I now physically need an Audi RS4.

[Kowalski]

My respect to the BMW M3 is simply boundless.

The 55 AMG is the only Mercedes-Benz C-Class I would buy.

But you know what? I would take the new Audi RS4 over these other two, any day.

Beautifully made, V8 420 Bhp, 4WD, 50K...you gotta love it!

Click here to watch the Top Gear Audi RS4 review.

[Proetus]

We need a E90 M3/4.

[01cavalier]

That is one beautiful car...

[FordFan]

hmm i see how the 500 was inspired *RIPPED-OFF* from Audi

[FightingChance]

Very hot car. Probably my favorite sedan styling, besides the Mazda 6.

[Aerodynamix]

Yes, very, very nice car....but I still prefer Saab

[plane]

The nose on that thing makes Jimmy Durante look good.
It's the nose from Sleeper.
It's like putting a hound dog nose on a Chihuahua.
Other than that, it's ok.

Seriously, the BMW is more the car.

[rmodys]

I really like Audi's, great looking cars. That's a really good looking car, but I don't like the silver mirrors.

[mgescuro]

God that grille is just plain awful!!!!
A4 and A6 sedans are just boring looking now. The Avant A4 and A6 are actually better looking. Go figure.

In either case... CTS-V can learn a few things from the RS4.

[Kowalski]

EVO Magazine compared the Audi RS4 vs BMW M3 CS vs Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG.



And these were the quotes about each car.

RS4 quotes

"It feels light on its feet and even at the modest speeds the chassis has a balance and responsiveness that immediately sets it apart from any other Audi I've driven. It's big brother, the mighty RS6, feels like a ballistic steamroller by comparison; all muscle and no subtly. Clearly The RS4 signals a new philosophy for sporting Audis."
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"Let's break down the constituent parts that set the RS4 apart from other Audis. First and the foremost there's the linear steering response. Its still a Servotronic set-up and perhaps just a shade on the light side, but unlike, say, the S4, the changes in assistance as your speed varies are imperceptible. The manual box is slick and positive, and the brakes are exceptional (the eight-piston front calipers grip 365 mm discs), displaying none of the hyper-sensitivity that often makes Audis tricky to meld with. It all feels just right. The engine is one of the greats. At low revs there's ample response, and it feels genuinely muscular even when lugging at 2000-3000 rpm. At 5000 rpm you're flying, and then , just when most V8s are starting to huff and puff under the strain, the RS4 kicks again and hammers on to 8250 rpm. Never once does it feel overstressed or unenthusiastic. It gives the RS4 a soul."

M3 Quotes

"Even in these conditions and with its power deficit, it can happily match the RS4. And the balance is just so good. Where are all the power gone? Ah, there it is - much higher up the rev-range. And what a noise! All high-tech, high-displacement fizz and crackle. Incredible throttle-response, too. The CS feels light, razor-sharp, almost devoid of inertia compared to the lazy Mercedes, and against expectations the M3 has more faithful front-end grip than even the RS4. Thats the advantage of having a straight-six tucked well back in the engine bay rather than a V8 slung out ahead of the front wheels."
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"Stay committed and the CS scythes cleanly through the corner, totally balanced, completely hooked-up. When you're dialled-in to the chassis and really nail a road in the M3 it's so unhurried, so serene. You could almost set it to music. I love this car."
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"So the RS4 kills the M3 CS, then? Well, not quite. At eight-tenths the RS4 feels exceptional, and even when pushed to its very limits it ratings much of its composure. However, it's still true to the Audi philosophy, which means it will always look after you first and foremost, even when you just want a bit of entertainment."
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C55 quotes

"When you think of Mercedes integrity just a handful of years ago, the C55's interior feels cheap after the supreme quality and cool design of the RS4. The plastics are hopeless and the dash is a mess of tiny buttons with indecipherable legends. The C-class may be in the winter of its life, but the RS4 makes it feel obsolete already."
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"Still, with the RS4 long gone I can concentrate on just what the C55 has to offer as a driving experience. The ride isn't as settled as the Audi's the damping feels slightly less controlled and there's certainly more body-roll and pitch. The steering has a dead patch either side of neutral but then weights-up nicely, and although it's by no means the most feelsome of systems it does start to feel more accurate the quicker you go."
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"Like all AMG products, it's the engine that really defines the C55's character. I doesn't rev to heavens like the RS4's V8, but in the midrange you can feel the advantage of that extra displacement."
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The winner

