ruh roh

[roland]

Ecowhat? In the SHO's defense, I guess it is 2 class sizes bigger and is still nearly as fast in a drag race. But looking at the picture, the S4 has BRAKES. It's impressive that Ford could build a much larger car that matches the S4 in power (probably not in interior quality, handling, or braking) and straight line performance for less money. The MKS ecoboost is the same price as the S4 DSG, and the interior on that is probably much closer to being equal.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/14/audi-prices-2010-s4-in-u-s-from-45-900/

After a year-long absence on U.S. soil, the Audi S4 is about to return with all of the enhancements that debuted last year in the all-new B4 A4 sedan. Oh yeah, plus a screaming 3.0-liter supercharged V6 producing 333 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. The new S4 was just added to the Audi USA website yesterday, and pricing has been revealed to start at $45,900 (*not including a destination and delivery charge of $825). At that price you get the S4 sedan with a six-speed manual transmission, while the S4 with Audi's seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch tranny starts little higher at $47,300. Despite being down two cylinders to the previous V8-powered S4, the new model hustles to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, about .4 seconds faster. It's also more fuel efficient, achieving 18 mpg city/27 highway compared to the old model's 13 mpg city/20 highway.

Audi doesn't consider the S4 an M3 competitor, but rather a perfect foil for people considering a BMW 335i or Mercedes-Benz C350. The 335i starts lower at $40,300, but offers an engine that, while sonorously sweet, produces only 300 horsepower. The C350, meanwhile, starts lower still at $39,000, but again features a 3.5-liter V6 producing only 268 horsepower. The crazy thing is that the S4, despite being more powerful than its cross-country German rivals, is more fuel efficient than them both.

If a Fusion (or MKZ) 3.5 ecoboost could match that gas mileage and price around 33-34k....it'd be a very nice S4 killer!

In fact, an MKZ at 40k with that motor would help make up for the lack of a CTS-V competitor.

 

[BlackonBlack89]

Yea thats not even wat the new SHO is competing w/ really. I also say u might be wrong bout Ford and their interiors. The SHO is very very nice and is not wat usually comes out of ford. Also the flex has an amazing interior too. very high quality and is borderline better than lexus. (1st hand exp) IMO fords interior is VERY compative right now. They just can't do brakes


However that car is freaking HAWT!!!!

 

[thebigjimsho]

The problem with Ford's interior is that it looks nice but don't touch it. I sat in an MKS and was feeling the dash and door materials and they creaked as you pushed them. It then seemed cheap.


Although, the first '09 Cadillac CTS was the same way, so...

 

[roland]

Yea thats not even wat the new SHO is competing w/ really. I also say u might be wrong bout Ford and their interiors. The SHO is very very nice and is not wat usually comes out of ford. Also the flex has an amazing interior too. very high quality and is borderline better than lexus. (1st hand exp) IMO fords interior is VERY compative right now. They just can't do brakes

I'm not saying Ford's interiors are bad, I'm saying Audi is better. Though I sat in a new Lexus GS and I will say that felt twice as nice as an MKS.

The problem with Ford's interior is that it looks nice but don't touch it. I sat in an MKS and was feeling the dash and door materials and they creaked as you pushed them. It then seemed cheap.

I didn't notice the MKS having those troubles, but I did think it was filled with cheap plastics in everywhere you wouldnt be resting your arm. That might not be a big deal, but the door plastic on my 99 felt nicer

 

[Racer X]

I'm not saying Ford's interiors are bad, I'm saying Audi is better. Though I sat in a new Lexus GS and I will say that felt twice as nice as an MKS.

I don't know man... I haven't been in any '08 or '09 Audi's, but the interior in the 2010 I was in at the convention definitely stepped it up a notch against the prior year Audi's I have been in.

 

[ryan21288]

i haven't sat in the new SHO yet so i cant say how the quality is but having worked at audi there interiors are amazing. They are considered by many to be the standard for interior quality and i agree with that.

