For those that have driven the R8 & RS4, can you describe the difference?
09-20-2007, 08:30 PM
#5
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completely different animals...
drove RS4 and R8 on track last weekend. Drove the RS4 first and it was amazing. This is the type of car I am used to (previous S4, RS6) a little heavy, lots of smooth/buttery power. Transmission very smooth and easy to use. I found the limits of the RS4 on the track pretty easily. Then...the R8
The R8 is on a whole other level. I could take it at speeds that the RS4 could not achieve on the track and I am sure the car had more to give aside from the weak link - the driver. Transmission felt more "mechanical" but that was not necessarily a bad thing.
Hard to compare the two: 2 seater/mid-engine vs. 4-door front-heavy sedan. They were both awesome, but completely different. I want them BOTH!! Bottom line...the RS4 was "fun" while the R8 was "scary"
The R8 is on a whole other level. I could take it at speeds that the RS4 could not achieve on the track and I am sure the car had more to give aside from the weak link - the driver. Transmission felt more "mechanical" but that was not necessarily a bad thing.
Hard to compare the two: 2 seater/mid-engine vs. 4-door front-heavy sedan. They were both awesome, but completely different. I want them BOTH!! Bottom line...the RS4 was "fun" while the R8 was "scary"
09-21-2007, 12:09 AM
#6
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Despite some shared grunt, totally different. I tracked the R8 and RS4 back-to-back...
...and although I'm no race car driver, or even an experienced trackday guy, the difference is huge.
When riding with the German Audi Factory driver in the RS4, after having driven the R8 on the same track. I asked him what he thought of the 2 cars. He was very complimentary of both, but said the R8 platform made him tingle.
You have to keep in mind the stance, mid-engine placement (and inherent balance), and the weight differential when comparing a sport sedan to a mid-engine supercar.
But at the end of the day, the RS4 is still for me. It will be tempting to underutilize, but enjoy, the V10TT version of the R8 or the RS6, but hopefully my sense will get the best of me by then. ;-)
When riding with the German Audi Factory driver in the RS4, after having driven the R8 on the same track. I asked him what he thought of the 2 cars. He was very complimentary of both, but said the R8 platform made him tingle.
You have to keep in mind the stance, mid-engine placement (and inherent balance), and the weight differential when comparing a sport sedan to a mid-engine supercar.
But at the end of the day, the RS4 is still for me. It will be tempting to underutilize, but enjoy, the V10TT version of the R8 or the RS6, but hopefully my sense will get the best of me by then. ;-)
09-21-2007, 03:51 AM
#7
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R8: Eager to play, yet entirely stable...
Tracked both a couple weeks ago - while the RS4 was very good, the R8 was tremendously better, in part because of the lower center of mass and much reduced body lean. That contributed to a sense of greater stability, and less deviation from the intended path when going over bumps. I felt more connected to the R8, which felt like an extension of my hands and feet, like there was a direct link from thought to action.
The most striking difference was the willingness of the R8 to respond to adjsutments in the attitude of the car. The R8 felt eager to play, yet entirely stable, and let me do things I couldn't do in the RS4. Want a little drift in a particular corner? No problem. Place it just so at an apex. Again, no problem.
Finally, the R8 engine/exhaust sounds were more aggressive, racier. Sounds faster! And R-tronic was very good (at least on the track).
The most striking difference was the willingness of the R8 to respond to adjsutments in the attitude of the car. The R8 felt eager to play, yet entirely stable, and let me do things I couldn't do in the RS4. Want a little drift in a particular corner? No problem. Place it just so at an apex. Again, no problem.
Finally, the R8 engine/exhaust sounds were more aggressive, racier. Sounds faster! And R-tronic was very good (at least on the track).
