[s-cars] RS6

[QSHIPQ at aol.com]

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I'll insert comments below
In a message dated 6/27/02 12:04:51 PM Central Daylight Time,
uberseehandel at yahoo.com writes:


>Guys
>To clarify some points which have been made:
>One poster wondered if the RS6 is coming to America - yes it is, definate,
no >maybe.

No wagon tho.  Definite?  Well, based on the S4tt experience, the next
obvious question...  When?  The next obvious question, what will it be
compared against?

>The same poster, I think, speculated about a BMW XM - the car which Hans >
Stuck hustled round the Nordschleife in an 8 minute-ish time was extensively >
modified by the M division of BMW. Mark you, Hansi could hustle a Buick
pretty >damn quick round the Nordschleife.

So...  Not to discount this, only to point out that audi maybe didn't hire
the guy to try to best this time?  The M division of BMW, mark you, has
already got the MV12 years ago (too powerful - killed it), and the exercise
of this demo, was I believe to showcase that maybe a v10 wasn't such a bad
idea in this chassis?

>A number of posters are condemning the RS6 automatic Gearbox untried and >
unseen. As the only person I know who habitually double declutches as a
matter >of course on a daily basis (put it down to a rural upbringing), I
really was >disappointed by the automatic only specification. I even took
steps to find a >suitable manual gearbox, and obtained quotations for fitting
it, which is quite >complicated as the control of the Automatic is embedded
in the engine >electronics (so it doesn't shift on you in corners, I expect).
Well after driving the >RS6 several times, I no longer DEMAND a manual
gearbox, the automatic is so >good it does not select innappropriate gears at
innopportune times. Now, I don't >know anybody else who has driven it and
still demands an automatic gearbox.

Demand?  Naw, just prefer.  After my ride in the S8 last week at Mid OH, I
don't think "demand" is the right word either.  But, certainly there is no
mistake that if you had the choice betwixt the two....

>Similarly, the "but it doesn't have the driving dynamics of a BMW" school of
>argument no longer applies, you have good feedback and can put the rear end >
where you want it, this car is competent. By the way, many real M5
afficionados >bitch about what a pig the current M5 is with its front end
heaviness (by >afficionado, I mean those who drive the car hard rather than
the bar hard).

I've had the pleasure of driving both the current M5 and the 91 M5 track and
street.  I found them both to be nose heavy.  I found them both to handle at
a level that makes a q owner wish for... Rain.  I also found them both to
have brakes that require no upgrade.  I drove one of those MZ hardtops tho,
damn I felt like I was in a go-kart.

>Audi does have some sporting stuff on the radar - new 6 speed for the S4,
new >SMG box, RSR developed with Lamborghini, Avantissimo based A8
'Sportivo', new >RS4 with much stronger rear bias 4WD.

Baaaa...  Corporate line.  Audi has the problem in target acquisition vs
target elimination.  Get it out in *production*, compare it in the market it
competes (not in the market audi wishes it competes).  That has a consistent
and rather disappointing history.  This lists and ACCNA members have pleaded
for that to change.

>In a spirit of progressive enquiry, lets reserve judgement on cars until we
have >driven them, not condemn them by extrapolation based upon our own
experiences >to date, when there has been a quantum shift in behaviour,
extrapolation falls >down.

Wow, I need my dictionary here.  In the spirit of PERFORMANCE, put on the
table, in *production*, your best effort, and let the buying public decide
the outcome.  This would include the performance buyer.  History hasn't been
upset by *any* audi offering yet (1981 excepted).  I look forward to that
fall.

>The problem with "soft suspensioned" S4s in North America is 3-fold, the
quality >of the roads, the expectations of the drivers and the perception by
AOA that they >are delivering what is required. I recently drove a firmly
sprunk RS4 in Germany >which I thought perfect, even on Autobahn with with
huge expansion gaps. >Somebody else thought it was a boneshaker on British
roads, which tend to be >better than the US roads I have driven on. I suspect
there is no answer to this >question.

Sure there is.  Right now 18's are the biggest wheel/tire combo audi offers.
BMW is at 20 already.  The "expectation" of the drivers has been met, and
becomes the standard by which audi is compared.  A nich performance car
within any marque, should be able to answer this question.  My own thinking
is that audi will be chasing a lot of tail until they can get that F/R weight
distribution closer to the 50/50 mark.

I thoroughly enjoy my quattros for what they are.  I make a living tweeking
them into machines they never were.  I have little doubt that this will
continue, but would thoroughly enjoy being proved wrong.   In the meantime,
some of my best and memorable rides in the last 7 years were in another
marques machines...  M3, MZ3, 530i/540iswagon, M5, X5sport, 330xi, MZhardtop.
 My best rides in quattros...  All at least 7 years old, and none stock.

SJ