Vs AutoBild: Audi S4 vs BMW 335i

[Guibo]

Wow, AWD S4 matches the RWD BMW in the steering ranking. This is the area in which its benchmark in the class has traditionally separated itself from the others. The 5er seems to have lost its lead in the class in that regard, and it seems the 3er stands to suffer the same fate.

 

[mini_cooper4]

S4
I love reading some comments

 

[bmwownage]

Wow, AWD S4 matches the RWD BMW in the steering ranking. This is the area in which its benchmark in the class has traditionally separated itself from the others. The 5er seems to have lost its lead in the class in that regard, and it seems the 3er stands to suffer the same fate.

Haven't driven many cars lately but I really want to say that the F10 steering is not very communicative and feels pretty fake. Got a E90 now and that feels better than the F10. Of course i do think the F10 has the capability and gives reasonable confidence, but the feel isn't there. drove a 520i and it was, well, just a car.

 

[Zafiro]

Haven't driven many cars lately but I really want to say that the F10 steering is not very communicative and feels pretty fake. Got a E90 now and that feels better than the F10. Of course i do think the F10 has the capability and gives reasonable confidence, but the feel isn't there. drove a 520i and it was, well, just a car.

I have driven both F10 and F30. The steering is nothing like 5- series. It's just as good as E90 but lighter. I havent tried the optional sportsteering yet but the standard steering is great.

 

[ACE]

an S4 performs better than a boggo Sport Line 335i? Shock, horror - I almost passed out from the surprise.

The M Performance 335i is coming - then it's a proper head to head. For now, the S4 wins because it deserves to. It's the most special Audi to drive this side of the R8.

Agreed, the proper head to head will be the S4 against a similarly equipped M Performance 335i.

Autobild gave the 335i the nod by 10 points overall due to a 14 point win in the cost category, the S4 won the driving dynamics, comfort and body (interior exterior) categories. In the UK the pricing for the standard 335i (335i Luxury Auto) is £38,355 vs £38,645 for the S4 S-tronic. Basically, for a UK buyer (where price difference is negligible) Autobild has given the nod to the S4. It will be interesting to see the price of a 335i with the M-Sport pack and the M Performance Power Kit (hopefully that includes bigger brakes and an LSD) compares to the S4.

 

[Deckhook]

Agreed, the proper head to head will be the S4 against a similarly equipped M Performance 335i.

Autobild gave the 335i the nod by 10 points overall due to a 14 point win in the cost category, the S4 won the driving dynamics, comfort and body (interior exterior) categories. In the UK the pricing for the standard 335i (335i Luxury Auto) is £38,355 vs £38,645 for the S4 S-tronic. Basically, for a UK buyer (where price difference is negligible) Autobild has given the nod to the S4. It will be interesting to see the price of a 335i with the M-Sport pack and the M Performance Power Kit (hopefully that includes bigger brakes and an LSD) compares to the S4.

You have hit the nail on the head, all these opinion for and against (even in magazines) ultimately the final decision is based on value for money and rightly so but it's why each of us differ so much in our opinions. I agree with Martin that the M/Sport really needs to be the true comparison though I doubt a few suspension tweaks and a different bodykit will make it quicker in acceleration or find the time lost around the track unless the tyre choice is dramatically sportier and the M/Sport gains a bit more horses.

Both great performance cars with a different perspective on how that's achieved.

 

[ACE]

I agree with Martin that the M/Sport really needs to be the true comparison though I doubt a few suspension tweaks and a different bodykit will make it quicker in acceleration or find the time lost around the track unless the tyre choice is dramatically sportier and the M/Sport gains a bit more horses.

Martin wasn't talking about M-Sport but rather M Performance 335i . The M Performance 335i will have more hp (rumoured around 340hp) and will almost certainly be faster than the 333hp S4 (except where traction is limited) due to its lighter weight, better weight distribution and more efficient RWD drivetrain.

What I want to know is what's included and how much the M Performance 335i will cost? I would also be v. interested to see if Autobild did a S4 vs M Performance 335i comparo and the M Performance 335i was faster than the S4 but was now more expensive (throw in some heated seats, split folding rear seats, nappa leather sports seats, xenon lights, auto box etc. and remove them from the S4 to skew the price a bit further) would Autobild be consistent and give the nod to the S4

 

[Deckhook]

A 340hp 335i M Performance will definitely whip the S4 cause weight increase over the normal 335i will be small if at all but like you I reckon it will cost considerably more. Catch 22 really.

