The RS6 just went out of production this past October of 2004. Quattro GmbH built for more than they expected to. Originally, about 6,000 units of this amazing car were forecast to be built, but 8,000 units were made over the two year period. Our new RS4 based on the B7 should be entering production when the workders come back from the summer vacation of 2005. To be unveiled this coming spring in Geneva, the FSI V8 wicked wonder will make its debut. Tuned to somewhere between 425 and 450 hp normally aspirated, this is just in time to take on the new 400 hp V8 powered M3 that will be unveiled this next year no later than the IAA in September of 2005. As the new M3 is rumored to continue to be RWD as well, it should be a great battle to witness, much like the Mustang versus Camaro battle of American automotive lore. The new RS4 has been spied by all of the European car mags getting daily tuning runs at the brutal Nurburgring. The suspension and engine boffins at Audi are putting the finishing touches to this highly awaited model. As for the competition the AMG powered C55 is already on the market. With at least 60 more bhp and quattro in the Audi, will the new RS4 have enough margin to leave it in the dust? Like the RS6, it will pe produced in sedan and Avant versions. Which one will be headed here? We should see both versions by the middle of 2006, most likely as a model year 2007.

the FSI V8 in the B7 RS 4 will need 4.5L of displacement for it to be reliable. 450 hp from a normally aspirated 4.2L engine, even with FSI is way too much stress on the engine, making for poorer reliability.

first of all thanks for the update. i am sure your sources are great. i just want to add, though, that one 100% reliable source here on AW has said that the avant will not make it stateside. also, the official output will be 420-425 hp (depending on which standard you use). from what i understand it is also supposed to weigh almost 300lbs less than the S4. questions unanswered are: active suspension? different recaros than S4? 19's std. or opt.? ETA stateside (oct 2005 est.)?

If I'm not mistaken that info was taken directly out of Quattro Quarterly magazine. I'm sure once the car debuts in Geneva we will know more.

i'm dying over here. it's nice to work hard and be able to buy the things you like. i've definitely outgrown my TT. i just wish audi had another, more grown up coupe for me. the TT replacement is still over 1 year away from production. the RS9 is over 2 years away. believe it or not i've also thought about the S6 which may not be too far away, especially because my fiancee is getting a B7 3.2 shortly and the RS4 is identical in size.

i keep counting the days until something is leaked. geneva is too far away :)

What's that? LMQ?

S6 will be coming stateside?

So what's the deal with the S4 and RS4? Which one is the more appropriate M3/C55 competitor? Or is it more like S4 -- CTS-V and RS4 -- CTS-V Plus? That's what's always confused me about Audi. S and RS lines, where S4 and RS6 were brought to US (and S8), but not RS4 or S6...

yes. RS9=LMQ. will basically perform as today's gallardo. by the time RS9 comes out the gallardo will have moved even more upmarket or even be replaced, circa 2008 model year.

S=M=AMG

RS is limited production and would basically compete with the CTS-V plus, and BMW CSL variants.

the RS4 is slated to do 0-60 in 4.3 seconds and lap the nurburgring in the same time as the 911 turbo.

in shape yes, in performance no.

the nuvolari was A8 based. in production trim the nuvolari will be A4 based. the A5 (the A4 coupe) will look almost identical to the nuvolari but will be smaller, of course. accordingly it will have smaller engines, etc... in essence the A5 will be a small novulari.

it will be based on the upcoming all new A4 platform (the B8). it is already under development and will debut around model year 2008/9. it is said to have a 50/50 weight distribution, with tiny front and rear overhangs, new diff. sending 60% of power to the rear wheels, possible next gen aluminum space frame, and a NA 3.5L V6 good for about 280 hp, as well as a H.O. 2.0L turbo good for about 220 hp. i am not sure what the B8 S4 and RS4 will be powered by, but you can imagine...

i doubt we'll get the receeding door handles like the nuvolari...

the current M3 tops out at roughly 65K or so. the next one should be a bit more.

the RS4 will top out at close to 70K. remember, it is positioned above the non CSL M cars.

Its coming out in '08 and will only have 280 hp? The G35 coupe has that now. Who knows what it will have in '08. No offense but I hope you're wrong. And I wish they would release the Nuvolari as is! i know its a concept, but they should still release as is!!

Although there will be somewhat of a resemblance between the Nuvolari and the A5 (which will be on the B8 platform), the A5 will not be the production version of the Nuvolari. If the Nuvolari ever goes into production, it will be called the A7 (either on the C6, C7, D3 or D4 platform). Of course, there will be S and RS versions of both cars. The market and buyer demand for a two door S model and especially a two door RS model from Audi is way, way too high for there not to be an S5, RS 5, S7 and RS 7. The A5 and A7 will both have aluminum bodies, most likely ASF III or ASF IV (third generation or fourth generation of the aluminum space frame).

insiders confirm this too. if a mid range lux coupe is made it will be far into the future- maybe with the next gen A6 chassis. the tab has been filled with the RS9 which is confirmed. audi too busy with the Q7, RS9, Q5, and upcoming S models to be developing a mid range coupe at this time. sorry. nuvolari was my wet dream but i'll settle for the RS9, eh?

It will have ASF III (third generation of the aluminum space frame) or ASF IV (fourth generation of the aluminum space frame) and there will definitely be an S5 and RS 5. The demand for a two door RS model from Audi is way too high for there not to be an RS 5. Hopefully, by 2012 (which is when the next (C7) A6 is due out), the ASF III or ASF IV will be feasible for the next A6 despite the A6's high production volumes. By that time, ASF will have been around for 18 years. So it is very likely (but not definite or given) that ASF will be feasible for high volume cars like the A6 and even the A4 (which is even higher volume than the A6).