"It comes down to RS4 and M3 CS. After ten minutes behind the wheel the RS4 was my winner. It's got the looks, the interior, the edge on performance. Forty-eight hours later, the deft balance, awesome adjustability and sheer exuberance of the M3 CS seemed insurmountable. It gives you so many options, and I don't just mean you can oversteer it all day long (which you can). It has incredible balance, and it's so responsive to your inputs that you feel intimately involved through every part of every corner. For you and me, thats what really counts. The M3 is still the all-conquering action hero.
Did I mention there's a new one later this year?"----------------------------------------

EVO rating:

1st- M3 CS (5 stars)

2nd - RS4 (5 stars)

3rd - C55 (4 stars)

Lap Time:

-RS4: 1:28.6 min
-M3: 1:29.8 min
-C55: 1:30.1 min

Price:

BMW M3 CS = £43,555
Audi RS4= £49,980
Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG= £48,790

"Three more different styles would be hard to find. The Audi's peerless traction means it holds its line brilliantly around the tricky Bank complex. The superb brakes can upset its composure into Pif-Paf, though. The Merc's auto box is frustrating as it rarely responds immediately to your commands at these speeds. It particularly likes to prevent you from changing down. The way you can use the M3's tail to point the car into the apex is very effective, particularly through Bank and the last two corners. It would've have gone quicker had it not been delivered on new tyres."

My opinion: As I've stated above, I respect the BMW M3 and I think the Mercedes C55 AMG is quite competent. But I still would purchase the Audi.

The RS4 got the great looks, got the power, the grip and the impeccable build quality.

The M3 is due to replacement in this year and it's only available as a 2-door Coupé.

The C55 AMG looks too much like a Honda Accord. And for the price, I was expecting more power.

The Audi is the better car IMO. But EVO Magazine is very RWD biased as usual.

[Kowalski]

Jesus...how can you people be so shallow!

Judging a car, just because it has brig grille that you don't like it, and all of a sudden the entire car is "Awful"???

OK, so the new Audi grille isn't very pretty, but..."what an awful car"? Come on...that's an exaggeration.

There are much uglier cars money can buy, and we wouldn't never be caught dead in a...let's say...Chevrolet SSR, Pontiac Aztek, Renault Avantime or Ssangyong Rodius for example.

Probably, you haven't watched the video to find out how brilliant this car is.







That V8 sound is just fantastic. Audi finally made a car, capable to be even better than a BMW M3 in terms of handling and performance.

The attention to details is simply impeccable. Oh yeah baby! That's real aluminum. Not the cheap plastic aluminum imitation you're used to.

[DanCBJMS1988]

Gees, that's sexy!

[acascianelli]

8250rpm, 420HP V8, legendary Quattro AWD, 6spd MT ... Whats not to love.

Comes in saloon and soon to be released avant forms. I drove an RS6 before and that was pretty amazing, I can only imagine what it would be like to have that kind of power on the B platform with a 6spd instead of the automatic in the RS6.

[yassir(snowman)]

Originally Posted by Kowalski

Jesus...how can you people be so shallow!

Judging a car, just because it has brig grille that you don't like it, and all of a sudden the entire car is "Awful"???

OK, so the new Audi grille isn't very pretty, but..."what an awful car"? Come on...that's an exaggeration.

There are much uglier cars money can buy, and we wouldn't never be caught dead in a...let's say...Chevrolet SSR, Pontiac Aztek, Renault Avantime or Ssangyong Rodius for example.

Probably, you haven't watched the video to find out how brilliant this car is.







That V8 sound is just fantastic. Audi finally made a car, capable to be even better than a BMW M3 in terms of handling and performance.

The attention to details is simply impeccable. Oh yeah baby! That's real aluminum. Not the cheap plastic aluminum imitation you're used to.

cus half the people here are old dudes who want every thing to look like it was in the 60s. any way this car is about the driving experence and i wouldnt give a dam if it looked ugly which it doesnt. by the way on the audi website i saw a 2dr 420hp, i know the cabriolet comes in 2drs so can u get this in 2dr coupe. the only thing this car is missing is somthin like the driver controled differntial where u can choose the power split bettween the rear and front, so u can do some burnouts