Umlaut
09-10-2007, 06:59 AM
This forum tends to collect quite a few hero stories about various A4's dragging other non-Audis off the line. Basically, how fast can you go from 0-60. While the cars tend to do fairly well on these contests (all hail Quattro!), I've never been all that impressed... I mean, you don't buy an Audi to go dragging. To me, the cars are designed to cruise at high speed, and still remain quiet and controllable. With this in mind, here is a story account of a drive I had this weekend.
I was leaving Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) this weekend. Mid-morning, a bit of rain. The intent was to head out for home on Hwy 401. This is one of the busiest highways on the planet. It's straight, wide and everyone drives fast. Although the posted speed limit is 100km/h (about 62 MPH), the slowest you can realistically drive in the slow lane is about 120 km/h. The fast lane typically runs from 130-140 km/h (80-87 MPH). Now then, I was humming along in the fast lane, at about 135 or so, when in my mirror I see a racer-boy type S2000. Behind him was Sube WRX with a monsta wing. I let them by, as which point they move in right in front of me. And then slow down. Arggh. Back out I go into the fast lane. Out they come behind me. Repeat this 2 or 3 more times. Enough. Back out, drop into 5th and slowly press the pedal to the floor. Out they come. Shift to 6th...keep the pedal down. At this point, I'm at about 160 km/h (an even 100 MPH). The car is solid...glued to the road. It can do this all day. Keep the pedal down. I'm now creeping away from the S2000. The S2000 is a quick car, but is it stable at speed on wet pavement? Does it evoke confidence in the driver? Hmmm... I don't know. Onward. 170km/h. The S2000 is way back there...not following. Slow down a bit... yep, he's still there. More pedal...180km/h. Perhaps he can't see from the spray the Avant is ripping up as it makes it's way down the asphalt...sucking the water out of the rumble strips and churning it violently in it's wake. 190km/h. The car is still calmly eating up pavement. At this point, I'm certainly thinking about the insane ticket I'd get if the OPP nails me. But this is a rush...I'm blowing past 3 series BMW's like they are nailed to the pavement. Was that a Lexus? An RX-8? Can't tell...bye-bye Miss Minivan. I'm aiming down range at that AMG SL500 Benz up ahead. He's doing about 160 and now just sees me in his mirror. As he pulls out of the way, I decide to throttle back and move over too. Dropping back to 130km/h seems pedestrian at this point. Roosting down the highway at 160+ km/h is the right element for this car. I'm still grinning like an idiot. Oh, never did see the S2000 and WRX again.
I was leaving Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) this weekend. Mid-morning, a bit of rain. The intent was to head out for home on Hwy 401. This is one of the busiest highways on the planet. It's straight, wide and everyone drives fast. Although the posted speed limit is 100km/h (about 62 MPH), the slowest you can realistically drive in the slow lane is about 120 km/h. The fast lane typically runs from 130-140 km/h (80-87 MPH). Now then, I was humming along in the fast lane, at about 135 or so, when in my mirror I see a racer-boy type S2000. Behind him was Sube WRX with a monsta wing. I let them by, as which point they move in right in front of me. And then slow down. Arggh. Back out I go into the fast lane. Out they come behind me. Repeat this 2 or 3 more times. Enough. Back out, drop into 5th and slowly press the pedal to the floor. Out they come. Shift to 6th...keep the pedal down. At this point, I'm at about 160 km/h (an even 100 MPH). The car is solid...glued to the road. It can do this all day. Keep the pedal down. I'm now creeping away from the S2000. The S2000 is a quick car, but is it stable at speed on wet pavement? Does it evoke confidence in the driver? Hmmm... I don't know. Onward. 170km/h. The S2000 is way back there...not following. Slow down a bit... yep, he's still there. More pedal...180km/h. Perhaps he can't see from the spray the Avant is ripping up as it makes it's way down the asphalt...sucking the water out of the rumble strips and churning it violently in it's wake. 190km/h. The car is still calmly eating up pavement. At this point, I'm certainly thinking about the insane ticket I'd get if the OPP nails me. But this is a rush...I'm blowing past 3 series BMW's like they are nailed to the pavement. Was that a Lexus? An RX-8? Can't tell...bye-bye Miss Minivan. I'm aiming down range at that AMG SL500 Benz up ahead. He's doing about 160 and now just sees me in his mirror. As he pulls out of the way, I decide to throttle back and move over too. Dropping back to 130km/h seems pedestrian at this point. Roosting down the highway at 160+ km/h is the right element for this car. I'm still grinning like an idiot. Oh, never did see the S2000 and WRX again.