Finally drove 2003 RS6

[GaToR]

To sum up how I feel about Audi's Bi-turbo line (the 4.2 and the 2.7): " you Audi! "

Whomever decided it would be best to discontinue these gems deserves to be firebombed in the face.

Face: off. With fire and shrapnel.


For anyone that has experienced the smoothness and low-end of the 2.7T and the sound and free-revving nature of the 4.2... well, combine the two and you get perfection.



And as far as handling, I think this thing was way ahead of its time. Cars like the Lexus IS-F and Jaguar XF I think would still fall well short of being either as smooth, or as stable in the corners. And that's not to say they are bad, they are excellent.

I've done flat cornering. But flat and comfortable? Maybe the much newer M3 sedan and S4 can compete. M3 coupe and S5 came close. But we're talking coupes. Much, much newer coupes.


Another car that isn't about the raw numbers. It is how impressive it is while making zero compromises.

Damn Audi and their electrical gremlins! This car is such a classic, but it shouldn't be. It doesn't deserve 'toy' status. It should have been the flagship of the line for years, and updated and upgraded as necessary.

Just another one of their highly successful experiments, prematurely aborted in the US.

[TRANS4M]

well said!

[complacent]

i would like to point out that it was also available in avant format as well.

[TRANS4M]

ya.. just not here in the states.

[GaToR]

i would like to point out that it was also available in avant format as well.

They also had an RS6+ with 473hp in 2003 (MY 2004).

This sounds very familiar to me, since my car had 473hp starting in 2007 (JDM release).


Both engines are/were sandbagged to hell from the factory. But frankly;

-VR38DETT can't be any lighter than the 4.2 Bi-turbo.
-you have to go aftermarket to have any real exhaust note in the cabin
-VQ/VR series engines don't change melodies past 4K RPM, so you can't use your ear as a tachometer

Both have a basically ideal power-curve, which lets you pick and choose what gear you want to be in, never losing the powerband, ever.


I like my engine just fine. But frankly, if Audi had kept at it, they'd never have had to take shit from any other manufacturer.

Audi R8 with this engine? I guarantee it'd spank my car in a drivers' test, and even performance. (and therefore about 99.999% of anything else). They wouldn't even have to modify it from 2004 levels. Its the best engine ever made. Throw it into the widely accepted greatest-handling car in the world for the win.

Whole reason I think the RS4, S6 and R8 can't quite get the job done is they are too heavy for high-revving engines. You drop out of the powerband, you're screwed until you get out of the corner to downshift. Not so in the RS6 or GT-R. Keep your foot in it, you'll find torque. Period.


Even more disappointing, they had the perfect GT engine, and are only now building a GT coupe..

RS5 Bi-turbo versus GT-R test would go something thus: "Just looking, listening, and feeling the Audi.; we've given the car a perfect score. And just like in the Olympics: a perfect 10 cannot be beaten, so there's no need to try out our competitors. The fat lady has sung, everyone go home."

Squeazing less power and torque out of the naturally aspirated version of an engine you perfected in 2001? (not to mention better low end than the V10 you're currently peddling) .... way to go Audi. Way to go.

[complacent]

ya.. just not here in the states.

you, with the logic, outta this thread!

[TRANS4M]

one day.. I will either build the rs6 avant.. or import one.

[GaToR]

one day.. I will either build the rs6 avant.. or import one.

I actually thought about that... a nice C5 S6 Avant with a Bi-turbo motor swap? Mmmmm....


This new 3.0S (because 3.0T is a stupid name) and V10 Bi-turbo has me thinking Audi now knows they went in the wrong direction, but had to tweak the plans a bit so it wouldn't look like they were admitting it.

[Cereb Daithi]

I got some time in a RS6 MTM after freezing my arse off changing it's sparkplugs in 10 degree weather. Good lord is it a fun car.

[GaToR]

I got some time in a RS6 MTM after freezing my arse off changing it's sparkplugs in 10 degree weather. Good lord is it a fun car.