Finman

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12452/thelineuppost.jpg"></center><p>
First up...the ubiquitous line-up shot (above)...

Overall, quite an initial crowd...
5 2.7Ts
4 4.2s
3 S6 Avants
1 allroad
1 S4
1 Alfa
1 GT2 (okay, okay, once the GT2 showed, no one gave a sh*t about any Audi there!


Next...from behind...the lone S4 leads the crowd...

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12452/frombehindpost.jpg">

Now, a big group of freaks...of course, several are missing including April and her man (or her honey as she says and Finchick (the photographer).

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12452/bunchafreakspost.jpg">


Early on, as the Avants were bringing up the rear...enAvant heading into a hard left-hander...

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12452/enavantmakingleftpost.jpg">

After snacktime...Finman chasing down Stoney and April on some bumpy twisties...

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12452/chasingstoneyaprilpost.jpg">

Stopping for lunch, Amulet overlooks the Pacific...

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12452/amuletoverlookingpacificpost.jpg">

And, finally...the leftovers line up at the command of Ranger Rick...

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12452/lineupforrangerrickpost.jpg">

All in all, an excellent day...met a whole bunch of new Audi-psychos...and some very tolerant spouses and kids...

The weather was perfect...cool and sunny...for a sweet drive down the coast...hafta do it again soon...perhaps more leisurely just observing the sites...

Having done this same drive in both the 4.2 and the S6, there is no question in my mind that the S6 is a significant improvement over the 4.2...most importantly in handling...far, far less understeer (although still comfortably present) and much less body roll (the wife remarked about this also). Perhaps this event was conducted at a little less robust pace than the November NorCal A6 event which may play some roll in my sensation that the S6 was actually "easy" to rip hard around corners compared to the 4.2...but where the 4.2 seemed to be at "the limit", the S6 felt like it could handle much harder stuff. When driving hard, I wouldn't mind the steering wheel to be a little heavier, but I always felt I could feel the road and the tires as the fronts would start to push the limit. On freeways, though, the S6 steering wheel is ideal...very dead center and heavy...tracks dead straight and requires a deliberate effort to change direction...the wheel does not wander around with every little road irregularity.
The sport mode seemed like the perfect automatic...very easy to keep up in the revs and when a downshift was desired an easy accelerator stab would illicit a quick downshift, just as easily as doing it myself with a stick...I didn't bother with the tip this time as I feel I can downshift quicker and crisper (more crisply) with the accelerator than the slight lag with the tip.
Overall, the S6 is very balanced and "feels" much closer to 50/50 than the 4.2 which felt more like 65/35 or so.
Some of the improved road grip may be because for the previous drive in the 4.2, the 4.2 had ContiSports with 18k miles on them (well, 3 out of 4, one was the new spare) and this time the S6 had ContiSports with ~4k miles on them. Much less squealing and what felt like wall flex. Perhaps also the tire pressures on the S6 were more well balanced than the 4.2 was.

Excellent drive...had a great time meeting everyone...lets do it again sometime this summer

Chris JB

It was great day! We sure lucked out with the weather...it's been raining consistently here on the peninsula this morning. After seeing the pictures, I sure wish I made the drive! Although, I was successful helping my friend buy a beautiful, new, Dolphin Gray A4 1.8t quattro.

I hope we can all get together again soon!

Chris JB
00 2.7t

PS - I promise I won't invite that guy with the GT2 next time ;-)

A8 L Sport 20

Very nice pics! You had a great showing and what boat-load of $$$ driving around. Dot-bomb who?