Audi S5 TC

According to da3bous, Motor Trend and the several other sources (including some of the members of AudiWorld on the A6/S6 board) are correct that the redesigned A6/S6/RS6 receiving will in fact receive the ASF. da3bous also mentioned there will be a price hike for the A6/S6/RS6 when it is redesigned and receives the ASF with the increased standard feature content and increased output (both hp and torque). I am about 80% sure the increased output will come from direct injection/FSI which not only prohibits use of 5V per cylinder technology but eliminates the need for it using more conventional 4V per cylinder technology. Direct injection/FSI also increases fuel economy.

schvetkaaks

Will the RS6 coming next year get the ASF? Or will it have to wait for a 'redesign'

Audi S5 TC

The RS6 coming here next year as a 2004 will use the current A6 design that dates back to 1997 as a 1998, so no ASF. The new A6 comes out in mid 2004 as a 2005 with the ASF. Add two years for the new S6 and an additional year to that for the new RS6 (both of which will also have the ASF). The ASF for the new A6/S6/RS6 was confirmed by a few of the members of this board (who consulted Audi AG and the factory employees in Germany and posted it on here a month or two ago) and Motor Trend (March 2002 issue). The curb weight will drop by 500-600 pounds with the increased standard feature content. Yes there will be a price hike. However the new A6/S6/RS6 should still be competitively priced against similar versions of the new BMW 5 Series/M5 and Mercedes Benz E Class/E55 AMG Kompressor even when all of these cars are fully loaded. If that is the case the price gap between the Audi and BMW and MB will probably be wider when stripped down. If anyone is wondering what ASF stands for it is Audi Space frame. The Audi space frame (or ASF) uses aluminum intensive construction and is designed and developed by Audi in conjunction with ALCOA (alloy corporation (or company) of America).

Audi S5 TC

There is one other advantage to the ASF you did not mention: it is also stronger, more rigid and safer in an accident than steel despite weighing several hundred pounds less.

hidden agenda

yep just hope you never have to find out how safe and strong *knock* on wood

captainbilly

I suspect that the frame of the current A6 weighs less than 1000 lbs total, that makes it pretty much impossible to save 500lbs. My 740il weighed almost exactly the same as an A8l with ASF. Of course the 740il didn't have AWD so it might have weighed 150 lbs more due to the steel frame. I would guess that the ASF might save something like 150 lbs on the A6 but not much more.

Audi S5 TC

Since that is how much the Lexus LS400 lost when redesigned in 1995 versus the outgoing 1994 (actually 209 pounds even with incresed body rigidity (on a steel frame) as well as increased standard feature content). Of course the LS400 was renamed the LS430 when redesigned for 2001 (4.3L V8 instead of 4L) when it gained about 100 pounds over the 2000 LS400 all due to incresed standard feature content. The 1998 to 2000 LS400 however weighed roughly 230 to 240 pounds more than the 1995 to 1997 despite being essentially similar all due to the (freshened for) 1998 LS400's substantially increased standard feature content. I guess we will find out how many pounds lighter the new A6 is with ASF near the time when it comes out in mid 2004 as a 2005. Again add two years for the new S6 and an additional year to that for the new RS6 (both with ASF of course). I do know however that the total rigidity of the ASF on the new A6/S6/RS6 and new A8/S8/RS8 will be incresed over the total rigidity of the ASF on the current A8/S8 just as much or more than total rigidity was incresed with the steel frame of the new A4/S4/RS4 over the rigidity of the steel frame of the old A4/S4/RS4.