Tomasz@Startup

But I have not done any market analysis to see if that would actually sell.

star607

Maybe the R8 when they release it, but you believe audi rs4's should compete with arguably one of the most affordable , and best supercars (i.e., 911 TT)? Has someone been smoking crack this evening? If you gutted the entire car out, and fitted a supercharger, it might come closer in comparing the two, but then that would defeat the purpose of the all-purpose nature of the car.

India Whiskey Charlie

One is an AWD sports car and the other is an AWD 4-door sport sedan. There is a place and a demand for both. Audi will soon have an AWD sports car that'll likely compete with the 911 Turbo. I think the RS4 is well placed in Audi's lineup and that's why it's received the accolades it has. Oh, and I know someone who's trading-in his 996 Turbo for an RS4 in a few days. OTOH, that may be a fluke...

India Whiskey Charlie

Redfoot

The next M3 will have a V8, is rumored to be offering 4 doors, and they continue to improve on the quality of their interiors. (Slightly unfair due to Audi's dominance in interiors across its product range.)

If you have taken notice over the last 2-3 years, Audi, BMW and MB/AMG are really starting to produce increasingly similar products.

And with the way M's and AMG's are selling , I'd have to guess this trend is only going to continue.

dxben

That is one thing neither BMW or MB has. They haven't to my knowledge shown they know how to create a car in the M or AMG line that performs and has top of the line AWD, do they?

I don't know all of MB's cars, so maybe there is something I'm missing.

I still think Audi's interiors are head and shoulders above the other two brands. Not necessarily so much in quality as much in taste and style.

123Thumperer®

...the RS is a loss leader. audi does not make money on RSs. as bob said, quattro would have to significantly expand, which it will over time.

but right now, these cars are just magents to the brand. they bring heritage, publicity and mystique to the marque.

once audi/quattro can make enough of these cars (like bmw who makes as many as they can possibly sell), then the S/RS could fuse into one model. one profitable model.

also, keep in mind, even BMW makes variant above the M. like the M3 CS and CSL. the extra effort is probably not profitable, but it gives them bragging rights.

Redfoot

While they are increasingly similar, as I have stated, they will never become exactly alike.

BMW will probably never offer AWD in an M because it pretty much would negate their entire motor sports theme over the past 30 years.
And vice-versa for Audi and not offering quattro in an S/RS model. True engineering belief or marketing stubbornness, you decide.

But there is no denying the fact that the M3, RS4/S4 and now the C63 are all designed and marketed toward the same group of consumers.
So in this respect, they are in competition with one another. And while they all offer pros and cons, it becoming a closer and closer race.

Let's all rejoice for the multitude of options this leaves car fanatics like us.

WasabiAudi2

she's cute, not too shabby in bed, and is someone you can live with day in and day out. The RS is like that gorgeous model that not too many people can get, is amazing in bed, but might get on the nerves after a while (although from what I've felt while riding in/driving an RS 4, it seems good for everday). The S cars are slotted just below the M/AMG cars, they're not as "hardcore", but they still are sporty and fun. The RS cars are slotted above the rest, they can follow with the next group (sports coupes, Porsches, etc) while pushing it. Plus like others have said, it's just strong marketing. A couple RS cars trickle into racing, win a few series, Audi says "you too can own a road race car!", everybody races (no pun intended) over to the dealer, and it's too late b/c they're all gone. People want what they can't have, if Audi continues to create these somewhat untouchable RS cars, then more people will want an Audi, and be in line for their cars in general. Thats also why so many companies race, it's not b/c they just like racing, it's b/c its strong marketing.

daveak05

Tell me you're kidding! The "S" models have been a staple of Audi going back to the 4000S and 5000S models of the very ealry 80's at least.

To eliminate the "S" line and go only with the prohibitive and limited production "RS" models, no matter what they might call them, makes no sense at all and would amount to automotive suicide for Audi.

Let's get real here.