Automobiles

[Eddie]

Was the B5 RS4 Avant not regularly imported to the US?

Well, I ask because I saw a red one parked out front of the Vet clinic on MacGarthur last week. Yes I doubled back and gawked at it and loitered in the hopes the owner would come out and I could ask him or her all about it.

[burgess1108]

Please page me when the 2013 BMW 3-series wagon in DIESEL hits the States next Spring. Can. Not. Wait.

YES. I'm in the hunt for something to haul all the gear and not finding much I like other than potentially this when it finally lands here. Need the AWD and auto version for the DC burbs, though.

['nati Chris]

Was the B5 RS4 Avant not regularly imported to the US?

Well, I ask because I saw a red one parked out front of the Vet clinic on MacGarthur last week. Yes I doubled back and gawked at it and loitered in the hopes the owner would come out and I could ask him or her all about it.

If it was a legit RS4 it was either a grey market special or in the country due to some other special circumstances. The one I referred to was visually identical to a real RS4 and I know of at least one other A4 that was converted to RS4 spec but they were both black.

[nahtnoj]

Was the B5 RS4 Avant not regularly imported to the US?

Well, I ask because I saw a red one parked out front of the Vet clinic on MacGarthur last week. Yes I doubled back and gawked at it and loitered in the hopes the owner would come out and I could ask him or her all about it.

No sedan or Avant, although there have certainly been conversions.

If I hit it big tomorrow, I'd snap up the nicest C5 S6 Avant I could find and convert to RS6 spec.

[Jason Musgrave]

Not much of an Audi guy...but this RS4 speaks to me on many levels.

[billrick]

Doesn't come in a manual in the US, either.
I've said it before but I still think the TDI Jetta Wagon is the best thing going these days as far as size, engine, etc. I have no idea why they can't do the same with the A4 Avants. If BMW does do the diesel wagon next year, in stick, they will make a killing.

In BMW, I expect to see 8-speed auto only. I'd prefer a stick option too, but I wouldn't turn down an auto diesel sportwagon, especially if it is getting 43 mpg. The new diesels aren't like the old diesels, where you needed manual trans to get any kind of performance.

Richard Hammond thinks BMW 320d may be the "best car ever made"

['nati Chris]

That is nice but why did people ever think stretched tires were the hot ticket? "Hey guys my ________ can do the 'Ring in X:YZ minutes when it has the proper sized tires mounted." I have to reiterate how ridiculously fast the one I rode in was. With three people aboard and a non clutch frying launch we hit 100 effortlessly. (on a deserted road with excellent visibility of course)

[rmplum]

speaking of hitting 100 effortlessly.....

c63 fast.jpg

Put about 100 miles on this Tuesday. Like driving with a grenade under your foot.

[maunahaole]

speaking of hitting 100 effortlessly.....

c63 fast.jpg

Put about 100 miles on this Tuesday. Like driving with a grenade under your foot.

Did you turn off the traction control?

[rmplum]

Did you turn off the traction control?

Very briefly. As expected it was juvenile, tire shredding, sideways madness.

[nahtnoj]

Anyone own a conversion van? I'm in the market.

[agrabau]

Cool collection of cars and people there.

It was older, but not the first time an RS4 has been here!

Back in 2001 GM had a B5 RS4 here under Temporary Import Bond (TIB). A few of us lucky soles got to go up to the Upper Peninsula for a few days and have our way with a few "imports" at the KRC Proving Grounds.





The car with the gold wheels was a Mitsubishi Legnum VR4 - 2.5L turbo'd 6, AWD, 1st gen Active Yaw Control.

The blue Impreza is an imported 1st gen turbo model. It was funny that GM and our MI office had almost the same imported car back then. Needless to say that was a fun trip. To have enough open space to be able to comfortably put an H1 Hummer into a full drift was something I'll probably never experience again.



That is young, fat me. The guy on the far right is Hideharu Tatsumi. Google him for fun. He's an absolute driving genius.

[quickag]

Those Legnums are sweet...but my E-Tune Legacy wagon would dust it. Too bad I have to leave it in Japan.

[dashDustin]

Time to start the search for a new mode of transportation. On my short list as of now, in order of preference based on fuel efficiency and looks:

Mini Clubman
Audi A3
Volvo C30
VW GTI

Coming from a double cab Tacoma. Let then endless hours of research begin.

