I know we don't have all the specs and prices but I hope it is around the 335i price. I want a 335i but if theis S5 is the same price I will snatch it up instead. AWD but I only wished Audi had a SMG like BMW does for the transmission. Oh well manual will have to do but I have also heard rumors from Mitsubishi that the new Tip from Audi is going to be faster than any man could ever shift a car so what is the point in a manual?

P.S. the 335i I built and am looking at is 52K so around that range would be good.

though I wouldn't expect the S5 to cost the same as a 335i- it would likely be in the price range of the M3.

If if is all its cracked up to be I want one for sure.

I think it will be a little more than the current S4. The new M3 is going to be in the mid 60k range once you put a few basic options on. The RS5 will compete with the M3 but cost a little more than the RS4. In terms of straight line acceraltion it will roughly compare to the S4 which is comparable to the 335i.

The 335i should be compared to the S5.

I resigned myself to never owning the top of the line performance car in each range.

Like the A4 vs the S4; I can get a nicely loaded 2.0tq manual for about $36K, and there is no way that an S4 has enough performance and added features to warrant an extra $18K. I don't imagine that I will get $18K more enjoyment out of an S4. That money will go towards a nice hobby car.

S5 then 335i then RS5 then M3(new).

I really didn't think I would like it so much. I've taken it to the track 2 times and it was fun, a little heavy though but what do you expect from a luxury mid-size car? It has it all. Power, handling, luxury and room to haul people. The torque is simply amazing. I'm starting to understand why other people come back and buy another M5.

I believe it's more like a 5k difference if you compare one with the same equipment.

I did a quick build on the BMW website and the price difference between a fully loaded 328i and 335i is 4k.

I agree about the price difference between an S4 and A4. It's a huge difference in price. Consider a 2 year used S4 for 42k and the decision becomes much harder between the 2.

The S5 will have a 350hp 8cyl, which will be similar performance to the S4. The RS5 will probably have the RS4 engine. The 335i beats the S4 in a race. The New M3 is said to have 415-420hp 8cyl so it's easy to assume it will outrun an RS4/RS5.

Ok.. that is conjecture. As well as what an RS5 will have under the hood. Hell, we don't even know what the A5/S5 will have as far as factual hp numbers.

Many who are familiar with both systems say DSG is better.

However, I haven't driven the new line of SMG cars, so I hear they've made some improvements. I would definately think you could get DSG with the A5. Heck, it's available on the A3!

BMW on the other hand, it's hard to find in non-//M models, although it has been available.

And, they drop like rocks in the first few years.

The old M3 was $50k... So, I assume the new M3 is going to be $75k. Well, I guess that's more on par with the RS4 (at ~ $70k).

I was gonna have to go off on you! Hahaha. A 2003 is definately not a UR-M5!!!

The M5 began with the E28 M5 in 1987...

Then continued with the E34 M5 in 1991 (US), see pic below. I REALLY want one of these. They are way cool, but spendy to maintain.


<img src="http://www.s-cars.org/postnuke/modules/gallery/albums/danh/91M5WHT7.jpg">


These were all hand-built, limited production models.

The E39 M5 came in 1999 or 2000... That's a THIRD generation. And, more of a regular production model than the previous. This was the first mainstream M5.

To many purists... Real M5's have 6-cylinders and individual throttle bodies!

I'm not really like that though... I think the FOURTH generation (latest) M5 is a marvel. V10 and 7 sequential gears. Amazing!

Speculation is still out there with USA getting 340/350HP 4.2 V8 as an option for the standard A5. With possible sport options, etc., that would be an attractive configuration for those of us who want a more traditional interior/exterior (warmer woods, leathers, etc., absent the skirts, so forth) but still want performance at or above the 335i. Even with quatro weight that engine option would provide comparable performance. I would think any performance band of 320HP+ would make the model competitive with the 335i or the coming infiniti coup. Hope we have that option, though I think it is more likely that we will get the V6 at around 300HP as the top engine for the the standard A5.

I've yet to see any road test that has the S4 doing 0-60 in under 5 seconds. And why does Audi need an S4 to compete with a Non"M" BMW? Shouldn't the "standard" A5 be able to compete with the "Standard" BMW?

you're right, it's all speculation, but you're taking everything as factual.

OMG LOL ROFL

<ul><li><a href="http://forums.audiworld.com/a5/msgs/608.phtml">http://forums.audiworld.com/a5/msgs/608.phtml</a</li></ul>

I remember it precisely. They raced both cars on an abandoned airstrip. The BMW flew by first and the word "Bugger" was displayed on the screen right at the end of the race. It was a Blue E46 M3 vs. a Red Audi S4. Could you link me to the video that you are talking about? I doubt that a S4 could beat an M3 around a racetrack (Maybe in the rain or snow ?). Any one know what the times are for both cars around the Nordschleife?

http://www.topgear.com/content/tgonbbc2/laptimes/thestig/

But it was a B6 S4, Which perform the same as the B7?<ul><li><a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6590515381030983269&amp;q=top+gear+Aud i+s4">google video</a></li></ul>

I've seen them go out in the rain, Time the run, and then post that time alongside the times that were done in the dry.