B8 vs. B9 S4

[DOWORKB7]

My buddy and I checked out the B9 S4 this weekend and we don't think we would upgrade from a B8 S4 to a B9 S4. Would you? We don't think there are enough differences or horsepower increase to make it seem like an upgrade. Let me know your thoughts...

Here is our thoughts:





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[doug97gxe]

i thought the car would be in the video

[yjypm]

From B8 to b9 s4 isn't really an upgrade. If I were you I'd been looking forward to either a b9 RS or an F80.

[DOWORKB7]

i thought the car would be in the video

I'll upload that video tomorrow! I have a full interior and exterior video.


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[jygesq]

No interest in b9' full auto tranny, tacked on screen, leather seat only in red . No classy panda. Electronic video tack & speedo. Controls for MIMI are poorly placed. Turbo runs hot, notice metal insulator on hood. Some reviews say engine is rough sounding with vibrations coming through steering column and floor. Will have to hear & drive, if I were seriously interested. Love engine response on my b 8.5. Interior design is classy. B 9 uses leatherette in places where b 8 is leather.

[AKPS4]

Tuning potential will prob be more of you are into max HP. But I agree. I love my B8 and it's options. No need to make the change yet. Patiently waiting for RS4 or 6.

[B44]

Leather is the least of the concern. are there any real performance reports against the two?

[LINDW4LL]

Leather is the least of the concern. are there any real performance reports against the two?

No instrumented tests yet (that I've seen), but I don't expect to see a significant performance difference between the two.

The real benefit of the new engine should be the tuning potential.

[onlyaudis]

The real benefit of the new engine should be the tuning potential.

Just more ways to get TDI'd by the dealer on your new car warranty

[mrb5_supra_wrx]

Being owners of B8's goin to b9 there's not really a change beside the engine . So if you're looking at an aesthetically then no why upgrade. But looking at it from a tuning aspect it's a big upgrade. The new motor is built better and it's turbocharged which means better potential for power and a whole boatload better powerband. The Supercharged 3.0 is limited to maybe a Max of 500 wheel horsepower on the stock blower. Now think about with the new turbocharged engine what all kinds of new advancements have been made with engine design not to mention a turbo over supercharger. Car has rhe means to make RS power easily on the stock turbo and even more on a different turbo

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[mrb5_supra_wrx]

Now if they go ahead and release a 6mt for the b9 they'll have me sold IL trade my b8 in until then I'm holding out

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[wangshuo1989]

Drove a S line B9 A4, really don't like the interior layout. Next car maybe s6

[bhvrdr]

Tuning potential will prob be more of you are into max HP. But I agree. I love my B8 and it's options. No need to make the change yet. Patiently waiting for RS4 or 6.

Keep in mind the B9 S4 will likely need a turbo upgrade to get anywhere near the power we are able to get from stage 2 pulley upgrades. Audi does not put big turbos on their cars. They put very quick spooling smaller turbos that have great torque and limited top end potential. Not many people with a brand new car will be willing to put on a different turbo and tuning options for a turbo upgrade may not be anywhere near quick to come.

Mike

[hckymstr19]

I'm gunna get all I can out of my b8.5 s4 until the rs4 or rs5 sportback comes out around 2018.

[S4Aviator]

The more I read about the B9, the more I want to keep my B8.5. I feel like the S4 has been watered down, and it's identity has suffered in the process. I've always loved how the car was just a bit understated, but this might be too understated. To compete with the options on my current car, a new one comes in at over $60k, and I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a car that has leatherette interior surfaces, a less than exciting set of color and wheel choices, and performance that will undoubtedly be very much in line with the car we're already driving. I do however, have a ton of faith in the brand, and Audi always has a way of surprising, it just may take a model year or two. My behind the scenes contacts are already buzzing about the S5 sportback...

[bhvrdr]

For me, dont get me wrong... the B9 "should" be a better car. Better handling. Better technology. .. just like all of the Audi platforms have evolved over time.

I just dont think it'll be at a place where I will be able to buy one and start pulling parts off of it for a couple years at least. I made that mistake with the 2016 A6 that had a different ECU that still doesnt have much in the way of tuning options. I'll prob let people go through the typical first year teething issues and tuning issues and then hop on a third year (in two years) model.

