Clarkson on RS4: "dare I say... better than an M3" [video]

Audi is hoping its all-new 414-horsepower RS4 will enable it to finally beat the mighty BMW M3 at its own game. Who better to find out than Jeremy Clarkson? We bring you reviews from Mr. Clarkson of Top Gear often -- and for a good reason: he is the man to look to for some of the most honest and in-depth automotive reviews, especially when it comes to high-end sports cars. In his review of the new Audi RS4, Clarkson set out to see if Audi had finally matched (or exceeded) BMW's M3. He took the four-door hotrod on the first and second "most demanding" roads in Europe, involving more than 1200 vertical feet of climbing. When it comes to the RS4's high-revving V8, Clarkson said he feels it may be "one of the greatest engines ever made." And thanks to an all-wheel-drive system, "very little of the grunt is wasted." In terms of suspension, he says this is the "first Audi I've ever driven that rides properly" -- the RS4 is firm but not uncomfortable. Clarkson also set out to see if Audi finally dealt with its notorious tendency to create vehicles that understeer during hard cornering. When it comes to "sticking it into the bends," you find "all the nose heaviness is gone," he said. He concludes the car is "Biblically good" and "dare i say... better than an M3." Since the Top Gear does not air on TV in the United States, some Audi fans uploaded the full 15-minute review to Google Video.