Audi vs BMW

'Trackable'? As in being able to make track-worthy? Or being able to keep track on them?
 
2 letters and a number: RS6
 
Your friends talk about cars too much.
 
I kind of am with your friend. I love Audis even more than BMWs, but there are much more BMW models capable of good handling than there are Audis with the same qualities. Let's face it: Audi makes great cars, but basically, they all understeer when being pushed to the limit.
 
Hmm well I like both.
He is wrong about Audi not making anything trackable the B5 S4 is VERY popular in racing circles because of how easy it is to get power out of it.

IMO Audi is more tuner friendly, they have I4 turbo engines on alot of cars that makes them very easy to tune. Add to that the fact that they have pretty strong engines that are highly detuned from factory, it is not uncommon for A4 guys to be running close to 500awhp on mostly stock internals. Now the new S4/5 has a supercharged engine that there is a tune already for to give it 90 extra HP or so. To add to that they can deal with the power better because of the AWD system that makes it easier to put down all that power.

BMWs are great cars and out of the box I would say better for track duty being RWD and great handling but as far as which one is better.... I really couldn't say one way or the other both have good and bad things about them and both are very capable cars.
Audi makes great cars, but basically, they all understeer when being pushed to the limit.
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On a track that is a good thing. It is much easier to deal with understeer while cornering than over.
 
There are very few car brands left in the world which could be described as "cool" and neither BMW or Audi are cool cars to own. Jaguar is borderline now, because of the XJ has been reinvented: buying essentially a 40 year old design was cool and you deliberately bought something else than an S-class or a 7-series. Lamborghini is still cool and so is Aston Martin, but Aston is losing it's credibility with a rapid pace, because all they do is photocopy one design and concepts like the monstrosity that was the Lagonda SUV-crossover thing don't help. Ferrari lost it's coolness when the F355 was replaced and still haven't gotten it back.

Koenigsegg is cool, but that really doesn't count, because it is such a niche brand, so is Bugatti and Pagani. Saab seemingly has a wiff of exentricity and coolness about them, which I really can't explain.

Okay so that is a bit...well....a lot off topic, and probably wasn't the sort of "cool" you were referring to, but I am sick, I am tired and I am bored, so this is what ensues.

As to the original question....I don't know, I don't like either as a brand, but I'll give the nod to Audi, because I think BMW is way overhyped and with things like the X6 and the 5-series GT......yeah, do not want. So Audi it is. And your friend is wrong.
 
Well, my point was that both make strictly street cars. On a track, the new M3 is comparable to the RS4; the previous gen M3 to the S4; and so on and so forth. Sure, rwd is more fun on the track, which gives BMW a slight edge there... but then Audi has an edge on the street because they are much better all-weather cars. Also, non-M BMWs have open diffs, and most M cars aren't very good on a track (M5 is far too heavy, for example). M3 is the only exception really. Straight-line they are pretty much even in stock form.
 
prizrak said:
On a track that is a good thing. It is much easier to deal with understeer while cornering than over.
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Well if you're just taking your car to a track day for some fun, why get all serious? Trying to go as fast as possible is all well and good, but it's a lot more fun and challenging when the car you have is razor sharp and a handful. Not for everyone, but that's the way I see it.

If I was to choose one car from each line to take to the track, I'd pick the Z4M Coupe from BMW, and the R8 from Audi. I'm willing to bet the Z4 would give me the biggest smile.
 
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BMW is becoming antiquated. Audi, less than BMW, what with the flashy LED's.
 
THIS would suggest audi's can be made damn trackable.

but stripped out Coupe Quattro's with S2 conversions and sick fenderflares aside... i can't help but feel that converting an audi into a track car is going to be a much more lengthy and expensive endevour to get the same speed that you would get out of a BWM
 
BMWs make you look like a bigger cock (I would know, I drive one), but I didn't go for an Audi because I heard about the reliability issues they had after 50,000+ miles.

If I could, I would get one of these the moment the dealer opens the next day.

20071109155527_audi_s5.jpeg


:hump:
 
M'eh, neither make good track cars. They're autobahn cruisers. Great handling cars for mountain roads, great for long cruises, but suck for "track" day cars.


You can take a B5 S4, spend about 10k and make a monster track car, same thing for an E46 M3. Any car is "trackable" if you push money in to it. Hardly ANY cars are "track"able off the lot.
 
I agree with Jackal, cars arent meant to drive directly on a track and expect them to perform flawlessly after pushing them to the limits on the track withought some money on track parts.

I would prefer BMW because of theyre amazing reliabilty and amazing handling and looks haha. I have an 89 735i and that engine revs all the way to the limiter with no single puff of smoke, and handles like a dream on great winding roads :)
 
I think this thread is pointless in a sense, as it's obvious 99% of people here haven't driven either enthusiastically enough to warrant justifying an opinion on the matter. I include myself in that sentiment, too.

I think the argument that ''neither make a car that is track-worthy off the lot'' is seriously flawed. The M3 CSL is one of the most capable track cars, as standard, that I've ever seen. There were literally dozens at the 'Ring in September, and they were the only cars consistently lapping in the 8 minute bracket, on a TF day. The F430 Scuds and GT3 RS' weren't even managing that.

I agree Audi make a lot of very credible motorway cruisers, but that for me is what ruins the brand. They've become almost exclusively sales reps cars, along with, I'm afraid to say, the BMW 335 which is another astonishing car. Go back in history, and both Audi and BMW have made hardcore tarmac terrorists and comfortable but fast daily drives, which is why both command such a devoted following. I guess it depends whether you like your eggs fried or poached really. I've always loved BMW because I'm a huge fan of RWD cars. AWD cars are, generally, more capable, but this really is the main reason I dislike them. They're very mundane to drive, even though the stop-watch says different. There's a lot more to driving for me than bhp figures and lap times, the sensation of driving is the biggest factor, I prefer to drive fast rather than travel quickly.

But, I'd give a kidney for an E30 M3, and I'd give the other for a proper URQuattro. I'd die, but for a brief few minutes until my body gave up, I'd be very happy indeed.
 
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