RS6 v M5 or 635 csi vs urq?

[Graham Thackrah]

Hi list,

Sorry to keep this one going but I was interested to know how the urq held
up against contemporary BMWs. I have a collection of old Autocar road
tests and the 635 csi and ur are both in it. Seems that they were pretty
well matched, 18s dead (urq) vs 18.3 (635csi) seconds to 100, horsepower
both 200+ 218bhp 229lb/ft for the 635, gearing is different, the beemers
4th is identical to the Audis 5th! Anyway, bet the 635 would take the urq
on the track - or at the very least, it would be a close thing. Didn't
stop the urq being one of the iconic cars of the 80s though. Back then
*everyone* in the market for one of those cars knew what quattro was cos
of the rallying dominance:) Nowadays I have to explain to a worrying
number of people that my car is 4wd! "Quattro.... it means four... what do
you mean, `what about a Fiat uno...' oh, sod off;)"

Still, who would prefer the 635 in everyday driving? Making safe fast
progress on a wet UK A or B road... not me that's for sure. Does it really
matter which car has the fastest track ability? Surely the selling point
of the RS6 is, even with traction control, it is much more able to put
its 440 horses down onto the tarmac, than the BMW. We surely don't pretend
that these cars are the fastest out there, they're not (ok, maybe the
RS6 is;), but they are pretty well up there, particularly when the
conditions aren't a sunny day, and a dry racetrack.

Seems to me Audi need to reiterate that 4wd is a practical advantage in
everyday driving in their marketing, rather than meaningless comparisons
to the M5 on a racetrack - that's just playing into the well known
strengths of BMW surely? Unless that is they actually plan to put their
flagship road cars into some form of high profile motorsport, like the urq
was in the 80s with rallying (TT touring cars with BMW engines
notwithstanding), and take on BMW directly.

Hey, it's a Friday, we're allowed to ramble on:)

Cheers,

Graham.