[weagle1856]

The numbers that APR have reported are very similar for the b8.5 and b9 A4. Now I know that doesn't say anything for the s4. The only true answer is, wait and see.

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[mmm def]

I'd take a 340 6mt with the track handling pack all day over this.

[Thurston]

No interest in b9' full auto tranny, tacked on screen, leather seat only in red . No classy panda. Electronic video tack & speedo. Controls for MIMI are poorly placed. Turbo runs hot, notice metal insulator on hood. Some reviews say engine is rough sounding with vibrations coming through steering column and floor. Will have to hear & drive, if I were seriously interested. Love engine response on my b 8.5. Interior design is classy. B 9 uses leatherette in places where b 8 is leather.

turbo runs hot? i'd be interested in hearing more speculation on that. I've heard referred to as a "turbo in the hot v" .. i agree w your other sentiments.

[Scalways]

Great review! I agree and you really had some great points. I was waiting for the B9 but when I found out I had to wait another year I pulled the trigger on an 8.5. Slapped a APR tune and the CR-15 and I can't help but think I made a great choice. Now I just need to make her a bit louder.


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[ENV²]

Being owners of B8's goin to b9 there's not really a change beside the engine . So if you're looking at an aesthetically then no why upgrade. But looking at it from a tuning aspect it's a big upgrade. The new motor is built better and it's turbocharged which means better potential for power and a whole boatload better powerband. The Supercharged 3.0 is limited to maybe a Max of 500 wheel horsepower on the stock blower. Now think about with the new turbocharged engine what all kinds of new advancements have been made with engine design not to mention a turbo over supercharger. Car has rhe means to make RS power easily on the stock turbo and even more on a different turbo

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Not trying to start a war but what proof is there that this is a better built motor? The 3.0 Supercharged is a pretty stout platform.

[mjr034]

at this point.. if you're going to go from B8 to B9.. might as well wait until S6/S7 go down in price and go V8TT. Get a real monster..

[onlyaudis]

yeah totally agree... i hate speculation of this sort.

and Audis "new" first year motors haven't always been without fatal flaws.

[Idtrav]

at this point.. if you're going to go from B8 to B9.. might as well wait until S6/S7 go down in price and go V8TT. Get a real monster..

Exactly. No manual tranny available on the S4 anymore so may as well go S6 with the twin turbos and 4 more cylinders. I like your logic - that's what i would do.

[ENV²]

Exactly. No manual tranny available on the S4 anymore so may as well go S6 with the twin turbos and 4 more cylinders. I like your logic - that's what i would do.

2 more cylinders no?

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[VtotheJ]

Do you guys think the B8/8.5 will drop in value after the B9 comes out?

[kdn0789]

I think it all depends on the market. If people saturate the b8/b8.5 market when trading in their cars to get a b9, then yes. Dealers have no choice to drop the price to compete with others.

[absolutarin]

Honestly, I haven't fell in love with the B9 design yet. This car exudes more luxury than performance - my $0.02 :)
And with all the chrome...phew! Black Optics FTW :D

[mjr034]

Exactly. No manual tranny available on the S4 anymore so may as well go S6 with the twin turbos and 4 more cylinders. I like your logic - that's what i would do.

There's some good proven tunes/upgrades for these cars. Give a couple years, cars will drop a tad more in value and you'll be golden.


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[shadycrew31]

The tech is much better, I rented a B9 A4 for about a week. The tech was so good I have been considering just buying a B9 A4.

[kdn0789]

The tech is much better, I rented a B9 A4 for about a week. The tech was so good I have been considering just buying a B9 A4.

More tech, more problems. B8.5 has everything you need.

[raudiace4]

B8/8.5 look much better to me. S/C power delivery and DSG is hard to beat. I'd stay in a B8/8.5 over B9.

[FromRagsToS4]

"The tech was SO good"...? Really? Quantify/qualify what is so much better about it? Is MMI navigation lag gone? Is it completely revamped? I mean, it's one thing to be duped into buying a new iPhone every year that nets you zero anything, but to spend 60k for a pinch more "ooh! Ah!" is just absurd to me. Even if it came with 400hp...man that's extremely hard to justify.

