Quattro and the common man

["Matt Rooke" <mrooke@fcpa.fujitsu.com>]

Since I put personalized plates (QQATTRO) onto my cq I've had the opportunity to
witness the awareness level of quattro technology in the unwashed masses.  The
cq has always drawn lots of the "what kind of car is that" questions, but now this
is a little different.   Living in E. San Jose and working in the heart of Silicon Valley
provides a unique twist:
- Mexican lady at the taqueria thought it meant I had 4 children.  She felt very sorry for
me when I explained that we have no kids, just 2 big dogs.
- A guy at the hardware store thought I had 4 cars (you a reech man!!).  Actually, we
DO have 4 cars, but it is because we aren't rich enough to have 2 that work all the time.
- toll-taker at the Benecia bridge- "I don't know what it means, but I like it".  I tried to
explain that it is a "4wd" car, to which he went "ohhh", but he still had a very puzzled look
on his face.  I guess some of us are fortunate in life to find that perfect job.
- And this morning at the gas station a guy thought it referred to that old Borland
spreadsheet, Quattro-Pro.  He went on about how he still used it and was impressed to
meet another "fan".

And even at work, educated engineers ask me what it means.   So I really think this
new "unfair advantage" ad campaign is right on the mark.    I've had several
people who know I'm an Audi nut mention that they'd seen the ad and were duly
impressed and educated.

Matt Rooke
'91CQ