Damn you Audi for making us think you were finally catching up to BMW!!!<ul><li><a href="http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49988">http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49988</a</li></ul>

surely it's fast and fun as hell though.

RS5 will target M3. Hopefully, Audi will price S5 within striking distance to 335, with standard A5 going against 328 coupe. S5 will perform at or better than 335i but with quattro, etc. If they price S5 as some have predicted, close to 70K fully loaded, then game set and match to BMW and others. I see the RS5 coming in with all needed to compete with M3, just like RS4 stomped old M3. Fingers crossed.

Still, isn't that S5 a beaut! What a design home run. BMW still has to carry the Bangle weight, plus there poor quasi auto system. Ever driven an M3 with that trans.--head jerks around like one of those bobble dolls.

oh, and the S5 will *NOT* be $70k- the Euro pricing is already out and it is priced similarly to the S4.

The previous 3 series interior looked ok, these look like a huge step back in my mind. =\

Every car lover in Europe knew M3 would come next December. Up until a month ago, it looked like the M3 would make an easy entrance into the market, Raising the bar for every thing (R)S and AMG.
Now the S5 will be their first and set the bar. And where Audi is showing the real thing in Geneva, BMW is showing a concept.

I'm confident the S5 will be a better ride than the current RS4 (apart from pure speed). Even if the M3 beats the S5 by quite a margin, everybody (in Europe) will say: We'll need the RS5 to know for sure. Until the RS5 arrives, the M3 will be in waiting mode.

I guess Europe and US have different views on cars.

Anyway looking at sales numbers in the Netherlands for this year, Audi A4 (7 years old, outgoing model) is outselling the BMW 3 series (3 years old). I guess that say's enough about how the design of BMW is rated overhere.

Cheers

Why would Audi deliberately position the S5 to compete with the M3? True, there may be some cross shopping that will happen but Audi has developed a high-revving engine to effectively compete with the BMW M-series. That is the engine is found in the RS4, and in modified form, in the R8, not the S5. This time BMW is playing catch-up to Audi. Audi (S4) and MB (C55) were first to equip a 3-series class car with V8 engines and Audi was first in class to produce a car with a high revving V8. The M3 concept is following Audi's lead, and the RS4 will be on the market roughly two years before BMW is able to respond with a production version!

Audi introduced the A5 and the S5 as grand tourers, not outright sporting machines. Grand tourers are typically more refined than a sports car and will appeal to a more mature clientele, increasing the base of potential consumers.

If Audi wanted to compete directly with the M3, it would have equipped the S5, or badged RS5, with the RS4 engine. This is not the case. Instead, Audi is waiting for BMW to disclose more information about the M3. BMW still has yet to introduce the production version and is resorting to showing a concept model. These engines are extremely complicated and require long development cycles. Once BMW discloses the specifications of the engine, Audi is then free to further refine the RS4 engine.

I haven't sat in one of those, so I don't know about the quality of them compared to the BMWs. I would hope at least the materials in the BMW are better.

another interesting point is that BMW is calling this the 'M3 concept'...isn't it a little late in the cycle to be calling it a concept?

<ul><li><a href="http://forums.audiworld.com/c6a6/msgs/32533.phtml">klik</a></li></ul>

412 hp, 310 lb-ft V8 engine

You have to add a few things light leather, 19" wheels, etc. to make it directly comparable to an S5, but the base MSRP is very reasonable and makes me wonder why anyone would pay some $10K more for an RS 4.

By the way, the transmission choices are SMG III and manual 6-speed. No mention of DSG.<ul><li><a href="http://www.leftlanenews.com/2007-bmw-m3-e92-pricing-leaked.html">E92 M3 pricing leaked</a></li></ul>

$68,595.

just curious. I mean, that might be a target, but, as April said, they could still add and subtract a bunch of things before release as a production model.

Why would we get US pricing almost a year before the car is due to arrive in showrooms? That's not at all BMW operating procedure. Given the volatility of the exchange rates, no European manufacturer gives their competition that kind advance notice so they can be undercut.

So while it may be true, it may also be wishful thinking and clever
rumour mongering to put BMW on the spot to confirm or deny those numbers.

And the S5 is the direct competitor to the 330i?

And if BMW follows form, this M3 will probably have some sort of undefeatable DSC or you have to configure it to use all the hp/torque before every time you drive the car.

Whatever they do, this car will probably sell well anyway.

I'm thinking with the power/performance upgrades this model would start at least around $58 - $60, and that seems to be the word on BMW boards as well.

As April says, the release is still a long way off for the E92 M3, so I guess we'll just have to wait (like with the A5!)...

Cheers,

Just not working for me
<img src="http://www.bimmerpost.com/images/mw12.jpg">

I seriously doubt that. The M3 looks wretched, that bonnet is like a tumor on it and the front air scoop is horrible like a gaping mouth. I couldn't understand how anyone could buy that even if its performance was wonderful, it looks like excrement on wheels. Just by looks the A5 and S5 are beauty redefined inside and out - what a stunning car. And I'm sure Audi has an ace up its sleeve with the quattro performance and as it seems buffed up engine power. As usual Audi has created a car too good for any other to follow.

Thanks for your response.
I just realized how much I hope that audi will attack BMW at their core value's. Just to prove that Bangle's design is no design.

How childish am I.

Shame BMW interiors are so crappy compared to Audi though.