B9 RS4. Talk to me

HoneyBadger · 16 Aug 2025 at 18:35

deviation said:
Yeah, you're never getting past ramming a massive engine over the front axel past the turrets and pairing that with mass amounts of vague steering and understeer. Nor the fact it is just a passat chassis with a fancy bodykit and a better engine.
So it will never handle like an M3/5.

True, it's 2 different types of owners, I think the RS owners, just like the fact it's fast in a straight line like an AMG is, and has the safety stigma that "it's AWD therefore it's safer in any weather" - they all seem to quote that, whenever comparing it to owning a RWD BMW/AMG.

But with now that BMW have switchable X-drive, it makes it harder to justify an Audi over a BMW.
The BMW will always handle better and be more involving/fun to drive.
If you're a RWD and or BMW owner, making the compromise to a lesser driving experience and handling, will be a tough one. Because, what exactly are you gaining, when you can now have your cake and eat it with X-Drive, and simply make it RWD at the push of a button, when you want it to be a hooligan again.

Did you used to go by the forum name dLockers?

Nasher · 16 Aug 2025 at 18:56

ShivP said:
It's nothing like a Passat chassis, the engine is even mounted in a different direction...

They are all variations of the same platform really.

It's not bespoke. If it was they would handle much better than they do.

Rroff · Monday at 04:54

deviation said:
Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio

A sample size of 2 but both people I know who have owned them the car spent more time at the dealer than with them.

deviation · Monday at 07:44

Rroff said:
A sample size of 2 but both people I know who have owned them the car spent more time at the dealer than with them.

I know people with modern M cars, who spend more time paying for them to be fixed, than driving them, nothing is made to last past the warranty/lease these days, especially not cars

ShivP said:
It's nothing like a Passat chassis, the engine is even mounted in a different direction...

What does fitting a different subframe/engine mounts for the RS engine, have to do with whether it's the same chassis? The chassis code (B9 in this case) is the same as the passat for each generation of A/S/RS model.
All they've done is design a new subframe and engine mounts, to allow a different engine to fit this chassis.
An RS3 is also Golf, with a different engine, it's the same principle.

The only difference with the chassis, tends to be things like seam and stitch welding, and additonal bracing, to stiffen up said chassis and allow it to support the added power, and still have a chance of handling the best that it can.
This is common practice.

HoneyBadger said:
Did you used to go by the forum name dLockers?

You've lost me? You can't change your username, as far as I'm aware?

Nasher said:
They are all variations of the same platform really.

It's not bespoke. If it was they would handle much better than they do.

Exactly, if it was bespoke they wouldn't have to ram the engine so far past the suspension turrets! They'd build the chassis around the engine having as close to 50/50 weight distribution as possible, as with any performance car.
All they've done is changed the subframe/engine mounts, to squeeze a different engine in, no different a RS3 having a 5 cylinder different engine in a Golf chassis.

Diddums · Monday at 13:06

HoneyBadger said:
Did you used to go by the forum name dLockers?

"show us on the spreadsheet where they touched you"

HoneyBadger · Monday at 13:13

Diddums said:
"show us on the spreadsheet where they touched you"

I can’t, I reached the maximum number of columns and it crashes xx

mjt · Wednesday at 17:22

Swapping the M2 for one of these just doesn't make sense. I used the Q7 to tow my twin axle trailer full of trees and whatnot and it was just so effortless. Yes it's massive, but it's such a nice place to be and it's depreciated so much already I might as well keep it another year as I've got the extended warranty.

Thanks for the "iT's JuSt A pAsSaT iN dRaG" comments... Maybe the edition 25 Years will drop in price to something more sensible. I'd probably take one of those over an M3 Touring :cool:

/runs

deviation · Wednesday at 17:36

mjt said:
Thanks for the "iT's JuSt A pAsSaT iN dRaG" comments...

You OK hun?
Ignorance is bliss I guess :rolleyes:

mjt · Wednesday at 18:38

deviation said:
You OK hun?
Ignorance is bliss I guess

jpaul · Wednesday at 21:43

if registration taxes co2 are important embrace the future electric bmw i5 touring they're dropping.

[can't blame people for channelling dlockers - did wonder if chatgpt could bring him back to life from earlier posts]

naefeart · Thursday at 10:21

mjt said:
Swapping the M2 for one of these just doesn't make sense. I used the Q7 to tow my twin axle trailer full of trees and whatnot and it was just so effortless. Yes it's massive, but it's such a nice place to be and it's depreciated so much already I might as well keep it another year as I've got the extended warranty.

I would stay as you are, I realise this is the boring answer. The RS4 won't give you the same level of all round practicality provided by the Q7, it also won't ride as well. It also won't give you the pointy handling and/or fun factor of the M2.

The RS4 might make more sense if you are driveway/garage space limited or you only wanted one set of running costs.