Re: Here's my letter to AoA:

[Daniel Hussey <GY3WSX@VM.SC.EDU>]

      I sent this to a list member, but I thought some of the content might be
interesting to the rest of the list, and I was too lazy to retype it.

                                                            -Dan
----------------------------Original message----------------------------

       Christian,

           Have you test drove the Audi A4 1.8l tq yet?  That may be a more spu
nky version of the A4.  I have never driven that version, but I did drive the
V6 version and felt it was a nice car, but lacked a lot of the spunk and fun of
the 5 cylinder motor.  A 5V per cylinder turbo 4 cylinder may be the answer.  A
nd, this car is chippable and several people in this country are working on per
formance upgrades for this car.  It is exciting me!  Call Ivor at TAP.  Not onl
y does he have a 375hp version of the '90 Coupe Quattro (his personal car), but
he is working on some performace upgrades for the new A4 1.8tq!  Eibach already
makes upgraded springs for the car and when a chip hits the market I think that
will be an easy way to increase hp.  I don't think they have a coupe version of
this car in the makings (not even in europe), but they do have a hatchback vers
ion of it called the A3.  Don't be confused though.  The A3 is based off of the
VW Golf platform (basically a rebodied Gulf) and is not the same caliber car as
the A4 and I don't even care to see it in this country.

            But, I have heard rumors that Audi is working on an upper level cou
pe that will compete on a more luxury level and will come with a V8 and plenty
of horsepower this time.  This is still just in the very experimental stages an
d who knows if it will even reach our shores.  But have patience.  I'm sure at
that time we can lobby to have that car brought over here.  But, I'm glad you s
ent that letter to AoA.  I hope they get the idea of what American Audi owners
are looking for.  Performance!

            Audi has always made the best performance sedans in the world, with
the possible exception of the MB 500E, but even they were overpriced, and maybe
e the BMW M5.  We also see a lack of a true super sports sedan in this country
since the discontinuation of the S6 at the end of 1995.  In europe they even ha
d a higher performance version of the S6 with a V8 and a 6 spd manual transmiss
ion badged as the S6 plus!  We never saw it here.  Same with the S2, and the fa
med (Performance Car of the Year) RS2!  I love that car!  I'd love to have one
of them wagons and blow everything off the road....even Porsches!  Anyways, Aud
i is reportedly working on making some changes to the A6 platform, and adding a
n A7 platform, which is based almost the same as the A6 (new version), but will
bit a bit longer and come with either a 2.8 or 3.4 liter V8's and either manual
or 5 spd auto transmissions, along with a lot of other performance extras.

       Here's whats on the ballot next from Germany: A sport version of the A4
dubbed as the S4 (ah, that name sounds familiar), a new version of the S6, and
an S7 with a full-blown hi-po V8 motor.  The next generation S6 may some with a
5V per cylinder twin turbo V6, but I haven't heard much about this recently, so
maybee that plan got put on the back burner.  Also, they have talked about maki
ng an A7 with all-aluminum body construction (like the A8, called ASF), but tha
t seems a little impractical too me.  Then, an A8 with a bigger motor, most lik
ely to be dubbed as an S8, and last but not least, a mid-sized luxury coupe bas
ed off the A7 platform with a new generation aluminum V8 motor.

       Guess what else Ferdinand Piech is up to?  He is working on developing a
V8 VW!  Yup, it will also be based off the A7 platform, but with less features,
and a smaller motor than the A7.  So, that is what is in the workings from Audi
, and there is no shortage of performance products.  Let's just hope we see the
m over here in the U.S.!  We've had problems with that in the past!

       Well, I'll try to get that info for you on the PCA event at Robeling Roa
d in January, and I'll talk to ya later.  Gotta hit the books!  Exam week is co
mming up next week and I have a ton of stuff to do.

                                                             Later,
                                                             Dan