spicedparrot

So...I have a 2016 Audi S4 with my name on it arriving next month...also can have an ATS-V with my name on it arriving late next month. The ATS-V is more expensive but the early reviews on the car are that its lighting fast, like M3 fast (which I would also have to order).

Any thoughts? I'm mostly a daily driver guy but live near Road America which is an excellent Road Course that allows you to use on occasion. Not everyday but maybe a couple of times of year.

Of course, Road America is in WI and it gets colder than...well...it gets cold and snowy here so the only reason I'm holding back is because I'm nervous about a RWD vehicle in the Winter.

I'm also toying with the idea of an S6, which is about the same price as the M3 and little more $$ than the ATS-V but I've heard it really doesn't handle that well.

Can y'all help? I"m posting here to a degree to see if people talk me into the S4!

Thanks!

DrGP

S6 if you can afford it and don't want a MT

RickFLS4

Really depends on what you want. From what I've read, the ATS-V should have great power and outstanding handling. However, as you note it will be less than optimal in the snow. Additionally, my personal opinion is that it is a bit ugly and the interior is not as nice as Audi. Plus it costs more...

S6 is a larger car and different class. It is beautiful, luxurious powerful and handles fairly well for its size, but is not the same as a smaller car.

I'm biased, of course, but think the S4 is the best balance of all-around daily driver and sport sedan at a fair price. However, if you are willing to spend more and looking for more power either the ATS-V or S6 would fit the bill and the S6 is a particularly good choice if you are looking for something larger and more luxurious.

eric strauss

The S4 is a very well sorted car and is an extraordinary balance of driver focussed features. The S6 is a hoot, but the bigger chassis and heavy motor gives the car a very different feel. In addition, my sense was that the 7-speed transmission was not as well sorted out in the S6 as in the S4. In our family, we settled on an S4 and an RS5. I am the primary driver of the RS5, but my wife and I trade off as needed for passengers. We like having two sports cars for the mountain drives on the weekend. ALthough the S6 was a powerful brute and had a bigger back seat (which would have been nice) - it was a bit of a beast in the canyons. I spent a a number of test drives in the CTS-V as I really wanted a wagon, but I found the car very isolating. Really fast, but not much road feel. I cannot speak for the ATS-V, which has the press drooling. I'll bet its quite fun.

Knowing Wisconsin winters, I am a big fan of quattro, minus-one tire sizing and severe service snow tires such as the Hakkapellittas or Blizzaks.

Happy Motoring

Eric

spicedparrot

Wow. What great input! Thanks. I had concerns about the S6's weight and size and thought that might not be ideal on a course like Road America (I also toyed with a hellcat but considered its limitations for the same reason).

Follow up question - what if I through an M3 into the mix? More expensive than anything I think others but am just not sure if it would work as well as the S4 as a daily driver. I get that I'm giving up some performance, but really, I'd only be on the track a few times a year. I'm more likely to want to blow by someone annoying me on the interstate on a regular basis than try and beat my latest time on the track.

Love this forum. If I do get one of the Audi's this is going to be a fun place to kill time.

spicedparrot

By the way, I thought this review of the ATS-V (hardly objective) was interesting:
Can the Cadillac ATS-V put a dent in the M3?

spicedparrot

Just took a look at a 2015 ATS sedan...not the V (they aren't on lots yet) but the interior and features are very nice. Plus it has remote start from the key fob AND from the phone. I have that now on my current car and it is oh so nice in the winter. Still...the S4 comes so well recommended.

eric strauss

… The M3 is the standard to which all others are compared. In the spirit of full disclosure, I have been a member of the BMWCCA since 1998 (Audi Club since 2001).

Because Audi does not offer the RS4 in the U.S., there is no direct comparison to the M3 from Audi. The S4 compares most directly to the BMW 335i with The M Package. The RS5 competes with the mechanically identical M4, but 2015 is it's swan song. I love my RS5, but it is due for a refresh. Word on the street is that the 2017 RS5 will be powered by a V6 with forced induction of some kind.

If you wish for the manual transmission, I would favor the M3 as it is by all accounts sublime. My last S5 was a manual and worked well, but it was not BMW-grade telepathic.

However, if winter looms in the future, even Blizzaks will not save the M3. Keeping the oily side down is a must ;-)

No bad decision here, just joy in different packages…

Eric

PS - You are not killing time… instead you are nourishing your automotive soul.

togatown

I never thought I would hear myself say that Cadillac is actually looking much more attractive these days, lol!

The M3 is definitely still the benchmark in it's class, but BMW needs to step up their game soon, as competition is gaining as it is aging.
Had a 335 prior to Audi A5/S4 and love the interior of our cars over BMW, but would probably still jump ship back if they made the M3 in AWD.

spicedparrot

The ATS-V is very tempting. Of course, with packages, etc. its equivilent cost to a 2016 S4 with Black Optic and Technology is about 10K. Just not sure if its 10K better (particularly when the dealer is willing to sell me the 2016 S4 at invoice and I doubt I'll get that kind of deal on the ATS-V). Decisions, decisions.

I tend to trade cars in every 2 years so I'm also not sure if one or the other will be better in 2 years.

I thought about doing an APR Stage II tune to the Audi which I think will bump up the HP and Torque to be equivilent to the ATS-V. But, Audi of course doesn't have the new Apple user interface...and I"m really going to miss remote start!!! :-)