Arch57

I kept seeing a dark grey M3-Convertible in our parking lot several times a month with out of state plates. Then I noticed whenever our director of engineering was in the office the car was out there. So I asked her yesterday if it was just a coincedence or was it hers and she said she just got it a couple of months ago (at MSRP). We talked cars for awhile (we both owned 5.0 Mustangs) and I said she really has to give me a ride before she goes back.

Well today she throws the keys on the desk, checks to make sure I can drive a standard and says let's go! The clutch grabs much lower than my A4 and the engine revs so quickly that it took a few starts before I could launch smoothly. The power was very linear and I only took it up to about 7K not wanting to get to crazy in the bosses car. The highway was crowded but I did get a chance to do some real quick right-lane passes in 4th gear and before you know it we went from 60 into triple-digit speed. The steering felt lighter than my A4 and the ride was actually quite smooth for 18" wheels and the M3 suspension.

Overall, while it was an awesome car, I was more blown away when I drove a chipped S4. Maybe it was that I was more comfortable in the S4 being so similar to the A4 or maybe it was so much hype on the new M3. In reality though a 10 minute drive on crowded highways with your bosses new $55,000 car doesn't really let you test the limits. Well anyhow since our company is freezing raises for next year I told her thanks for the ride and that will have to do as my merit increase for the upcoming year!!!

Arch57 - 99.5 2.8QMS

rigor

chick with m3?? i'd hit it!

Shameless in Chicago

I don't think a chipped S4 is all that fast. It's nice and smooth, but kind of boring to me. I was hoping you'd say the M3 was a lot faster.

Matt H.

So would I, and so would he if he could

leslie

I felt the same when I drove the M3, it didn't blow me away. But would be a good race that many S4s will win...

Arch57

It was likely the perception and circumstances. The chipped S4 was owned by a close friend of mine, the drive was longer and I was able to get a lot more agressive. The M3 is owned by our director of engineering (my bosses boss who I only see a couple of times a year), there was a lot more traffic and I didn't want to do anything stupid.

Delta-9

(From the reviews I have read) I understand the car is a different animal in performance mode. The DBW throttle response gets totally changed!

neezer

Yeah but the M3 has a normally-aspirated powertrain and the S4 does not. Turbos are great for making power through cheap mods, but I don't think I will ever get a turbocharged car ever again in my life. Just not responsive enough for me, inferior in many ways (usually sound cuz turbos muffle the intake sound and cover the exhaust sound), sensitive to high/low ambient temps, you gotta be considerate of allowing warm-up / cool-up all the darn time, nah.

Now I know why my dad's friend told me "I didn't want a turbocharged car" when I asked him why he got the Ferrari 355 over the Porsche 993 Turbo. He had a 993 before. I didn't "get it" 2 years ago but now I definitely do.

Oh, F355...holy sh**. There are sports cars, then there are Ferraris. Damn. Something I remember vividly...who the HELL needs xenons if you can make halogens as good as on the F355. As bright and clear as any xenon. Sharp cutoff clearly visible. Amazing. Suspension design? Ha! People talk! Value this, better value that, this car this and that one that. Man, let me tell you. It was like in a very-low-riding ultra-luxury car. I couldn't believe how unnoticed the bumps in the road went by!

Then there's the engine sound. End of discussion. Actually let's do that, this is an Audi board. =0

PDXA4

Audi Keep a Turbo in the next gen S4 and I'll buy one.............

leslie

And there's the gf. w/ the Stage 2 S4 who beats her bf in his M3 EVERY time. He's pretty pissed. :P