A4/S4/RS4 [Tests] Audi RS4 Avant

[Deckhook]

^Yeah but the R8 is the exception to the rule when talking about Audi.

 

[Guibo]

Car Enthusiast's review

14 Jun 2012

Overall rating: 4/5 stars
Audi's most coveted RS model returns as a high-revving V8-engined Avant, which has the numbers to ensure it's got the measure of its AMG and BMW M rivals. You have to dig deep to reveal the insanity though, and that compromises it as a genuinely useable fast road car.

In the Metal: 5/5
The A4 Avant is already a handsome car and the RS additions only enhance that further. Blistered wheelarches filled by 19-inch (or optional 20-inch) alloys and a 20mm drop in ride height add gravitas, while the two large oval tailpipes at the rear look as good as they sound. Brushed metal effect trim on the lower portions of the front bumper and larger front grille and air intakes give the RS 4 a more assertive nose too. For full q-car effect the RS 4 arguably looks best when these - and the wing mirror caps - are body coloured.

Inside it's as you'd expect, with more sporting seats (the optional deeply bolstered bucket seats gripping you even more tightly if you can live with the slightly more difficult access), RS badging and lots of equipment. No third pedal here though, as the RS 4 is only offered with Audi's seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission. It will be sold as an Avant (estate) model only, too.

Driving it: 3/5
It would be futile to say that the RS 4 is anything but a ridiculously fast car, the 4.7-second 0-62mph time underlining that. Add a top speed of 155mph (optionally 174mph) and it's unquestionably the fastest car in the A4 range and right on the numbers against its M3 and C 63 AMG rivals. However, what's immediately obvious on the road is the need to absolutely monster the RS 4's V8 engine for it to deliver the sort of pace those numbers promise. Blame the late arrival of its 430Nm of torque, as the rev counter's needle needs 4,000rpm on it before the V8 dishes out maximum twist. Factor in its peak power output of 450hp arriving just before the redline at 8,250rpm and the RS 4 is a car that needs wringing out to deliver.

That means you need to be on top of your game with the transmission. With seven speeds to choose from you'll be stabbing for downshifts entering a bend if the RS 4 is to deliver real punch on the exit. Corners taken in third in the Audi S4 require second in the RS 4, so it's unlikely the gear indicator will ever display anything above third or fourth on a typical UK country road if you're intent on keeping that V8 on song.

It's quick, but needy, and the rewards are scant at all but the most obnoxious speeds. Admittedly, the 4.2-litre V8 sounds epic when it is in its sweet spot, but it's also frustratingly tardy when out of it. That makes for a disjointed driving experience, that lacks the sort of low-rev brutality of its C 63 AMG rival, or even the effortless real-world surge of an A4 with a big-banging turbodiesel under the bonnet. On the plus side, there is massive grip, incredible traction and a chassis that feels more rear-biased than any quattro Audi ought to (thank the standard fitment of Audi's Sport Differential) - so there are rewards to be had. However, the limits are so high and the speeds so great you'll be in trouble if you're caught exploring them on the road.

Fiddling with the Drive Select system allows selection for Dynamic, Automatic or Comfort preferences on everything from the suspension, to the steering (if the optional dynamic steering and Dynamic Ride Control have been selected). Everything on Dynamic seems to work well, with the suspension on Automatic to smooth out the ride when the road is less than perfectly surfaced. The steering offers heft, but feel is lacking at the perforated leather covered wheel rim.

What you get for your Money: 4/5
At the top of the A4 range the equipment list is unsurprisingly comprehensive. Usefully too Audi has bundled the options you'd want in a single Sport Package. It contains the 20-inch alloy option, a more vocal sports exhaust, Dynamic Ride Control and dynamic steering in a single £2,250 bundle - a saving of £2,915 compared with optioning these individually.

Worth Noting
Officially the RS 4's V8 delivers 26.4mpg on the combined economy cycle, but you'll get nowhere near that on the road. If you're off to Germany regularly the 155mph electronic limiter can be raised to 174mph. Ceramic brakes are also available for the front axle, saving 4.5kg of un-sprung weight over the standard brakes.

Summary
Audi's RS concept of a high-revving engine is definitely fulfilled here, but it doesn't translate that convincingly to the road. It's unquestionably quick when pressed hard, but largely devoid of any thrill at anything but the most ridiculous speeds, which results in a frustratingly disjointed driving experience.

http://www.carenthusiast.com/reviews/article/7355/-/2012-Audi-RS 4 Avant/First drive.html

 

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[Kowalski]

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[Deckhook]

^ That's a very fair point Chris made about the RS4 and one most Audi fans on just about every Audi forum has complained about with the choice of engine.......torque is everything and when you have a awd system capable of handling just about as much as humanly possible why not give it a turbo engine?

Also the dealer told me unofficially he was told the stock suspension + 19" rims is the better option and saves you a bucket of money to boot.

