I'd go with the MS6 in a second...

1. The A4 is 28K bare-ass base with the 2.0 engine... since the MS6 is an upgrade model it's better-equipped for the price.

2. Given the choice of performance and the lack thereof, I'll go with performance

3. I'm not a terribly big fan of luxury nameplates, especially from "upgrade" manufacturers like Audi, Lexus and Infiniti. Why pay BMW prices for VW engineering?

4. The A4 with the 3.2L is $35k and can't come in stick. For that price, I could get an MS6 fully loaded with navigation. Hehe of course, for that price, I'd just have my 8... and I do! :)

I'd have to take the MS6.. mostly because I just cannot stand the front end of the new A4. To me it looks like the cut a big hole in it and said "hey, stick SOMETHING in ther like the logo.. there, done!" They just couldnt decide what to put there.. Not my cup of tea.. Not that I drink tea......

As far as big fat sedans go, the skyline gtr r34 is one hell of a sedan :b
so is the wrx sti and the evo.. all sedans and man they've got some bang to em..

We cool
You can pick a used on up pretty cheap, around the price of 40k CDN for a 02 with 80-90k miles. Being a toyota I don't mind buying used, the things are bulletproof.
Not available in Canada.
:(
The thing is, you don't pay BMW prices from Lexus, you pay substantially less.

I'd take the MS6 - I had an '01 A4 1.8T w/ 170 hp in a 5 sp manual. Nice car, kinda peppy, but I got it used with 17k on it for around $22K US. It was loaded with quattro and a sport package, but if you tell me you can get a comparably equipped '05 A4 (vs MS6) for $28K then check closely to see that you have four interlocking rings as a logo instead of a big VW (and you certainly won't have Quattro!). It was odd when I had my A4 that the Passat and Jetta both had the same 1.8T engine, but it was tuned to 180hp vs. my 170hp in a substantially more expensive car.
The MS6 should offer everything the A4 does - AWD, more interior room, arguably better reliability, and for thousands less. Plus you have that A4 shnoz to deal with..... :D

Most of the used Lexus LS series vehicles I see with that kind of mileage (read: cheap) have been all blinged out with spinners, 20" rims, lowered, with some P-diddy song turned to 11. That's not just the Lexus-it applies to most other luxury brands as well. It's just that for many people, when a luxury car depreciates to the point that the guy working the drive through can afford it, it loses some of its' appeal. You're right that the Lexus is bulletproof, and I would agree that it competes or beats the Euro competition, but in the end it suffers the same fate. If you get one, let it keep its' dignity.

I odnt know about the new 2.0, but my buddy has an 04 1.8t auto A4 and it's 0-60 is right around 8.8 seconds. With the MS6 estimated at 6.4 or so Id say it'll blow the doors off the audi.

I know nothing of the 2.0T, but if it's anything like the 1.8T it is probably one of the best blocks out there for more boost. The 1.8T is one tough chunk of metal. Upsolute chip tuning already makes a chip good for 30 hp and 50 lb-ft over stock.

This is a bad comparo but the base A4 is too boring for my likes and German reliability is poor from my experience. I'd pick the MS6 easy. I think the MS6 will rival the Legacy GT more.
Mazda updated their website a little bit from last time I checked: http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...er=mazdaSpeed6

The Audi is torsen four wheel drive, the MS6 is haldex.
Both cars have 215 width tires 215/55 16 audi, 215/45 18 MS6
The audi has a folding rear bench, doesn't it?
The MS6 turbo is already maxed out (small for good response) The A4 can be chipped to what, 220 hp, 250 maybe?

You can get 235 width tires on the audi easy, can you do the same for the MS6?

I'd take the MS6 each day of the week. It's more powerful, a better buy, bigger, nicer looking inside and out, and I have no doubt it will handle better.

The A4 is a nice and all, but I think it lost some of its appeal with the redesign. And Audi interiors have always been way way way overrated to me; the fit and finish might be top-notch, but they're plain-jane, there's no 'wow' factor. The MS6 interior, on the other hand, with the (optional) pop-up nav, high-gloss trim, and blazing electro-gauges is far sexier.

Value: MS6
Prestige: A4
Gee-whiz factor: MS6
Looks: A4
Practicality: MS6
Cost of ownership: A4

The last one may be a deciding factor as Audi includes regularly scheduled service for 3 years (I think... I never owned an Audi). Apparently, all you do for 3 years is put gas in the car.

yup that's what most euro luxury brands do, include free maintenance for the duration of its bumper to bumper warranty.

but then again, MS6 would only need the same maintenance schedule that a normal mazda6 would need, so it's probably still cheaper (after factoring in Audi's free maintenance program) in that 4 year span, and definitely cheaper after the warranties have expired.