 

[hawkeye18]

Sure, it's better, but is it $12,000 better?

 

[93rev2sev]

 

[93rev2sev]

that first one kinda reminds me of a gen1 SHO...

 

[roland]

I don't know man... I haven't been in any '08 or '09 Audi's, but the interior in the 2010 I was in at the convention definitely stepped it up a notch against the prior year Audi's I have been in.

I havent been in a new SHO, but if the new Taurus has a nicer interior than the MKS......Ford has issues!

Sure, it's better, but is it $12,000 better?

Well at 45k, it's only 7k more (and it fixes the manual transmission that people here are always whining about, as well as the weight issues - the old one was just under 2 tons and this one is faster with less power so you be the guess of that - and by the looks of it the brakes are more than adequate). I havent looked at the options list but I'm guessing its pretty well decked out, the shortcoming being that its much smaller than the Taurus.

So if you are one of the wieners that is all up in arms about the 4G SHO being too heavy, automatic only, and sucking on brakes, buy an Audi S4!

 

[Devin]

 

[hawkeye18]

My god, that is pretty eerie...

 

[roland]

eerie is when a Camaro's interior looks like the IROC concepts interior.......and the IROC concept is a Volkswagen!

 

[SilverThunder]

I don't know man... I haven't been in any '08 or '09 Audi's, but the interior in the 2010 I was in at the convention definitely stepped it up a notch against the prior year Audi's I have been in.

I just drove a 04 All road quattro and I couldn't believe the fact of plastic failing and rubbing off. My interior in my Taurus is in better shape, and the Audi has less miles! The 2010 has really soft materials...or maybe it was just the pre-production? Idk, but the Taurus and most of Fords interiors (My dad's 09 escape is amazing for a Ford) will give the european companies a run for their money.

 

[stephen newberg]

Actually, that new Camero interior looks very good. So does the new SHO interior, except I admit I am not taken with the dual tone seats.

pax, smn

 

[shobote]

Audi A4 and 2010 Taurus is comparing apples to grapefruits; the A6 is a closer competitor and still smaller than the SHO. The Audi S4 will win on an autoX but the Tuarus is far better for long road trips. Finally drove one the other day and the Taurus has an excpetionally solid, quiet feel and is smoother than an my friends new A6 out on the hwy.

 

[Phoenix]

Actually, that new Camero interior looks very good. So does the new SHO interior, except I admit I am not taken with the dual tone seats.

pax, smn

Theres also a black on black interior available , it was there at the convention. I think it looks 10 times better then that butterscotch 2 tone thing.

 

[roland]

Audi A4 and 2010 Taurus is comparing apples to grapefruits; the A6 is a closer competitor and still smaller than the SHO. The Audi S4 will win on an autoX but the Tuarus is far better for long road trips. Finally drove one the other day and the Taurus has an excpetionally solid, quiet feel and is smoother than an my friends new A6 out on the hwy.

They're both entry level luxury V6 direct injected boosted AWD sedans with a sporty feel for around 40-45k. Size makes a difference, but I would guess they are targeting the same types of people. (I would assume ford wants the older crowd to upgrade to a MKS EcoBoost) I don't know if buyers of a Lexus GS, A6, or 5 series are going to even consider a Taurus. An A4/3 Series, IS buyer is probably much more likely, as they are just breaking into the luxury category.

 

[stephen newberg]

Theres also a black on black interior available , it was there at the convention. I think it looks 10 times better then that butterscotch 2 tone thing.

Excellent news. Thank you.

pax, smn

 

[shobote]

Ford is targeting the A6, and not the S4; there is an A6 in 2 SHO commericals getting its doors blown off. I recall when nobody would buy an Audi after the unintended accelleration fiasco; it took years for them to get back on the map. THe SHO will take time for people to realize how good Ford can make a vehicle, and the SHO should get even better with future updates. It is already faster and has a better ride than the new A6 for $20k less. The finance rate from any of the Germans is much higher too, which adds thousands more to the bottom line.