[V8] Audi bashing - can I take a turn?

Thu Jun 29 10:48:10 EDT 2006

In a word, they have lost the magic. For me, it happened around 1990, and 
the cars started showing it in 1995 or so. I, personally, won't own one 
newer than '91, other than for parts.

I, also wonder why they don't use their engineering to a further extent. The 
FSI is great, but why does Audi have a 3.1 with FSI that makes 255 HP, while 
BMW has a 3.0 with 255 HP without FSI? Shouldn't there be an advantage 
there? Also, where the heck did all the wieght come from? An A4 2.0Q at 
3600? The 4kq was 2800. 200HP is great, but would be better with 3000 or so 
lbs. Hmmmmmmm, wonder about that 2.0 going into a 4k..........off I go :)

Tony Hoffman

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carter Johnson" <carterjohnson3 at yahoo.com>
To: <v8 at audifans.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2006 4:36 AM
Subject: [V8] Audi bashing - can I take a turn?

> As I see it, there are a few reasons that Audi *should* be bashed. 
> They've been playing catch-up to their larger cousins (BMW and MB) for a 
> long time now, and the unique features that set them apart (mainly, 
> quattro and turbocharging) in the 1980's were long ago abandoned as unique 
> features in order to conform more to the "German" image.
>
>  I do see the point of the car, but Audi's attempt to blend AMG and M cars 
> together is - to me - disappointing, as they acheive neither the results 
> nor the notoriety of either.
>
> Both M and AMG built their reputation (AMG as a subsidiary of MB, not the 
> limited tuner aspect) racing light, nimble cars. Now they're building 
> barroom brawler, and Audi feels the need to play catchup. Are the M5, RS6 
> and SL65AMG neato cars? Undoubtedly, but 1) they aren't the sleeper sedans 
> that the original M5, S4, and E500 were, 2) they aren't light, toss'em 
> around and wind them out on a country road cars that the original M3, Ur-Q 
> and 190E 2.3 16V were, 3) once you hit 75 (in a touch under 5 seconds in 
> all), you've exceeded every speed limit in this country, and 4) none of 
> them are good track cars - important, because its perhaps the only place 
> you could really take them out and challange yourself, because their 
> limits are so high and they're so, so heavy, that even though they can do 
> amazing things, they can only do amazing things breifly.  I just was at 
> the track two weeks ago with my 86 GT.  We ran the car - at redline - with 
> a fresh motor for ~25 20 minute sessions
> on track over two days.  It used a tank and a half of fuel, but the tires 
> were still useable and showed fairly little wear, the brakes weren't gone 
> or warped, and I still managed to pass a Carrera GT on track, along with 
> multitudes of S4's.
>
> To me, it's the difference between working with you're dad in the yard, 
> when you always thought he was the strongest guy in the world, and having 
> Mr. Olympia show up in a flexing pose. Impressive? Yeah, but I'd rather 
> have dinner with my dad....
>
>  As an instructor for the Audi club, we're sometimes tasked with difficult 
> jobs - one of them is getting into the right seat of these mega-horsepower 
> cars.  When it's me, I used to let the guys run free, and I learned my 
> lesson.  It took me ~4 years of track days to really feel like I was 
> pushing the GT to its limits, but on the warmup lap these ubersedans can 
> exceed any speed my mega-suspensioned and tired GT can generate.  All that 
> comfort?  Just goes towards masking the fact that you're going faster than 
> you're capable of driving.  All those computer systems?  Work great, 
> except they're saving your butt most of the time from killing yourself. 
> With cars capable of hitting 130-140mph easily with no real saftey 
> equiptment, you can see why a lot of instructors are hesitant to get into 
> those cars.
>
>  The B7, visually, is a standout from the B6.  The B5 was - in my 
> opinion - better looking than both, because it stood out from the crowd. 
> Blur your eyes, and all those sleek sedans start to look the same, and 
> they all have elements of each other.  Q7?  Yes, the two that they had at 
> the showroom in multi-tone looked like inflated Subaru Outbacks to me.  I 
> will say this - the engines have come a long way since 1986, but what 
> truly made Audi special to lots of people (namely, us leftover 80's 
> freaks) and what truly made Audi stand out from the crowd was long ago 
> lost.  The originality of the Ur-Q, the V8Q, the RS2 and S6 plus have been 
> replaced by a horsepower war where nothing really original - just really 
> fast - is being slung out.  That's why they're not winning big comparisons 
> against specifically BMW.  Now, if Audi did a V10 TDi S8 and could make it 
> work, that would be something to talk about....
>
>  Carter (steps down from soapbox)
>
>
> W. Carter Johnson
> SileStone/Counterfitt of RI
> 401-573-2399
> Too many Audis:
> 1986 Coupe GT
> 1985 Coupe GT
> 1993 V8 Quattro
>
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