Audi Admits That RS Performance Numbers Are Skewed From Reality

So, what I read is, "we don't really have confidence that our product will perform consistently at the levels that they do in testing, so let's give ourselves a little cushion so we don't look bad".

The reality is that performance numbers will be all over the board based on conditions, drivers, etc. So why justify it by saying they're afraid of criticism?

Spoiler Alert:


In the article, Audi Sport head of technical development Stephan Reil indicates Audi reports *driver-experienced* performance numbers (e.g., 0-62 mph) conservatively, so if Audi claims 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds, you'll likely get 3.7 in ideal conditions, but you're NOT going to get 4.0. That's good news.

Plain English: The car is a little quicker than stated by Audi.

He also goes on to disclose (Plain English translation) that the published horsepower numbers aren't going to be seen at the rear wheel on a dyno. So if that's important to you, you'll be disappointed.

Uh oh! Some opportunistic person will now sue Audi for the car being more powerful than claimed.

Just ride your bike...

There was a time when manufacturers deliberately underestimated or Understated the Horsepower of certain high performance engines - for insurance purposes.
That only worked for a short time. Then the insurance companies caught on to the subterfuge and charged for the performance.