 

[Human]

AMS Photo's

SOURCE: Audi S4 und BMW 335i im Test: Lader-Pfeifen im Doppelpack (Bildergalerie, Bild 20) - AUTO MOTOR UND SPORT

 

[klier]

A 340hp 335i M Performance will definitely whip the S4 cause weight increase over the normal 335i will be small if at all but like you I reckon it will cost considerably more. Catch 22 really.

The base price of an S4 is 10k more than a regular 335i. Didn't hear you about that one.

 

[Deckhook]

Again you are speaking of your country and not a general statement, here in the UK based on what my BMW dealer told me the M/Sport version of the 335i will be at least the price of the S4.

 

[speed_kills]

In Germany is 10k more. Here is 20k.

 

[Deckhook]

In Germany is 10k more. Here is 20k.

But what is the difference after you've evened up the spec on both car?

 

[klier]

Again you are speaking of your country and not a general statement, here in the UK based on what my BMW dealer told me the M/Sport version of the 335i will be at least the price of the S4.

I am talking about Germany, one of it's main markets. In my country, like Sweden, the gap is even bigger. The 335i is from 53k, and the S4 from 70k. That is a huge difference?

In the U.K, the S4 costs £37500, and the 335i costs £35500, which is only a bit cheaper indeed...

 

[speed_kills]

But what is the difference after you've evened up the spec on both car?

Petrol here cost about 1,70€/ltrs. Pretty rare cars to sell, so they come standard very well equipped.

 

[Deckhook]

I am talking about Germany, one of it's main markets. In my country, like Sweden, the gap is even bigger. The 335i is from 53k, and the S4 from 70k. That is a huge difference?

In the U.K, the S4 costs £37500, and the 335i costs £35500, which is only a bit cheaper indeed...

And that price is for a non M/Sport varieity. This is why I find debates here as with any car forum to be quite heated because our opinions are based solely on how it effects us but I have to agree that if the gap was huge against either car it would take you to really want the most expensive one to justify the slight performance advantage.

 

[ACE]

I am talking about Germany, one of it's main markets. In my country, like Sweden, the gap is even bigger. The 335i is from 53k, and the S4 from 70k. That is a huge difference?

In the U.K, the S4 costs £37500, and the 335i costs £35500, which is only a bit cheaper indeed...

That £35,500 335i is low spec and is not directly comparable to the reasonably spec'd £37,500 S4. That 335i has cloth upholstery, 17inch wheels, no M-Sport pack (i.e. standard seats, body kit, suspension) and no xenon headlights in base spec. I would like to know how much a 335i with M Performance 18 inch brakes, M Performance ~340hp engine, M Performance body kit, M Performance wheels, M Performance suspension and M Performance exhaust costs? And if you add X-drive, split folding rear seats etc. to get up to truly equivalent S4 spec? But we will have to wait until closer to Dec 2012 until we know that pricing. There is no doubt that like-for-like the S4 is cheaper in the UK given current pricing. Also worth mentioning is that DCT and a LSD are not available as options on the 335i saloon, most people take these options on the S4 in the UK. Lastly, the F30 is much newer and dealer discounts off the asking price are not as good as the S4.

I would like to replace my S4 (3 years old last week) soon, I had considered a 335i but the spec is not good enough to tempt me out of the S4 which is why I know all of these spec and pricing details , at the moment the F10 M5 is top contender but it is a bit too big and too heavy for me (and it costs a fair bit more too) so at the moment I am tending towards a F30 M3 which looks like it will be the perfect replacement, the only problem with that is that I have to wait over a year and I am impatient.

 

[Deckhook]

at the moment I am tending towards a F30 M3 which looks like it will be the perfect replacement, the only problem with that is that I have to wait over a year and I am impatient.

Remember it won't get AWD.

 

[klier]

Remember it won't get AWD.

LOL, duh! You don't have to give reminders about that.

And standard 335i vs a fully loaded S4 is just as easy to choose from as a fully loaded 335i vs a fully loaded S4.

 

[ACE]

And standard 335i vs a fully loaded S4 is just as easy to choose from as a fully loaded 335i vs a fully loaded S4.

Maybe for you, but most people look further than the badge on the bonnet and also look at things like performance, specification and cost when making their decision.