Have you ever driven an RS4?
The interior is almost exactly the same. Bucket seats, FBMFSW, metal pedals etc...
The 40-60, 60-90 etc is where a tuned S3 can really shine through. The torque delivery is much more fierce. Yes after about 140mph the RS4 will shine but that ability is useless on the roads, only on a track would you use that.
The difference is you need to have the engine in the RS4 at about 6000rpm to get the most out of it. So 40 to 60 would need to be in 2nd where as a tuned S3 could do it in 3rd and keep going all the way to 90mph without changing gear.
I will endeavour to get some real world times for you to prove this point.
As for handling and drivetrain. I have got the RS4 to slide very easily.... If its a little wet on a roundabout too much right foot can start a fair bit of understeer.
I still think its a great car, don't get me wrong. But since getting my S3 done, the once great light that shone from its exhausts has dimmed.
Hmm...ok then, i'm not going to convince you otherwise to what you're saying. The basic fact that you're comparing a Haldex controlled 2.0T hatch (tuned beyond what it was intended to achieve) to a V8 full time 4WD saloon based on 'how fast it feels' speaks volumes, you're missing the point of what the RS4 was designed for so we'll leave it at that! The S3 suits your lifestyle and criteria for a car more than an RS4 so thats good
. You've saved yourself a lot of money. Jeremy clarkson who's driven every piece of exotica ever made declares the RS4 as one of the most perfectly balanced cars with the best engine he'd ever driven (at that time). You borrow your mums and get it to slide on a roundabout in the wet and all of a sudden it's 'average'. No offence but i know who's critique of the car i'll be going with. Each to their own.
To answer your question yes i have driven an RS4 a few times (the Avant version) and i'm sorry but the build quality of the interior is superior. The car 'feels' more expensive to me. You think they're almost exactly the same? Specsavers is calling...
I borrowed my uncles 997 Carrera 4S for a day not too long ago (£80k worth) and about town and regular roads/driving conditions in urban areas it felt no better quality, quicker or exciting than my A3 2.0T Q. Not for a millisecond would i be short sighted enough to say it's therefore 'not as good'. A Carrera doesn't even come into it's own until the A3 reaches it's limit. It's built for handling, response and performance at highers speeds. Bombing about town is a waste of the car and no basis for a review.
This is what i'm trying to get across, the S3 no matter what BHP it's putting out... as a car, chassis, general grip and drive train will reach it's limit. Push it too hard and you will end your days in a ditch. The RS4 on the otherhand is designed with precise handling at higher speeds in mind. The limit to which it can be pushed to safely is far far in excess of what the S3 was ever designed to achieve.
I'm not sure how much of an advanced driver you are, how many track days you've had in each car really pushing them and finding the limit of each but fair enough. Your opinion is as valid as any i'm sure!
You enjoy your car which is the main thing.