Just got back from 6 days in the Netherlands and the UK. Some automotive observations:<br>- Saw a few A4's. A 1.8 and and a 1.8TDI. Weird seeing right hand drive in UK.<br>- Saw an unknown Audi debadged car. Looked like an A4 front end, but a convertible with right hand drive (in UK) and a rear end more like an Audi 80. Was tight in the back seat.<br>- The Ford Ka is really cute! (but don't want one!)<br>- Saw a Mercedes Benz C180!<br>- Got to drive (business rental of colleague's) a Mercedes A-class (I think it was an A180, but might have been a 160 - don't remember the number). The car had a surprising amount of power, but really doesn't feel anything like what I'd expect from a Benz - just a normal tiny car.<br>- Got to drive a diesel Citroen Evasion minivan as a rental. Not too impressive - and the manual shift knob emerges from the DASH!

<p>There is no 1.8 TDI, only two 1.9 TDIs are available: the old 90 HP and the<br>less old 110 HP. Audi faces stiff competition from BMW in Europe in the<br>corporate car market. The 320 diesel provides a healthy 136 HP.<p>If only Opel would start selling selling their 190 HP 3 liter diesel engine<br>which has been in the works for ages.<br>

Sorry about the error in displacement - I wasn't taking notes and this was off the top of my head. I suppose it might have been 1.9TDI, but I thought the badge said 1.8. Anyway, it was 1.xTDI!<p>Anybody have any guesses on what the convertable was that I saw? I'm guessing an Audi 80 convertible or something like that. My guess was that it was 2-4 years old.<p>BTW, I also saw an Audi A3. Sort of cute in a 'but I don't want one' kind of way.<p>Tim