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| Audi
RS4 Cabriolet |
Broadcast
date : 7th January 2007 |
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The style statement of 2006 has
to belong to Audi and its RS4 Cabriolet. Every feature on the
tin-top version that has made it so sought after is there.
The deep, trademark rhombus grille, beautiful alloy wheels in
18-inch or optional 19-inch sizing, like these seven-spokers,
an elegant rear vanity panel cosseting massive tailpipes.
Under the standard-equipment list is the all-alloy multi-valve
Audi Sport-developed V8. All 309 kiloWatts of it, present and
correct.
The all-electric top on the RS4 Cabriolet takes just 21
seconds to do its thing, and understandably that was the first
item on the test-drive agenda.
They say the only reason Audi developed the open-top version
was to hear the engine more easily. That, and the fact that
you can hear the birds tweeting as you drive along. The ones
in the trees, and, hopefully, those waving at you from the
pavement cafes.
Audi has just been voted Manufacturer of the Year by the
authoritative British magazine Autocar, for its superlative
product range, and also for its amazing strides in quality and
design.
Autocar feels Audi has out-gunned its main competitors,
Mercedes-Benz and BMW, in key areas by building more exciting
cars, and if the RS4 cabriolet is anything to go by, we’d go
along with that.
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This is an instant classic, and a recognisable one at that.
The workmanship inside and out is beautiful.
Audi has expended lots of energy in keeping the weight of the
RS4 Cabrio down. Thus the 0-100 time is still rated at under
five seconds, top speed is 250, and 0-200 takes just 17,5
seconds.
Everyone at the Car Torque office agreed on one thing. The RS4’s
engine note was worth mortgaging your house for, and who cares
about fuel bills with a sound system like that?
With the V8 engine, the RS4 cabriolet has somehow elevated
itself above the level of factory-hot-rodded street-racers.
The sheer gravitas of the V8 sees it knocking on the
door to the supercar club.
Audi RS 4 Cabriolet
- Engine: V8 petrol,
4 163 cc
- Power: 309 kW @ 7
800 rpm
- Torque: 430 Nm @ 5
500 rpm
- Transmission:
Six-speed manual, all-wheel-drive
- 0-100 km: 4,9
seconds (claimed)
- Top speed: 250 km/h
(electronically limited)
- Fuel consumption:
17,0 litres/100 km (estimated)
- Price: R719 000
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