Audi Kuwait

May 16, 2006

New dimensions in driving dynamics combined with innovative ideas – plus exciting styling for all three versions and a level of equipment that lives up to even the highest luxury performance standards: the new Audi RS 4 models, the latest high-performance products from quattro GmbH, combine the thoroughbred character of a pedigree sports saloon with supreme, premium-calibre everyday suitability. This is the first time that three new RS models have appeared simultaneously. Each version represents the crowning glory of the corresponding A4 car line.
The new Audi RS 4 incorporates countless new features, many of them with their origins in the world of motor sport. Most notably, there is the V8 engine with an output of 420 bhp. This is the first time that a manufacturer has combined petrol direct injection with a high-revving concept. Engine speeds of up to 8,250 rpm are possible. Another highlight is the suspension with the latest generation of quattro permanent four-wheel drive with asymmetric/dynamic torque split and Dynamic Ride Control. Like the RS 4 saloon, the Cabriolet and Avant have also been subjected to a rigorous regime of weight reduction measures to make sure that they are equally sporty. Despite the systematic application of lightweight construction principles, all RS 4 versions feature luxurious equipment that singles out the Audi RS 4 as a high-performance vehicle suitable for everyday driving.

The 420 bhp V8 engine with a displacement of 4,163 cm3 breaks through the magic barrier for production saloons of 100 bhp per litre of swept volume. The highly compact power unit reaches its peak torque of 430 Nm at 5,500 rpm. 90 percent of the total torque is available between 2,250 and 7,600 rpm. The result is excellent pulling power at all times, enabling the driver to drive in a relaxed style without frequent gear changes.

The Audi RS 4 saloon employs groundbreaking FSI technology. The petrol direct-injection unit delivers enhanced power output based on more efficient combustion of the fuel/air mixture.

The engine is also particularly responsive. Performance is correspondingly impressive: the saloon version reaches the 100 km/h mark in 4.8 seconds, and 200 km/h in 16.6 seconds. The top speed is governed electronically at 250 km/h.
The efficiency of FSI technology has already been demonstrated impressively in Audi’s four-time Le Mans winner, the Audi R8.Another key requirement for the developers was an optimum power-to-weight ratio.It was important that the Audi RS 4 should not weigh a gram more than it had to.

The weight of practically every part was subjected to critical scrutiny. The front wings and the bonnet are made of aluminium, as are most of the chassis components. The specially designed RS bucket seats are not only very light, but also offer excellent body support.

The result is a power-to-weight ratio of just 3.93 kilos per bhp – a figure truly reminiscent of a thoroughbred sports car which would not even have been conceivable for a midsize saloon just a few years ago.

New quattro generation

The challenge is to transfer all this power to the road in the best way possible. For the last 25 years, Audi’s answer to all the particular requirements in this respect has been “quattro”. The latest generation of quattro permanent four-wheel drive with self-locking centre differential and offering an asymmetric/dynamic torque split of 40:60 (front:rear) is one of the main factors behind the ground-breaking performance of the sports suspension featured on the RS 4. Indeed, Audi quattro technology still provides traction when other drive concepts have long since come up against their limits. quattro drive is further enhanced by DRC (Dynamic Ride Control), which significantly reduces both the rolling and pitching motions of the vehicle.

The performance of the brakes likewise represents the dawning of a new era. The 18-inch format provides optimum deceleration. The perforated ventilated brake discs at the front measure 365 millimetres in diameter, with similarly perforated ventilated brake discs at the rear in 324-millimetre diameter.

Flow-enhanced ventilation geometry incorporating NACA jets on the underbody of the car ensures optimum cooling of the brakes. As a result, brake fading is significantly reduced even under extreme loads such as on the race track.

The latest generation of ESP has been modified specifically in line with the particular character and philosophy of the RS 4 models as high-performance vehicles. It now intervenes later and for shorter periods. It is also possible to disable the ESP in two stages. In the first stage only the traction control (ASR) function is disabled; the other ESP functions remain fully active. In the second stage the ESP, including the traction control, can be completely deactivated, e.g. for use on a racetrack. All electronic control then ceases. The integral dry braking function provides added safety in wet weather. When the road is wet the brake pads are applied to the brake discs at regular intervals, unnoticed by the driver, and the brakes are dried.