[campbellcj]

I have the 2.7T S4 (2nd Gen) and I find that its performance really seems to vary. I know that is mainly because of spool lag and induction (intercooler) temps i.e. the heat soaking effect, and also perhaps variations in fuel quality. But most of all I believe it's due to weight, and factory designed understeer, neither of which can be completely dialed-out without turning it into a race car. A car that is fast in a straight line but a pig in the turns is of little interest to me. (I guess what I'm saying is that I like cars that are closer to 2000lbs than 4000).

The car is chipped w/ a 1bar GIAC Motronic setup and so in theory is putting out around 360lb-ft of torque. It does pull solidly -- i.e. table-flat torque curve -- from 2000rpm on up to redline which is far different from most Porsches (and kind of hard to get used to if you switch back and forth with other cars.)

But, sometimes the car "feels" fast as hell and other times it feels like an effin' dog that is slower than most minivans or SUV's on the local highways. The brakes are also frighteningly easy to fade on our local roads.

I still love the car and it puts smiles on my face several times per week, but suffice it to say it's my first turbo car and I'm not itching for another one (as a daily driver) anytime soon. Race cars can be a different matter, but IMHO for street hotrods there is a lot to be said for tuned NA engines of sufficient displacement to overpower the continual weight gains we seem to see each year.