NWS4Guy

Ron, I like the smaller V8, with FI it would kick serious ***.

As for the commment about the S4 having a more up to date engine, that is patently false. The 4.2 V8 in the SR5 is the one in the A8, totally redesigned compared to the older 4.2. The fact that the RS5 has a fully next gen itteration of the drivetrain with the new center crown and enhanced ABS in the front that aids the Sport Diff in the rear, it should be a LOT closer.

The problems with the RS5 are:
weight - not enough aluminium
engine - NA isn't going to cut it compared to what you can squeeze out of a FI engine. You also will lose out most times with regards to efficiency of fuel also here.

Gear Junky

The comment wasn't referring to the 4.2L in the RS5 but the older unit in the S5 which is older technology than the 3.0v6 in the S4.

By all accounts the negative comments being directed towards the RS5 are the usual negative comments of not enough involvement, lifeless steering and poor ride, switching the engine would be little to improve these issues. Less weight would help but it's where the weight comes off it that's important and could benefit it more than anything but regardless of this the RS5 corners like it's on rails.

Un1k

have you driven the RS5?

Gear Junky

That statement was more a reference to what a lot of the press have said about the car, it's combination of four wheel torque vectoring system and Audi's sportdiff giving the car unbelievable front end grip in the corners for such a heavy car.

NWS4Guy

Yes 4 wheel vectoring, but not independantly...The Sport Diff does vector between each back wheel, but the center crown just uses the same style clutch pack to move torque front to back, there is nothing that helps the front wheels independant of each other.

Gear Junky

There is a very good Audi promotional video explaining the systems in the RS5.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_09y0...e_gdata_player

Might help explain it better to those less similar with it's all wheel torque vectoring, crown gear awd and sportdiff.

zerinS4

Uhm, the majority of the motoring press has issued a collective YAWN about the RS5, including its handling.

Gear Junky

I believe any negativity levelled at it's handling refers to it's lack of involvement, after all how could they right complain when it's only slightly slower than the M3CP on all tested tracks, a car which I might add is a full 150kg lighter and it's still well ahead of all the rest of the pack. Steering feel and it's continued inability to offering the full throttle adjustibility that a rwd car can is the only two true negatives this car has and even then these are only slightly down on the rest.

darkop

I don't agree...
At most of the tracks it's actually a bit faster!

http://www.fastestlaps.com/compariso...3_e92_dkg.html

Gear Junky

Do those times in Fastestlaps include the most recent times of the M3 with it's Competition Package?

I was under the impression from reading the magazine comparison reviews that with this package the M3 held a slight edge over the RS5, is this not the case?