[V8] Audi 300 (V8)

[Roger Woodbury]

Excellent translation Dave.  It points out what it is relatively easy to
remember:  The V8 Quattro was truly ahead of its time when introduced in
1990.  

Audi was trying to overcome the stigma of the assassination attempt by CBS's
"60 Minutes", and the Audi V8 in the US was intended to fight with the big
number Mercedes and BMW's of the time.  

I confess:  in 1990 when the car first really appeared in this country, I
was completely out of "cars" in general.  I had just retired (for the first
time), and intended to live quietly with a Ford Ranger pickup in a little
cottage on the bay watching the sunset.  

Well, that didn't last overly long.  First of all, I found that I really
needed something with four wheel drive, and bought an '87 F150 as my only
vehicle.  But I managed to get myself hooked into a small business and
traveling all over eastern Maine was sucking down a lot of gas, so along
came the first of a series of VW Rabbit diesels.

Then I began the marathon between Maine and Florida attending to an elderly
relative's affair, and along came the first of a series of larger Mercedes
diesels.  

In 1994 I bought my first Audi Quattro...a 5000CS Avant Quattro with 102,000
miles on it already.  Despite being somewhat problematic due to lack of
maintenance after 65,000 miles, the car was a winner and I was hooked.

Then came along the first V8, which was a bust, chiefly because although it
seemed really good, it was the wrong color and had been towed some distance
by the nose after getting it's nose smacked.  I sold out of that very nice
car for what I had in it, and figured that it was OVER.

I still had the 89 Avant that came along, and loved all of it.

Then the 4.2 appeared after quite a search.  I loved that car and learned an
awful lot about the V8.  It was sold to become the Gentlemen's Express, and
I figured that it was over once again.

But you never quite get "by" the V8 experience.  It isn't an S8 that will do
it, and Lord knows, NO A8 ever built is the same.  Plainly put the V8 is a
tad rough around the edges. The ride is firm, and on our rough roads in
eastern Maine, you FEEL the car working.  The A8 is quieter more refined,
but it still isn't the same.

Now, I have the "The Wraith"...it is a '90 V8 that had 62,000 miles when I
bought it. It has been fully through the shop and runs better than new.  I
LOVE my V8.  It is smoother, more economical and better than the '93 4.2 car
that I bought with about the same miles. This one was pretty well kept.  I
will drive this for a long time, and smile each and every mile.

I love my V8. Did I say that?  Sorry.  The smile is so large that I
forget....

Roger

P.S.  And I will soon be looking for another one.  This second car will be
put away in the new barn that has yet to be built. All of this I hope to
start next year, and my collection will begin at that time, too.  They're
not making anything better, so I want to have one as long as I am driving.
If it is anything like my late father, that will translate to thirty years.