I wasn't impressed with the A4

I drive an Audi A6 as my 'family'/'practical' car when I need two more seats, or have a lot of long stuff to carry. It was a recent upgrade from an A4 that I had for a couple of years. About a week ago or so, someone keyed the A6 (it was a week old), and I dropped it off today to get it fixed. I got a rental of an Audi A4, base car, with an 8 speed slush box, and I was shocked at the difference between it and the A6. The car encourages me to whip through traffic, and drive it far harder than the A6 ever does. The weight difference is not much nor is the size all that remarkable -- and couple of inches here, a few inches there, but the difference in agility is remarkable.

If Porsche ever brings out a stripped base mid-engine super light turbo-charged car, it may be the long lost relative to the original 550.....

It won't be stripped, but supposedly, they are looking at a mid-engine to fit above the 911 to be an F-car challenger in the $250K range.

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db997S
It won't be stripped, but supposedly, they are looking at a mid-engine to fit above the 911 to be an F-car challenger in the $250K range.

I was hoping for cheaper too....

I had the Boxster in for a warranty repair on the driver's side outside mirror which was loose. I had an A4 Quattro loaner and was not happy at all with the steering feel. The prospect of driving it on a slippery road where the first indicator of traction loss would be purely visual with no feedback from the steering was something I would not look froward to. I don't know if it has electrically assisted steering or not.

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SteveJ (2010 987 base, manual trans)
I had the Boxster in for a warranty repair on the driver's side outside mirror which was loose. I had an A4 Quattro loaner and was not happy at all with the steering feel. The prospect of driving it on a slippery road where the first indicator of traction loss would be purely visual with no feedback from the steering was something I would not look froward to. I don't know if it has electrically assisted steering or not.

There is frankly nothing that I've driven that has the steering feel of the my Boxster. I think the closest I have driven was an old BMW2002tii and a late '80s BMW 3er. Traction loss, when I had my A4 was largely based on traction being lost when accelerating (which wasn't all that often given the AWD) and sadly, largely when braking.

However, that much being said, Mercedes, BMW are both no better than Audi.

You might recall my post a couple weeks ago about having an A4 loaner. Yes, there's pretty much nothing that will match a Boxster's steering, but it felt no better than my sister's Camry, and there's something wrong with that. The whole racing precision German engineering Diesel Le Mans thing that permeates their advertising is contradicted by a car that feels vague and sloppy, with ergonomics that would do Hieronymus Bosch proud.

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Laz
You might recall my post a couple weeks ago about having an A4 loaner. Yes, there's pretty much nothing that will match a Boxster's steering, but it felt no better than my sister's Camry, and there's something wrong with that. The whole racing precision German engineering Diesel Le Mans thing that permeates their advertising is contradicted by a car that feels vague and sloppy, with ergonomics that would do Hieronymus Bosch proud.

I do recall your post on the A4 loaner. But I just spent six days in a Ford Edge Sport, which is about the same price as an A4. Brings a whole new meaning to vague and sloppy.....

But you're right -- there is little or no racing precision in Audi, nor is there much in BMW anymore, nor Mercedes. The reality is the vast majority of cars all drive the same because all the manufacturers use the same suppliers for the various bit and pieces of gear. I drove a Mercedes recently, and it felt like my Audi -- just more expensive.

My A6 is pretty numb feeling, but still, the A4 is less numb and encourages more banzai driving.

Someday I'm going to test drive a 981 -- however, I have fear in that, as it could result in my wanting one. Kind of like going to a bar to meet people when you think you're married being a bit dangerous.....

"... when you think you're married..." !

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Laz
"... when you think you're married..." !

I think I'm married -- just not sure -- better ask my wife --

newer audis have improved in several substantial ways:

1. they have moved the drivetrain back 6" relative to the front axle, making it less of a nose-heavy pig
2. they have improved the suspension geometry
3. the 8-speed kicks the butt of the older 5-speed ZFs

That said, my C5 S6 (2002) is, while heavy, and, yes, with heavily filtered steering, mcuh mroe of a blast than most would imagine. Why?

1. coilovers that i put in
2. tons of negative camber tat i put in
3. solid tie rods that i put in ( and came semi solid on S models)
4. track pads that i put in
5. really good tires (that surprised me with how good they were)

But it is a heavy car. Those of you who read my reviews from VIR and Pocono will recall that i had fun in part because it made me plan way ahead - last minute changes when at the limit in a 4,000 pound car on street tires are simply not possible.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com