New RS4 Cabrio at Geneva

[lightningghost]

Wow!!! Is this a great looking car or what?!




I've only been an Audi fan since the RS4, and so far they haven't disappointed!


I still despise the TT, though.

[800]

Sorry, just don't get it.

[marctwo]

I don't like it. The saloon and avant look great though.

[MookMonster]

I don't get it either, but I'm not a big fan of cabrios. If you want a stupidly quick cabrio, then that's probably the one to go for. It'll be interesting to see how it gets rated against the new M3 cabrio when it comes out...

[fidgits]

whats the point in taking a seriously quick point to point car, and then cutting the roof off to ruin the handling, make the car heavier, docile, and skuttle shake...

if you wanted to pose, get the S4 convertible, the RS4 should be a serious machine, not a posing pouch!

[nickbell3]

How to ruin/dilute the RS brand, well done audi, in swoop the RS4 has been knocked off my "possibly" next purchase list.

[baz1985]

I bet the current E46 M3 is still better to drive, nowhere near as good looking though

[Fat Audi 80]

IIRC they have nearly elminated all the scuttle shake on the S4 Cab, so there is no reason to think this one will be bad. I muast admit that I am not a fan of Cabrio's either, but I but it will shift along with the best of them and really surprise quite a few people for a hairdressers car!

[yertis]

That's a two door isn't it..? Why don't they make a coupe?

[Plotloss]

yertis said:

That's a two door isn't it..? Why don't they make a coupe?

They've toyed with the idea since the original A4 launch.

No real market has always been the reason, suppose it comes down to what could be reused fundamentally.

[clived]

Plotloss said:

They've toyed with the idea since the original A4 launch. No real market has always been the reason, suppose it comes down to what could be reused fundamentally.

I thought the A5 was pretty much a certainty?

[jacobyte]

Drove the RS4 saloon today. A lot of money for what it is.

I went to the dealership in an S4 cabriolet (modified to 390bhp with Milltech exhaust).

The RS4 sounds as good as the above S4, doesn't have as much low end grunt, but when it gets going - boy does it go. Brakes are excellent and with the TC off in the wet, it's very controllable. But perhaps a bit too easy to drive for a sheer rush. The suspension really is remarkable and makes it far more agile than you would expect. A hugely impressive piece of kit.

Getting back into the S4 cab afterwards felt like boarding the QE2. But 20K more for the RS4 cab is a mighty high upgrade fee, and a fee that the owner of said S4 will not pay.

[lightningghost]

Hmm...I can see your points about handling and speed and the like. I still think it looks good, though, but I don't really know why. Maybe it's just the shiny paint...

[Witchfinder]

That is just wrong, wrong, wrong! RS cars should be estates.

[mbutchers]

jacobyte said:

Drove the RS4 saloon today. A lot of money for what it is. Getting back into the S4 cab afterwards felt like boarding the QE2. But 20K more for the RS4 cab is a mighty high upgrade fee, and a fee that the owner of said S4 will not pay.

I drove the same car last week - it was amazing. I drove it in the wet, which really highlighted how good an everyday proposition the car is. It may be a lot of dosh, but it's an RS4, not an S4..... A well spec'd S4 is only £10k ish cheaper new..... I suspect the residuals of these may hold up slightly better too.
The ride, damping and body control is far superior to any Audi I've ever driven, especially the 'Sports' variants, ie; S4, RS6 etc.
A truly amazing usable piece of kit - a 4 door 996 Turbo if you like......I'll wait a year or two for a used Avant please.....