[shadycrew31]

More tech, more problems. B8.5 has everything you need.

B8.5 doesnt have Android auto which is the coolest thing since sliced bread.

More tech just equals more tech, problems are inherent with everything in the universe.

[shadycrew31]

Android auto, decent sized the multi function screen between the gauges (Displays the nav map and a bunch of other random stuff), AC controls are quite different as well, it was so wildly different I didn't know which was up it took me a while to adjust.

The only improvement would be to have the Audi car integration (android auto) show up in the screen between the gauges. Outside of that I was overly impressed with the feature, screen quality wasn't 1080P but it was decent enough.

Just being able to say "OK Google" and have it launch navigation offer separate routes when there was traffic, etc. It was a super cool feature, cool enough to consider trading 70 HP for tech.

[MrFunk]

No interest for many reasons mostly covered in previous posts. I'm also just not ready to move on from my B8... the B9 S4 seems to have become a big auto Audi and I'd prefer to have an S6 if I'm going with a big Auto Audi.

If you look at the history of the S4:

B5 with its' twin turbos was a great drivers car and tuners car.
B6/7 with it's big heavy V8, though sounding lovely, was not so much. It was a nice car but lacked the emotion the B5 had... The B7 RS4 though yes had all the emotion.
B8/8.5 with it's SC motor, rear sport diff and dual Clutch Auto was back to being more of a drivers car and tuners car.
B9 seems to be back to that sort of vanilla meh, bleh... yes it will be nice - but we will probably have to wait for the RS to get the drivers car.

B5
B6/7
B8/8.5
B9
B10 ????



BTW - Have not yet watched your vid LOL

[jygesq]

look where MMI knob is in new car, in front of weird gear shift. Smaller tach & speedo. But second large cupholder IS an improvement
I

[Lensch09]

Keep in mind the B9 S4 will likely need a turbo upgrade to get anywhere near the power we are able to get from stage 2 pulley upgrades. Audi does not put big turbos on their cars. They put very quick spooling smaller turbos that have great torque and limited top end potential. Not many people with a brand new car will be willing to put on a different turbo and tuning options for a turbo upgrade may not be anywhere near quick to come.

Mike

Check out the Macan....not many gains to be had on the stock turbo.

-DL

[neverfastenough]

Keep in mind the B9 S4 will likely need a turbo upgrade to get anywhere near the power we are able to get from stage 2 pulley upgrades. Audi does not put big turbos on their cars. They put very quick spooling smaller turbos that have great torque and limited top end potential. Not many people with a brand new car will be willing to put on a different turbo and tuning options for a turbo upgrade may not be anywhere near quick to come.

Mike

You do realize they're getting +100hp and +100tq out of a stock turbo with the 4cyl GEN 3 engine/turbo setup. Needless to say it's not that small. I suspect it will produce some great numbers with just a tune. However when the turbo options become available the B8 will be way less desirable when it comes to power.

[bhvrdr]

You do realize they're getting +100hp and +100tq out of a stock turbo with the 4cyl GEN 3 engine/turbo setup. Needless to say it's not that small. I suspect it will produce some great numbers with just a tune. However when the turbo options become available the B8 will be way less desirable when it comes to power.

No, I dont see that they are. Maybe "corrected crank" horsepower on the Golf R and S3 engine that has a bigger turbo. ... on race gas .. with a downpipe ... and .. .. but seriously we can get 80whp gains all day long up in the 5000-7000rpm rev band where it counts on regular old pump fuel with nothing but a tune and pulley.


Audi doesnt tend to throw big turbos on their cars. It makes for turbo lag (even on dual scrolls). I honestly cant think of an Audi besides the oversized from the factory S3, TTS, Golf R type setups that produced a lot of top end hp like you're talking. I hope they go crazy this time but doubt it. They may put a larger turbo on the RS4 like they do with the RS7 versus S7 but I doubt they're going to oversize the S4 one. I hope i'm wrong.


Mike