I test drove the thing a few weeks ago to get a $30 credit at the iTunes music
store. I was thrilled with the engine.. The
2.0T has a comfortable amount of torque for driving on the street.. Really
quite nice.
And I loved the flappy paddle gearbox! I particularly enjoyed downshifting
while head-checking before a lane change.
Shifting becomes very natrual very quickly. It's MUCH more responsive than any
automatic with "manual mode", particulary
downshifts. And it let me downshift to the redline in third on the freeway by
accident just the way autocrossers like it.
As for the auto? I only engaged it for a moment at speed at the top of a
freeway offramp, and it immediately shifted to 6th
as I started decelerating towards the stoplight at the bottom. That's what we
hate about autos, right? So it must be a fine
automatic simulator.
That said, it costs WAY TOO MUCH MONEY! If you select AWD with v6 and the
flappy-paddle gearbox, you're out almost
40k. The interior is indestinguishable from a frekin' Saturn that costs $20k
less. Cheep plastic everywhere, the front seat
rails are exposed and look like a total after thought, and it's not
particularly comfortable. Who buys these cars? Get
yourself a nice Subaru RS2.5 wagon like all the other outdoorsey folks. You
won't need chains and you'll be $20k less in
debt.
Audi's strategy as I see it? Thay've made the A4 FAR to fat and expensive to
be fun, and replaced it with an outrageously
priced rebadged 1996 Saturn SW2 with a fancy-pants transmission and metal
doors. Way to go.
Jake
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