BMW's new inline 6's are insane. The S5/RS5 really need a power bump
 

The A4/5 seems competitive from a straight line perspective, but with the new generation of BMW's severely underrated inline 6's out, Audi really needs a bump in power.

S5 numbers
RS5 numbers
M340i numbers

The M340i is nipping on the heels of the RS5. It's less than a second slower than the RS5 to 150mph, but beats the S5 by a whopping 7 seconds. It's in line with the Mustang GT and Camaro SS, cars of similar weight with 80 more horsepower on paper, and we even know that those cars put up slightly higher dyno numbers than advertised.

Even in the base X5, there's no way a 4900lb SUV with "335hp" should do 60 in less than 5 seconds. I'd estimate it's more like 400hp/400tq in that base X5 trim, in line with the dyno results of the new Supra.

On a recent CarWow video, the 4600lb X4M did a 11.8 quarter mile which is faster than the magazine tests on the RS5, last M3/4 Competition, and C63S. That motor in a 700lb lighter M3/4 will be insane, we're talking low 11's. I feel like the S5/RS5 need to be at least 400 and 520 "Audi horsepower" to match the new BMWs.

I don't see this as anything more than the usual generational leap-frogging that we see. Each new generation from one make out does the current gen of another until that brand makes it's next generational leap.

This is a larger leap-frogging than usual though, and it's especially annoying how they're even further underrating their engines. It was annoying enough when the Germans all underrated power output by 10% when they went to turbocharging but now it seems like BMW is doing 20%. Makes horsepower figures pointless as a comparison tool. Like that X5/GLE comparison article above. What's the point in listing the power at all when the BMW is clearly making more power than the Merc and not the other way around like advertised?

Yeah - my guess is it's all about the YouTube reviews and those numbers now.

Another topic - happy with the JB4 on your A5?

I agree with you.
I do wish the S5 had 400hp/400tq like you said, it would seriously be a blast as the power doesnt really feel there.
but by the time they boost those numbers BMW will already be ahead of them by 50HP/TQ
The m3 will be making around 500HP, which is nuts, performance wise you'd be a fool to pick the RS5 over the M3/M4.
Same how the new M5 will walk every RS we have to offer.

I'm happy with it. There was a short time where the engine stuttered at low throttle but that was fixed with a firmware update. Other than that it hasn't given me any errors and the throttle response is smooth and linear. The preset maps were a bit too aggressive at low RPM so I did a custom map that set low-RPM boost lower than Map 1 and high-RPM boost at roughly the same as Map 2. Can't even tell it's there, other than the car feels a lot more powerful than stock.

The competitor for the S5 isn't even here yet. When we can buy an M440i Grand Coupe at the dealer than they will have leapfrogged Audi. Then the S5 will be due for a bump.

Thanks!

Eh, the Germans can market segment as much as they want by calling sedans and SUVs "coupes" and whatnot, but they're all just sedans and SUVs to me.

to me it seems like audi has never really put a priority on winning the horsepower wars vs bmw or mercedes. The S4 has had what, about 340 hp since the B6 debuted in 2003?

that said I'd love to see a large bump for the next generation! With BMW adding AWD to the m3/m4 and mercedes adding AWD to the next gen C series AMG, those of us that want AWD will have more options and AWD being equal, HP and TQ come into play more.