KLHI
08-23-1999, 03:57 PM
Well, I just returned from a long (1 month plus) trip to Greece and (just a few days) the UK. If anyone is interested in these non-Audi elements of my trip please e-mail me.
In Greece, I was browsing a touristy magazine shop when I came upon a German magazine by the name of <I>VW & Audi Special</I> which is, unfortunately for me, in German. I bought the magazine for 5 DM (well, 1300 drachmas really but the price is listed in deutchemarks (sp?) on the cover). I was travelling with a couple of German speakers and, as such, I have managed to deciepher some of the magazine. It is short 50 pages and, unfortunately contains no articles on the A4. In the end, it's not very interesting and I sort of regret buying it.
I spotted an S3 in Athens. Very nice car. To me, it really looks like what the A3 <I>should</I> look like with the big wheels, body-kit, and lowering-treatment.
At some point, I discovered that one of my cousins shared my pasions for the A4. He owned an an 98.0 A4 1.6M FrontTrak (aftmarket stereo head, otherwise - no mods). We went for a spin around town. In general, the car felt (inside) much like my 2.8. Engine noise, however, was far more prominent, and it was clear that one had to dig into the throttle quite a bit more to get the same acceleration I would in my 2.8. At one intersection, he put "the pedal to 'de metal". I found the results quite pleasing. The car didn't feel underpowered at all. At one point, as asked him if he had made any modifications (well, I actually asked him if he had made any "changes", I didn't know the Greek word for "modifications"). "No", he replied (in Greek, of course, but i'll translate), "the way I look at it, why should I know how to build the car better than the manufacturer." Well, I wasn't willing to argue, in no small part because of my rather rudimentary grasp of the Greek language.
In Britain, I had the privilge of watching a television program on the dangers of speeding. I was dissapointed by the program in the sense that it made no mention of the autobahn and how high-speeds affect traffic deaths there. The conclusion of the program also somewhat disturbed me. Just before the ending, an expert on this topic pointed out that just 4% of all dealy accidents were primarilly caused by speeding. He wen't on to say that the majority of the remaing 96% of accidents were caused by what he calls "bad driving". The program then goes on to conclude, much to my annoyance, that the only way to further curb the nubmer of deadly accidents is to stop speeding.
In the UK, I also had the privilidge to visit and Audi-dealer. While there, I had the oppurtunity to view (if from the outside) a used (excuse me, pre-owned) 1998 model S4!! In addition, I looked in on a brand-new S3 and sat in right-hand drive TT quattro's, A3's, A4's, and A8's. I was also able to collect a publication of Audi UK called <I>The Audi Magazine</I> (articles on Audi's history, the 99.5 A8 and A4 updates, Audi's 'nose team', Audi's le Mans effort, the S3, the A6 4.2, Audi UK's new head of marketing, plus a few briefs), a couple of Audi A3 brochures (I asked for S4 brcocchures but was told they had none), a catalg of "Radius Alloy Wheels", and an "Audi A4" Accecories catalog. I also collected a newspaper supplement A4 addvertisement. I plan to soon get a scanner and will scan in sections of any of these publicatiions upon request.
KLHI
klhi@ibm.net
99.0 2.8QM Melange/Onyx Cloth (no mods)
In Greece, I was browsing a touristy magazine shop when I came upon a German magazine by the name of <I>VW & Audi Special</I> which is, unfortunately for me, in German. I bought the magazine for 5 DM (well, 1300 drachmas really but the price is listed in deutchemarks (sp?) on the cover). I was travelling with a couple of German speakers and, as such, I have managed to deciepher some of the magazine. It is short 50 pages and, unfortunately contains no articles on the A4. In the end, it's not very interesting and I sort of regret buying it.
I spotted an S3 in Athens. Very nice car. To me, it really looks like what the A3 <I>should</I> look like with the big wheels, body-kit, and lowering-treatment.
At some point, I discovered that one of my cousins shared my pasions for the A4. He owned an an 98.0 A4 1.6M FrontTrak (aftmarket stereo head, otherwise - no mods). We went for a spin around town. In general, the car felt (inside) much like my 2.8. Engine noise, however, was far more prominent, and it was clear that one had to dig into the throttle quite a bit more to get the same acceleration I would in my 2.8. At one intersection, he put "the pedal to 'de metal". I found the results quite pleasing. The car didn't feel underpowered at all. At one point, as asked him if he had made any modifications (well, I actually asked him if he had made any "changes", I didn't know the Greek word for "modifications"). "No", he replied (in Greek, of course, but i'll translate), "the way I look at it, why should I know how to build the car better than the manufacturer." Well, I wasn't willing to argue, in no small part because of my rather rudimentary grasp of the Greek language.
In Britain, I had the privilge of watching a television program on the dangers of speeding. I was dissapointed by the program in the sense that it made no mention of the autobahn and how high-speeds affect traffic deaths there. The conclusion of the program also somewhat disturbed me. Just before the ending, an expert on this topic pointed out that just 4% of all dealy accidents were primarilly caused by speeding. He wen't on to say that the majority of the remaing 96% of accidents were caused by what he calls "bad driving". The program then goes on to conclude, much to my annoyance, that the only way to further curb the nubmer of deadly accidents is to stop speeding.
In the UK, I also had the privilidge to visit and Audi-dealer. While there, I had the oppurtunity to view (if from the outside) a used (excuse me, pre-owned) 1998 model S4!! In addition, I looked in on a brand-new S3 and sat in right-hand drive TT quattro's, A3's, A4's, and A8's. I was also able to collect a publication of Audi UK called <I>The Audi Magazine</I> (articles on Audi's history, the 99.5 A8 and A4 updates, Audi's 'nose team', Audi's le Mans effort, the S3, the A6 4.2, Audi UK's new head of marketing, plus a few briefs), a couple of Audi A3 brochures (I asked for S4 brcocchures but was told they had none), a catalg of "Radius Alloy Wheels", and an "Audi A4" Accecories catalog. I also collected a newspaper supplement A4 addvertisement. I plan to soon get a scanner and will scan in sections of any of these publicatiions upon request.
KLHI
klhi@ibm.net
99.0 2.8QM Melange/Onyx Cloth (no mods)