A LITTLE TASTE OF LUXURY

By Clare Wall - Friday, May 16, 2008

The stunning new Audi A4. Picture by JENNIFER BURTON.

ON THE ROAD
VORSPRUNG Durch Technik — it’s a phrase associated with car manufacturer Audi by millions.
But what does it mean? Well, its rough translation is Progress Through Technology and the new Audi A4 I drove from Esplanade, Newport, is the perfect embodiment of that phrase.
This saloon is sexy, sophisticated, powerful and frankly, a head-turner. I loved every second I spent in it, I loved watching the responses of my friends and family as I pulled up in this stunning motor and I tried my best to pass it off as my own.
I did not want to give it back, and I will say this in public — if I ever win the lottery, I shall go straight down to Esplanade to drive one off the forecourt.
Where to begin with this car? Well let’s get the specifications out the way before I ramble on about all the finer details.
The model I drove was an A4 2.0 SE TDI, a diesel, with a six-speed manual gearbox and a top speed of 134mph. It does 0-60 in 9.4 seconds and has carbon emissions of 144g/km.
Its fuel consumption is excellent like many diesels, with 37.7mpg urban, 65.7mpg extra urban and a combined mpg of 51.4mpg.
With its extras, including alloy wheels, this car would cost around £27,000.
But enough of the statistics, let’s talk about the look of it, inside and out.
This executive-looking saloon has slick alloys, tinted windows, clean lines, a huge boot for all your shopping needs and the front of the car has that distinctive Audi look.
Inside it is upholstered in soft black leather, with heated seats for driver and front-seat passenger, individual climate controls and an on-board computer screen to help make the driving experience as comfortable as possible.
Music lovers will revel in the spectacular sound system with speakers provided by Bang & Olufsen.
Those who need hands-free kits will find a handy place to put their mobile phones while connecting to the in-car Bluetooth system.
Once comfortable, pulling away and driving this gorgeous motor is a dream. The power in the car just by putting it in second gear is awe-inspiring and it is quite easy to forget yourself and find it is actually going much faster than you thought! The handling is sturdy, steering is surprisingly light, given the A4’s size, and braking is sharp.
One element which took a little getting used to was the handbrake. Or lack of it.
The A4's electronic handbrake is activated by putting the car in neutral and pulling up a small lever which, when the light goes red, means the handbrake is on. When it is time to pull away, just find the bite and the car releases the handbrake for you.
When it is time to park, a sophisticated parking system kicks in, sensors tell you how far you are from anything surrounding the car, including arrows to show if anyone is walking behind.
When day turns to night, the A4 has an automatic light system, which means you never forget to put your lights on.
If this car could drive you to and from your destination for you, it would. But I am glad it still allows you to grip the wheel, put the car in gear and speed away.

A LITTLE TASTE OF LUXURY

Weather

Subscribe