantastic rival to BMW’s M5 and Mercedes’ E63 AMG, but the Audi folks will not be bringing the RS6 stateside. I find this quite disheartening because it is head and shoulders above its competitors – at least in styling.

Something we Yankees can relate to is the B8 S4. Yes, she will be coming stateside.

One problem; no more avant!

Blasphemy. From the company that produces the best wagons in the planet, we have received the shaft.

Looking beyond this disturbing fact, Audi has done a fantastic job putting together a respectable offering. Fitted with a new 3.0 TFSI supercharged V6, the new S4 will do 0-60 in a claimed 5.1 seconds. Not bad. The specs are pretty nice, 333 bhp and 325 lb-ft torque. Personally, I would have loved to see a twin-turbo set up a la B5 S4. God, I loved that car and just about every B5 owner did as well.

Source: Audiworld.com

Matted to the new engine is a fresh 7-speed “S tronic,” dual clutch transmission. You can expect this “S tronic,” gadgetry to impress with head-snapping upshifts. As with all modern transmissions, I am stoked to hear the throttle blips.

An interesting option is the new quattroSport rear differential. I want to hear more details on this when they are available.

The car’s interior is, as expected, stunning. Audi does every interior “right.” They really do. A mixture of top-notch plastics, piano black trim and aluminum adorn the cockpit. If that center stack is oriented slightly towards the driver, Audi has won me over – for good.

Source: Audiworld.com

Audi has been turning out fantastic designs as of late. The brand is where BMW use to be; subtle, classic and aggressive designs. Remember the E39 M5, the E46 M3? How about the E38 7-series? The new design language Audi has tapped will make many new styling triumphs. I wish I could shake the designer(s) hand.

Expect the B8 S4 in showrooms next fall as a 2010 model – womp womp.

Conspiracy theory: Audi kept the B8’s bhp under 350 in order to make room for a new RS4 which I presume will debut with upwards of 450-500 bhp.

In other Audi-related news, I will be covering the Audi Mileage Marathon from Chicago to Denver. It will be a very nice way to get more acquainted with Audi’s diesel variants.

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