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115K views 936 replies 42 participants last post by  Theo  
#1 ·
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#2 ·
The problem for Audi in upping the power of the RS3 is keeping the pecking order of their various RS badged vehicles i.e. not to have the RS5 slower than the RS3. Whereas MB have quite often not been that ridgid about hierarchy.
 
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#4 ·
veeeight you are knowledgeable about most things to do with the A45. Are you not considering changing to the new one. I was wondering if those of us getting the new one are missing something, like the new RS3 or an M2 coming up with x-drive we aren't aware of.
 
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#5 · (Edited)
Haha not at all.

It’s all a matter of timing, my current PCP expires imminently, and having worked in the auto industry for various manufacturers, I have a personal aversion to buying a new model until at least 120 days have elapsed from first deliveries ;)

So, coupled with the timing of my PCP expiry, and knowing I will miss the Driver Assist Pack, which currently isn’t available, plus the 15% discounts available on the A35, my current thinking is to go into an A35 for now, and see what spec/options are available on the A45s come facelift time in 3/4 years :)

Or given the way things are going re climate change, I may well get one of the last new V8 C63’s ??

PS: The interior is the S3/RS3 looks utter gash, if the spy shots are anything to go by ?
 
#6 ·
veeeight said:
PS: The interior is the S3/RS3 looks utter gash, if the spy shots are anything to go by ?
Click to expand...
True that @veeeight. Whatever happened to Audi's understated but high-quality interiors? Now they seem to be trying to be a poor man's Lamborghini, and failing...

With your forum name, you've got to get a C63S V8 whilst you still can :cool:
 
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#7 ·
I did think about waiting for the FL too as it will I am sure be a hybrid with 50 more horses but my car was over six years old and I just didn't want to start throwing money after every part which started to perish. I might well go fo the FL in any case even if I get a stage 1 on this and then hang on to that one.

The MB V8 sounds excellent and I did consider the E63s estate which was being offered with £17K off list but having owned more than one E Class estate when my kids were young it would be a regression and the saloon's boot is totally useless from experience with the taxi company I use which use mainly E-Classes, you can barely fit two suitcases in it.

I digress. I am now really looking forward to getting the A45s since I did the deed and got rid of my A45.
 
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#10 ·
If it wasn't for A45-RS3 rivalry we wouldn't be seeing such improvements, especially in the power department. Competition promotes progress. They both started well under 400 hp and their rivalry has brought them where they are today. I was expecting the new RS3 to get more power than the A45s and it got 444 hp. Next gen A45s or however it will be called, I bet will get like 470 and before we know it, 500+ hp will be standard for these cars.

On the other hand, new RS3 interior looks pretty cheap for the money, it literally looks comparable to cars with half its price or even less.
 
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#11 ·
I've been with Audi the last 12 years but the images so far of the new cars interior and dash look terrible I agree.

The new A Class interior is absolutely stunning IMO and feel premium and high end.
Mercedes surpassed Audi in this department and some.
There have even been comments on the Audi matrerials being lower quality no doubt cost driven.
Yet the Merc interior when I sat in the car felt a significant step up.

Audi used to be class leading for interiors but they appear to have gone very wacky lately and they are not to a lot of peoples taste, which is alienating long term Audi owners like myself who are / have defected to other brands.
 
#12 ·
Audi’s current design language just feels over designed to my eyes. Their brand used to be associated with clean solid well built luxury, but lately they seem to be all angles, creases and as a result, they look more fragile

Its as if every car has to look like a Transformer
 
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#16 ·
That interior looks like it was designed by a Seat designer who aspires to working for Lamborghini. Vents look awful and I don't like the upright centre console around the gear lever
 
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#23 ·
444 bph. It will be interesting to see what RS5/4 owners think of that identical power output and probably the RS3 weighing half a ton less than the RS6 estate would be close to that car's performance as well.

My guess is if it happens the RS3 halo edition will be priced close to the A45s plus in the UK. I would certainly take a look at it if I haven't got a suitable stage 1 fitted to my car by then.
 
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#26 ·
As I've already said, the interior looks cheap and truth is I never liked the exterior either, especially the rear, but to be fair, in this last rendering it actually looks good. Of course it could be very different when it comes out, but judging from that pic alone, I wouldn't rule it out. That said, it's starting to look like a hatchback-mini suv hybrid which I'm not sure it could potentially grow on me.

Performance wise, the A45-RS3 rivalry has gone to another level. In a few years we'll be talking about sub 500 hp hatches, closing the gap on even today's supercars. Like I've said, competition promotes progress.
 
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#29 ·
Stock we're not there just yet, but it won't be too long before we start seeing 500 hp hatches straight out of the factory. If the new RS3 makes the rumored 444 hp, everything suggests that the new A45 however it will be called, probably still "S" - I believe that S is here to stay given how much MB loves that letter - will make at least 460. It could even be on a facelift version. Now if an extra 40 hp is too much for a facelift version, maybe MB will decide to just match RS3 and up its power to about 440, before the new A45 is out which will once again turn the tables. Audi will take on the challenge and so on. If you look at the numbers, including 0-60 times, it looks like these hyper hatches are closing the gap on very recent supercars and even some latest ones. That wouldn't have happened without intense competition between the two prestigious car makers.
 
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