HawaiiS4girl

rs4

bergstrom

Ouch! That really sucks! Guess the closest you can get will be the RS5, otherwise you will have to wait a number of years...

RIP!

rabbiTT

The process to federalise vehicles in North America, or any new region for that matter is expensive. So if you are not going to have sufficient sales volume to offset those costs then they will not bring it, not even on order, unless you are willing to pay for the process yourself. I know because I have made several calls to Audi corporate and to Audi AG directly about prior models.

First, cars must be crash tested and in the US cars are tested with dummies that do AND do not have their seatbelts on since the dummies, err drivers, over here do not buckle routinely when getting in. In Europe the tests are ONLY done with buckled dummies.

Also not only does the model have to be tested but if there is a unique steering wheel or seat, say, like the flat bottom wheel that first came on the new TT but not on the RS4 (as in Europe), these also have to be tested - and they must pass. For that reason the flat bottom steering wheel was not brought over on the RS4 but did on the TT, a much higher sales volume car; and the Euro bucket seats in the RS4 and now the TTRS will not either as they will not pass muster on the airbag tests.

So you want them? Then talk to Congress, the FMVSS, the DOT and have them do crash testing on buckled dummies and maybe the cost will be offset by using European data. Then talk to the EPA to use the same stringent Euro standards for emissions and we can have all the vehicles we want. Until then across the pond will always get the beautiful rides and options of which we are constantly deprived

a3man215

Has anyone had any experience attempting to import one of these cars new? An S3 for example? I understand why Audi doesn't but how much would it add to the price to import it on your own? VAT and all that included? $10,000? Is it possible?

sakimano

what's the point? Honestly? Let's call the cost about $100,000. Why not just get an A3 2.0T, buy S3 bumpers, buy suspension, do a K04 turbo swap and have fun? That's about $6,000.

There was no B5 RS4 in America, but I sure do see plenty of K04 cars here...and although rare, there are also a bunch of K04+widebody RS4 conversion cars.

sakimano

yup. In America, there were less than 800 B6/7 S4 Avants sold each year. Disastrous sales. No wonder.

Canada suffers. We actually bought about 65% as many Avants as Americans, even though we're only 10% of the population. Thus they're 6.2x more popular here. BUT since the US and Canada have aligned the safety regulations, foreign car makers often paint us with the same brush they do the American market - not Avant friendly.

benonj

The latest Car and Driver comparo with the RS5 coming in 3rd behind the M3 and CTS-V before the RS5 is even here sure is not going to help RS lovers see more cars in the US.

Kringle

I find the (R)S5 a bit bottom heavy in looks. I think it looks really good overall but not "light". I would love to see Audi work on weight distribution a little bit more and they would win more bragging rights. I know it really makes little difference on the street day to day and engine ahead of front axle packaging is better but it should be addressed and modified nonetheless.

Kringle

Byan,

Sorry to see your car go. It's always a little sad to see something with so much work put in go to waste. How'd that flood happen?

Hope your search goes well. There is really little that is AWD, fast, and has a bit of luxury, rolled in to one package. Are RS4 prices going up?? : )

sakimano

that's normal though. The RS4 lost pretty much every single 'comparo' it was in against the M3/C63

also, Car and Driver does commercials for BMW now, so take ANYTHING they say with a grain of salt.

At the end of the day it's simple:

the Cadillac is overpowered and crazy fun, but hideous
the BMW is the true scalpel of the group...best driver's car and uberquick
the Audi is the best all arounder...and best for anyone living north of the Carolinas

They all appeal to different people...as did the RS4/C63/M3 sedan