Willow Springs Oct 25&26 - Page 2

Jamo · #21 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 12:03 AM

One thing...tougher to chip a 4.2 (and then only a marginal gain) than the twin turbo.

Only 20K miles! What is there to think about? One heck of open track/road rally/autocross car to boot!

I'm pushing 90k on the '00. It's been driven hard on long business drives...El Centro in mid-summer to Tahoe through the snow. I've taken it across muddy strawberry fields to avoid UFW strikers, cleaned it up and driven to the best places at night. Not a squeak or rattle, no major mechanical problems.

Audi...assolutely.

agro1 · #22 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 08:28 AM

Jamo / Durt

Jamo is right on about the S4 motor, however they seem to be having some serious problems with it. Either a QC issue at the factory or some defective internals; but a fair number of them are expiring at less then 500 miles, valves dropping...Plus a good number of 6 speeds trannys are, well, not working too well...

http://forums.audiworld.com/s4b6/msgs/33466.phtml

I'd hang onto your B5 and mod that sucker out, Durt. I'm waiting for the '05 model on the new S4, plus I hoping Audi will put their new DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) "double clutch" into the '05 cars. They should have the bugs worked out by then, hopefully...Re: leases, I intend to lease the new S4, see if there is anything better when it's up, if not, buy it out and throw some nice mods on it. Like a blower

Speaking of German musclecar wars - you guys see MB is releasing a C55 ??? Insane.

Jamo · #23 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 11:37 AM

agro

I wondered whether that new 6 spd could handle it. It would be nice to have that SMG-style shifting available. I've been watching too many WRC events lately...those shifter rings behind the wheels would be nice when playing in traffic.

A "C" 55? Holy Sh!t Batman!!!!!

And a V10 M5 and who knows what for the next M3...

"Oh boy, this is gonna be fun!"

agro1 · #24 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 01:24 PM

...you can say that again Jamo - I've heard rumors that the next M3 will have the current 400hp M5 motor in it...But it's still a BMW

yuck....

Jamo · #25 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 02:37 PM

I must say, an M3 with the SMG is one delightful creature.

I drove a new A8 a few days ago. What an assolute joy. An S8 would be damn near perfection.

weekendwarrior · #26 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by agro1

...you can say that again Jamo - I've heard rumors that the next M3 will have the current 400hp M5 motor in it...But it's still a BMW yuck....

Argo1,

When they put a V8 into the E39 frame, the beautifully alum. front end with rack/pinion had to be replaced with the steel recirc//ball front end off the 7 to support the added weight.

The M5/Z8 S62 engine is not being used in the Alpina so I doubt that it has any life left in it. The M3 being smaller than the 5 would have a hard time supporting the S62 engine and maintaining the 3 handling, unless the car gets bigger.

BMW is going to have its hands full, trying to keep market share with the butt ugly new 5 and 7’s.

Unless Audi does something very stupid with body styling they are going to gain a lot of market share and fast.

Gary
E39 owner

Jamo · #27 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 02:58 PM

Gary

Only if Audi stops using those weird ad campaigns. The wheel disks in the magazine ads actually had folks wondering if those were new wheel designs. And the A8 glossy pages...more on individualists who might be driving them than on the car itself.

They need to talk about the damn cars! A few R8s hauling around LeMans or through the Corkscrew, some suburbanites taking their Allroads through snow...he!!, even a few scenes from Ronin.

BTW, the A3 would sell like crazy, but would beat up the Golf. Drove one in England with a little turbo diesel...we have no clue about what diesels are really all about here.

Durt · #28 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 10:52 PM

The only entities excited about BMW's new styling are Audi & Mercedes.
I'm absolutely at a loss what's going through the corporate minds to let Chris Bangle take such an enormous risk with classic styling & turn it into 60's Japanese sci-fi. Horrifying.
I actually contemplated the last generation M5 when it came out three years ago, but the Bimmer dealerships were beyond arrogant & tacked on 20K to the price tag. 90K+ overall.
They didn't have one to test drive nor a selection on the lot to compare colors etc... It was basically "give us the dough down now & we'll order one for you - take a number. Hope you like it."
I bought my S-4 because it was at least 10K less than the old M3 (after dealer mark up,) & was a better car.
Now that the styling of the BMW has become a nightmare, I have zero interest in the marque, no matter what the automotive press says about their performance.

Durt

STG · #29 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 11:02 PM

I know it's a Caddy, but it's made in Germany and has a ZO6 engine with 6 speed manual. It has lapped the 'Ring faster than any stock M5. Supposed to come in under $50K.

As an additional bonus, IT HASN'T BEEN "BANGLED"!

Looking forward to Saturday at Willow to try out my new Nikon D100.

Jamo · #30 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 11:16 PM

I remember when a "flame" job was something that generally looked good. As bad as the Z4 turned out, the 7 and now the 5 make it look good! Evidently a massage of the 7's bodywork is due as early as next year.

They make an Aztec look downright decent.

I pray they leave the 3 alone for a little longer.

Hey Stan

The CTS ain't bad. Turk grabbed one when he, Pat and I went to the MiniNats (a V6, of course), and I'm sure the V8 will bump it up a bit. But as good as it is, the interior materials, fit and finish just don't compare with the German marques, especially Audi. The exterior is certainly an improvement for Cadillac. The suspension (albeit a stock V6) was stiff in a Vette kinda way, which can certainly generate numbers, but also produce a sizable pain in the a$$ at the end of the day. Take an S4 out, run it at the track or through some cones, and then drive it home with da wifey...that's a suspension that does everything right. And the V8 CTS isn't going to be that much cheaper.

D100? You peeeeeg! We're expecting pics even more exceptional than your normal fare.

agro1 · #31 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 09:10 AM

Stan - The CTS-V comes with the regular Vette motor, not the Z06 motor, fyi....

Durt · #32 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 10:16 AM

I'm not wild about Cadillac's cow-catcher front end, but it's high art compared to Bangle's bungles.

Jamo · #33 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 12:55 PM

Actually, the GM product that perks my interest is the new GTO...if they don't screw it up.

STG · #34 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 01:47 PM

argo1,

The write ups I've seen all say it's the ZO6 and quote 400 HP. Pictures shpw "LS6" on the engine.

Jamo,

Crap, I'll have to learn how the D100 works by Saturday!

I had a chance to run the A8L, 740iL, and S500 through the cones last month and the amount of computer intervention was amazing. After disabling as much of the traction, adaptive braking, and other controls as possible on each car, the electronic brains would still intervene.

We did get all three to slide through one particular hairpin, but each car assoultely refused to respond to any throttle input until all drifting had stopped. There you are, exiting a tight turn, sliding a little as you line up for the straight and .... NOTHING!..... for about 2 seconds. I guess the computers just knew I was about to commit suicide and stopped me!

You're right about the interiors. Nobody does it better than VW/Audi.

Durt · #35 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 08:50 PM

TWO second lag out of corners due to the computer nanny!?
Maybe I'll have Dean W. stuff a stroked 351 in my S-4.