Since there seems to be so much RS4 worship going on, I might just add another perspective.

I was one of the first to order a brand new one many years ago (only the second time in my life I've bought a new car) I had obviously never driven the car, and never even driven an Audi.

When it arrived, I was actually a little disappointed. It was quick, but not as quick as I expected. The rear leg room was rubbish, I'm about 6ft and have my seat quite far back, that leaves no room behind me for anything other than a midget. Not much point, imho, in having a family car if the family are cramped.

The seats, that do look nice, were not actually that adjustable. The little side bolster on the seat looked like it would get mashed in a couple of months.

Anyway, I kept it for a less than a week and sold it for what I paid for it. This was in the days of the car fetching a small premium due to waiting list/demand.

For the price of a brand new RS4 I bought an 18 month old fully loaded M5. This was much faster than the RS4, ie supercar fast, rather than just quick. Not just that though, it was obviously much more spacious. The toys are also on a different level, ie heads up display, voice activated commands, and fully active seats. The latter can be adjusted from full comfort to full race bucket types.
They can also be both, ie set at comfort, then when you corner they inflate to grip you like a vice. The downside of the M5 is the increased running costs,

So, to me, the RS4 though a very nice car, that handled really keenly, was just a little too slow, too cramped, and lacking in toys

The M5 has more space because it's a larger car. So you're not comparing like for like. RS4 v's M3, or M5 v's RS6. Plus with the M5, I dare bet most of the kit was an optional extra put on there by the first owner.

RS4's were approx £50k with a few options (old mans was £52k)
M5 start at £60k with an options list as long as the car.

They are different car because they ARE different cars.

Thats why I said in my post, the M5 was 'obviously' more spacious, as I'm very well aware that the 5 series is a larger car than the A4. However, my point stands. The rs4 is billed as a family car, and to my mind it is not, its too small, and thats compared to other cars in its class as well.
At that time, I had a c class amg, and that had more room in the back.

It is also overquoted on power, it does not put out 420 BHP, and hence is not what I would call 'fast'

There was no new rs6 to compare with at that time, only the old dated one.

Yes, many of the toys on my cars were extras. However at 18 months old, the fully loaded M5 cost me the same as the brand new rs4. (price paid by first owner of M5 was circa £70k)

so, as somebody after a supercar fast family saloon, for around £50k they were both on the shortlist. so, for me, at that time they were 'comparable'.
If you see what I mean?

that video of a slide he did well to recover that made me laugh watching him sitting in layby with dirty pants full of sh1t3

It is a Spec C so what did you expect ;)

TX.