[BiturboS4] OT for BT - new S4 and S4 Avant announced

[Ti Kan]

Philip Pace writes:
> Seriously though - I really love the turbo and really like Audis. What are the
> chances that this new car will be anything nearly as mod-able as the current
> one? I've heard rumour about the RS4 making it over hear, but that would be a
> biturbo based off the new 3.0 (not the 4.2 that the next S4 will sport). Should
> I sink money into an RS4 based on what I have now (i.e. stage3), wait for the
> new S4 and mod that puppy, or wait for the RS4? Discuss.

If you're talking about the RS4 based on the type 8D (B5) chassis like
our biturbo S4, it has long ceased production.

There has been no announcement from Audi about an upcoming new RS4 based
on the type 8E (B6) chassis yet.  Rumours has it that it will be a
biturbo V8 somewhat similar to that in the RS6.

> P.S. To get an idea of what the 3.0 will be like vs. the 2.7, I've pulled these
> numbers from the U.K. site where not only do they offer the NA 2.7, but I can
> understand what they're writing.
> 3.0 0-62 in 6.9;3318 lbs.; 220hp; 221 ft/lbs.
> 2.7... I give up looking. Am I an idiot? I swear I saw tons of these over there
> (2.7 without turbos).

No such things as a 2.7 without turbos.  The old 2.8 V6 5V with 190 or 200hp,
yes, but not 2.7.  The whole reason for Audi going to 2.7 instead of 2.8
in the biturbo version is to reduce the bore size a bit to increase the
block strength.

> P.P.S. If the only option is a automatic (i.e. SMG and the RS6 paddles IMHO),
> then discuss nothing; I won't buy it (and that's why I won't consider an MB).

Since the B6 S4 is available with a 6-speed manual, I would expect that
the new RS4 would also be.  I think that a manual transmission must be
offered, given the demographics of a likely S4/RS4 buyer.  This is
a bit unlike the S6/RS6.  Otherwise Audi would really be missing the boat.
Pure speculation on my part, though.

-Ti
2003 A4 1.8T multitronic
2001 S4 biturbo 6-sp
1984 5000S turbo
1980 4000 2.0 5-sp
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    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
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