Re: Ugly wagons (Audi's competition)

[Brett Dikeman <quattro@arthur.malebolge.com>]

>As I am reading the new review of the A6 Avant V6 twin turbo in my new Car and
>Driver, I noticed how the car almost looks like it was meant to be a wagon.
>Why?  Well, it all comes down to how these car manufacturers turn a sedan into
>a wagon.  If you look at the Saturn wagon, or the Tarus wagon, you will see
>they keep the rear doors and C pilar out line intact to save money, and in the
>process, it looks awful....like a home built project.
Take a look at the bently for the 5000; the line drawings on the front say
it all...identical cars!

The 5000w is exactly the same as the 5000 sedan, with the only difference
being the bottom edge of the window gets extended back, turned into a hatch
and that piece of metal called the "trunk" goes bu-bye.  It just doesn't
look right.

This was confirmed by placing a friend's 5000 wagon next to my
sedan...exactly the same body(aside from hers being a non-turbo.)

The A6 wagon does look pretty sharp, though the rear's shape reminds me a
little of a Sub-a-roo for some reason; even more like the BMW wagon.  It's
pretty sad; it's getting to be knock-off city in the automobile industry.

>don't have to worry about an ugly wagon or worse yet, a testosterone robbing
>minivan in my garage that says "no longer has sex or fun."  Apologies to all
>with minivans......

That's why you park a nice smart little coupe-q or boxster in the next
space over that says "I have sex _and_ fun!"  For those embarrasing moments
when you must be in said family-mobile, a bumper sticker is needed("My
other car is a...")

>It also looks to be pretty quick, 0-60 in 7.3 for the manual.  BUT, the auto
>takes 10.5 seconds.  What gives?  How can Audi make an autobox that adds over
>3 seconds to the 0-60 run?  That is awful!  My '90 90 is an auto box, but
>still pretty quick.  The A4 only suffers a 1 second drop in 0-60 time for the
>autobox.

The 5000 turbo automatic was faster than the manual in the 0-60 by about .2
seconds if I remember right.  Why?  Throttle never closes, so turbo stays
spooled up.

I assume the 200 manual wouldn't have the same disadvantage since it has
that nice blow-by valve(right?)

Brett

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Brett Dikeman
brett@pdikeman.ne.mediaone.net
~)-|
Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt.  Qui annus est?
Te audire non possum.  Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.
Ita, scio hunc 'sig file' veterem fieri.
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