New Audis are faddy (Was: allroad hitting ...)

[Fisher, Scott]

> Definitely waiting to pick up an A/S8 coming off lease driven by some
> elderly gentleman who has never even considered a four wheel 
> powerslide or ever even activated the ABS - I watch and I wait - 
> I know it will come ;-)

My friend and new neighbor Jeff Zurschmeide has his eye on a
near-the-end-of-lease A4 2.8q which belongs to someone who would probably
qualify as an "elderly gentleman."  However, since said elderly gentleman --
Win Casey, for northwest SCCA folks -- has been racing in the SCCA since the
late 1950s, I suspect he has an idea about the possibilities of a four-wheel
powerslide.  On the other hand, he also owns a successful and very
high-quality shop specializing in, among other things, Audis -- he was the
only place we could find that had the correct attachments to service our
100CSQ's air conditioning when we were up there last summer.  Some of the
stories he tells of the early days of sports-car racing are just glorious;
there's one involving an Austin-Healey Sprite, a post-race challenge from a
somewhat inebriated buddy, and a motel swimming pool that I can't do justice
to.  Suffice it to say that Lucas headlights will stay lit under water for
approximately 45 minutes, or till the police arrive with a crane to lift the
Sprite out of the pool.

> BTW - Movie a long time ago with Mikhail Baryshnikov features 
> an Alfa GTV6 with amber headlights and trick fender flairs. 
> Wanted one ever since [...]

I had (all too briefly) a GTV6 some 15 years or so ago.  Fabulous car, great
ride-handling balance with the de Dion rear and inboard discs.  The GTV6 was
also a Giugiaro design, same as the 4000/CGT (and also the original
Rabbit/Golf and Scirocco).  Interesting to note that when both were new (and
therefore with comparable tires), the Audi CGT was about 2 sec slower to 60
but had about 10% more stick in the corners -- one reason I'm starting to
research ways to get 160 bhp (about what the GTV6 produces) into the CGT.
Just don't tell my friends in the Alfa club... 

Oh, and since it's not raining, the Spider's the car that's out in the
parking lot today, and she wanted me to be sure I told everyone that I
retract the comment about being "almost as much fun" as the 100CSQ.  It was
a very good drive to work, and the comparatively limited traction of a
lightweight RWD sports car is quite enjoyable in its own right. :-)

--Scott Fisher