['nati Chris]

Time to start the search for a new mode of transportation. On my short list as of now, in order of preference based on fuel efficiency and looks:

Mini Clubman
Audi A3
Volvo C30
VW GTI

Coming from a double cab Tacoma. Let then endless hours of research begin.

As much as I like the looks of the C30 the hatch opening eliminates the usefulness of the body style. I think one would be hard pressed to get a BMX bike into one. But I'm sure it drives fine.

[Matthew Strongin]

Time to start the search for a new mode of transportation. On my short list as of now, in order of preference based on fuel efficiency and looks:

Mini Clubman
Audi A3
Volvo C30
VW GTI

Coming from a double cab Tacoma. Let then endless hours of research begin.

Nice list! I've owned or test driven/borrowed/etc. all the cars on that list over the years and you could drive yourself nuts trying to pick among them. All really solid choices that will come down to specific details of what you want. If I were looking at that list, I would probably go for the A3 over the mini. I consider the issues I've had with my own mini to be a fluke, and I've loved driving the car (it's actually my second, as my first one was totaled in a flood). The clubman, IMO, gives up a fair amount to the cooper in terms of handling...more than I felt the extra space made worth it and I could still fit a bike (wheels off) in my cooper s. My wife went for the A4 recently (which we're really happy with), but we also considered the A3 and I really liked it. Almost picked up the Volvo when it came out 4 years or so ago but the salesman was so terrible I walked away and bought a mini. Loved the car, but couldn't deal with putting money into that dealership. Interestingly, I just ended up back in a Toyota SUV as I'm getting rid of my cooper.

Out of curiosity, for the mini, would you be looking at the S, Works, or standard? For bike transport, rack or inside the car?

[dashDustin]

Mini would be an S. Bike transport would be via hitch rack.

Chris' comment about the C30 hatch pretty much killed that. Being able to get a bike inside is paramount. Especially now that I've got my Corsa (seatmast).

[cash]

Time to start the search for a new mode of transportation. On my short list as of now, in order of preference based on fuel efficiency and looks:

Mini Clubman
Audi A3
Volvo C30
VW GTI

Coming from a double cab Tacoma. Let then endless hours of research begin.

I drive an 09 C30. Great, fun little car. I use the Volvo roof rack with Yakima Forklifts bike holders. I've wrestled my FS 29er into the hatch. It fits, barely, with both wheels removed. I wouldn't want to carry a bike in that manner regularly. The car is a sleeper, pretty quick and plenty fast with the T5 motor. My one complaint ... wind noise. Something about the mirror design leads to a wind rattle. It's not insufferable, but it's fairly noticeable. I'm not sure if this was addressed in the re-design. I don't think Volvo is importing the C30 after this year.

[dashDustin]

So it's not that I carry my bike inside my truck on a regular basis, but if I'm going to be stopping for a bit, or leaving my vehicle for a little bit, I like the ability to be able to toss it inside quickly. I'm hoping/ assuming that with these vehicles, that'll be possible with the rear seats down. I know I could fit a bike in my ex-gf's Mini Cooper with just the front wheel off.

That's pretty much priority 1. All of these get better gas mileage than my Tacoma, so that's not a concern. I really wish that new Subie had a better, more peppy engine, as that would be ideal...but no luck.

[Matthew Strongin]

So it's not that I carry my bike inside my truck on a regular basis, but if I'm going to be stopping for a bit, or leaving my vehicle for a little bit, I like the ability to be able to toss it inside quickly. I'm hoping/ assuming that with these vehicles, that'll be possible with the rear seats down. I know I could fit a bike in my ex-gf's Mini Cooper with just the front wheel off.

That's pretty much priority 1. All of these get better gas mileage than my Tacoma, so that's not a concern. I really wish that new Subie had a better, more peppy engine, as that would be ideal...but no luck.

Rear seats down, wheels off, and I can fit my bike in my mini cooper. If I can get it in there, you should have no problems with a clubman or a3. I haven't looked at the new GTI too closely, but it seems bigger than the one I had years ago and should fit in there too. If you want a Subie, the WRX 5-door has a peppy engine and should have plenty of room.