Audi A3 A Luxurious Companion For The Road
With Audi's quintessential philosophy of Vorsprung durch Technik serving as the driving force behind the A3, the model is the hallmark of not just performance but also luxury, comfort, and good looks. It's flat, wide, and yet compact design together with expressive body lines promises an athletic stance. The sedan measures 4,458 millimetres in length, 1,796 millimetres in width, and 1,416 millimetres in height. Those elegant dimensions together with the impressive wheelbase of 2,637 millimetres and the short front overhang call attention to its prudent proportions and turn heads wherever it goes. The Audi A3's taut surfaces, coupe-esque contour, and wedge-shaped lines and shadow edges immediately accentuate the car's unmistakable bearing. In the meanwhile, the chiselled hood, the congruous bumpers, and the wide Single frame grill come together to mould a scintillating front. Its headlights with their jagged bottom edges also make a completely remarkable statement. At the rear, the aerodynamic design, horizontal lighting graphics, and the separation edge above the diffuser round off the car's allure. The exterior's distinct body lines and contours are carried over in the A3's interior.
Designed with the aim to provide excellent quality, the car's cabin amazes with top-notch materials and artisanship, outstanding architecture, and superior ergonomics. The instrument panel is flat and lean, while the centre console is aimed towards the driver. A distinct arc, the wrap-around, runs around the stunning cockpit. The interior design is further complemented by the horizontal lines - an expression of sophistication and modern innovation. The four large, jet engine-inspired air vents and the slender retractable MMI screen provide sportiness and technological evolution to the Audi A3's interior. The Audi A3 models are offered with an indulgent range of equipment. The sedan's package of standard exterior provisions includes 16-inch star design 'five-spoke' alloy wheels, Xenon headlamps, rear fog lights, high-mounted third brake light, LED number plate light, and a panoramic glass sunroof. Audi offers the A3 sedan with two engine options: a 35 TFSI and a 35 TDI. The four-cylinder petrol unit develops 150 PS and 250 Nm of torque. Paired to a seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission, it can go from 0-100 kmph in 8.2 seconds and offers a top speed of 224 kmph. On the other hand, the 2.0-litre diesel engine puts out 143 PS and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. Mated to a six-speed S tronic transmission, it is capable of accelerating from 0-100 kmph in 8.6 seconds and can achieve a maximum speed of 215 kmph. The Audi A3 Cabriolet receives only the 35 TFSI engine - though its output is same as that of the A3 petrol sedan, its performance varies slightly. The cabriolet offers a top speed of 222 kmph and dispatches the 0-100 kmph run in 8.9 seconds.
Porsche stood the automotive world on its ear a few years ago when it announced it was branching out from sports cars and into the world of SUV's. Some thought it was a travesty for a sports car company to branch out like this, but the Cayenne has sold well. I drove a Cayenne S for two weeks in the summer of 2006 and fell in love with it. It may be an all wheel drive SUV with awesome off-road capabilities, but it's all Porsche and that means it's a blast to drive while offering enough comfort and coddling to please the latent hedonist. Then I had the opportunity to take the 2008 model for a week of tooling around a mixture of major and minor highways on Canada's Vancouver Island. It was a blast as well. Porsche appears to have been listening, however; the 2008 Cayenne has received a bit of a face lift that makes it look more aggressive and a little more handsome than before.
I never had a problem with the old Cayenne, but the new one is better. Its new face features new headlights and fascia, with broader wheel arches and tail lights that break up the old, solid ones by putting the backup lights in the middle. It still looks like a Porsche, and like a Cayenne, only more so. But a Porsche is about the stuff that's under the body, no matter how lithe, and the new Cayenne ups the oomph ante (and the gas mileage) over the previous model thanks to tweaks such as direct fuel injection. I look forward to peeling the skin from my face with the Turbo shortly, but in the meantime found the S to be more than adequate. It has power and torque a-plenty and when you tromp the gas pedal you're reminded instantly that this is, indeed, a Porsche. I didn't presume to take the Cayenne S off road, just a little bit "off pavement", but have no doubt you could ford (oops, sorry!) any stream that you'd want.
2008 Cayennes also come with a rollover sensor that triggers the belt latch tensioners and curtain airbags in an emergency, to help reduce the risk of injury in a rollover. S and Turbo Cayennes come standard with a six speed Tiptronic automatic transmission (the base Cayenne starts life with a six speed manual) that shifts just when you think it should. The manual mode is controlled by rocker switches on the steering wheel and I found them a long stretch for my little fingers; paddle shifters behind the steering wheel may correct this and add even more fun to the drive. It's too bad they aren't offered. Unfortunately-placed shift buttons notwithstanding, the Cayenne S is a blast to drive. Not only are its mechanical parts up to the task, but its interior is comfortable and classy without beating you over the head with technology. In other words, it's a Porsche.