Audi at Geneva
Audi is not about to lose out to the competition in the power wars, so on stand, we met up with the latest RS4. Under the harsh lights of the motorshow floor, it looks a remarkably restrained piece of design given its towering potential, with tiny RS4 badges that you'd easily miss on the trunklid and rear doors.
It is quite subtle, but the clues are actually there in abundance, such as the 30mm lower ride height, bigger exhausts, black mesh grille, bigger front air scoops and huge (and gorgeous) 18-inch wheels. And the numbers this beast generates are heroic - how about a naturally aspirated V8 that develops 420bhp and revs to a stratospheric 8250rpm? Or 0-62mph in 4.8secs and a top speed that would probably exceed 180mph if it weren't limited to 155mph? And for the record, the Audi's 251bhp per tonne makes the BMW M3's 215bhp per tonne look positively weedy.
AudiWorld talked to Doug Clark, Director of PR at Audi America, and he confirmed that the RS4 coming to North America will, as with previous models, not be detuned from its Euro-spec 420bhp. "The RS4 will come over around mid 2006 and it is our goal to bring them over with the same level of tune as you guys have in Europe," says Clark.
To keep intereest in the aging TT alive, Audi is launching the TT Sport in Europe. The lightweight Sport is powered by an uprated 240bhp version of the 1.8-litre turbo and loses a significant 75kgs thanks to the removal of items such as the rear seat bench. There is also a structural brace across the boot area, and super supportive Recaro buckets. I have to say, though, the high, rigid bolsters combined with the TT's low roofline does make getting in and out of the car a bit tricky. I think the car looks quite good in silver and black, though, and it should be hot enough with a claimed 0-62mph sprint in 5.9secs and a top whack of 155mph.
Clark told us, though, that the the TT Sport won't be coming to North America because the extra horsepower creates (as always) an emissions compliance problem. It's not all bad news, though. "While we can't offer this model as it stands, there may be some elements of it that we could offer on U.S. versions of TT," said Clark. That could include the funky colour scheme and some of the interior treatment, but is unlikely to include those super-aggressive Recaros because of concerns over side airbag function.
Elsewhere on the Audi stand, the gorgeous A6 Avant is on show. The Avant, which Clark says will arrive mid-summer, is beautifully rendered in the metal, and I'd defy anyone to find a better constructed interior. I especially like the clever and versatile rail system built into the trunk floor.
And Geneva marks the official integration of the single-frame grille onto every single model of the A8 range. Previously, it had been the preserve of the 12-cylinder A8, but now every model from 4.2 down to the Euro-spec 2.0-liter Tdi gains that super-aggressive face.
As a marevelous little aside, Audi unveiled three new models for its watch collection. These beautiful square and round faced watches, each with high quality Swiss movements, are absolutely timeless in their style, so they'll look just as graceful in twenty years time. I want one almost as much as an RS4...
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