 

[Tumbo]

Wow, wow, wow, what a test. It was a pure pleasure watching all 17 minutes. I agree on all points here. The new RS4 is an amazing car. But not as magical as the RS4 B7 was.
Oh how I love that he went back in the days to the RS4 B5 That was pure pleasure to watch. One of my dream cars.
ANd the C63? Nah, as good as the car is, I wouldnt pick it over the RS4.

Thanks for the wonderful video!!! Made my day for sure.

 

[Zafiro]

Mm, that C63 is a hard nut to crack.

 

[Deckhook]

^if it wasn't for the fact that here the C63 loses so much money it would be one of the cars I would love to own. That said where as I would only want my RS Audi in estate form I would never think of owning an estate AMG.

 

[south]

Hmm, they messed up the steering?


Best regards,
south

 

[Deckhook]

^Usual Audi don't you think. Though as yet none of the press have sampled the standard system or the stock suspension with 19" alloys.

 

[martinbo]

Well, well. Monkey really is in a league all of his own when it comes telling a car story on camera. I'm blown away by this latest report.

My thoughts on the RS4 Avant? Quite simply the B7 RS4 is one of my absolute dream machines. One in an Avant bodyshell would be nirvana for me, so special is that unrivalled appeal of an Audi wagon coupled with the B7's exceptional machinery. If you lined up that quartet in front of me and asked me to pick one I'd be running for the B7. The reason for me is the elegance of the relatively simple mechanicals underpinning the B7. The hydraulically cross-linked dampers, the rorty naturally aspirated V8, the Torsen centre differential but - most of all - a straightforward manual gearbox. It's distressing to me that, in certain cases such as that of the B8 RS4, car makers don't offer a manual gearbox as a no-cost option.

The B8 RS4 lacks the elegant simplicity of the B7. It's too tech-laden, a step too far in complexity that makes the saying "less is more" very apt in this context. It's how I've always felt about the RS5 and the RS4 simply inherits this persona by default. Such a pity. Of course, pragmatically, one has to look at the intended audience - the target market so to speak - those with the wherewithal (or as is so prevalent these days, the credit facility) to afford such cars aren't interested in heel-n-toe, driving beyond 6/10ths, steering granularity and so forth. It's a shame that purists aren't catered for too, that's all.

At the risk of turning this into Internal Combustion (note to all: don't go there) taking the B7 RS4 out of the equation, and left with no other prospect than to accept the fact of self-shifting transmissions, I'd opt for the simpler, more involving C63 AMG Touring any day of the week.

 

[Deckhook]

^Martin your final paragraph is basically doing what you are warning others not to do don't you think?

Anyway, back to the RS4. Steering has and will remain one element that Audi don't seem to concentrate to much on, like you said and I agree this is a part of modern driving that the major don't want their steering wheel to be bucking about on a poor B-road which is commonplace the world over. Another thing and this is definitely the true of the UK at least.........big rims, why oh why do everyone feel the need to get the biggest rims possible and destroy the sweet handling/ride balance that the developers spent thousands of miles fine tuning, when I bought my M3 and sampled both 18" and 19" the difference was huge and if anything the jump from 19" to 20" as is the case with the RS4/5 should be even worse.

Personally I can forgive the lack of steering feel, living and driving poor B-roads daily the idea of a steering wheel that offered everything would be a pleasure for 10 mins and tiresome there after but poor ride is something I absolutely hate, hope the 19" rims combination changes the overall opinion these first drives have raised.

P.S.
And Audi make sure it's replace comes with FI, we all know quattro can handle so much more torque and make it much more enjoyable more of the time.

 

[Deckhook]

Another thing worth mentioning is the weight distribution of the new RS4 (53/47) I believe this is even superior to the AWD maestros like the GTR, Porsche Panny Turbo and even the RWD C63. Audi are finally listening and changes are afoot so we can only imagine where the figure might end up to be for the B9 A4.

 

[Tumbo]

Audi are finally listening and changes are afoot so we can only imagine where the figure might end up to be for the B9 A4.

Finally? They listened back in 2005, when they made the B7 RS4. And then the R8. They should get back to what they did back then. And continue on that line.

 

[Deckhook]

^If I recall correctly the old B7 RS4 had a weight distribution of 57/43 which is a million miles for the 53/47 we have today.

 

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[tristatez28lt1]

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[Deckhook]

^A real mixed bag of opinions it seems. For me personally it's just too heavy which is a common complaint with more and more modern cars plus it's using the wrong engine, the high-revving v8 like the M3 is a hoot when in the mood but who really revs their cars to 8500rpm all the time????

Fit a nice small v6 biturbo and loss 120kg then it would have been perfect.

 

[south]

the high-revving v8 like the M3 is a hoot when in the mood but who really revs their cars to 8500rpm all the time????

Give it a rest dude.


Best regards,
south

 

[Deckhook]

South I am giving my opinion of what I think is wrong with the RS4 and what would make it better, my opinion not a fact. Maybe you need to chill a little and stop reading into things.