Letter to Motor Trend Magazine Regarding Performance Figures

Motor Trend magazine had the Car of the Year issue for January, 2012. There were a few discrepancies and their figure eight comparison needs more comparison relevance. Below is my letter to them.

On 44, the Hyundai Accent is presented with specs for the GLS and SE. Both are listed with the same horsepower. However the SE accelerated to 60mph 1.3 seconds quicker and the quarter mile .6 seconds sooner. There is either an error or horrible driving. If you’re going to list the two different sub-models, I suggested giving some space on the differences.



When Motor Trend publishes lap times from here, it really means something!



On page 61, the BMW 650i Coupe is 298lbs lighter than the 650i Convertible yet tested to be slower. I think a closer examination of the gear ratios and a comparison of the two transmissions in the same sub-model is warranted. One could extrapolate the 8-speed automatic makes up a 400lb weight deficit or, perhaps effectively 40hp?

Finally regarding the figure-8, this is a essentially a 3-metric measurement (acceleration, braking and lateral g-force combined with handling). Due to the relative extremely close grouping of virtually all your cars, it makes a comparison or perceived value virtually impossible. Spread it out a little like your excellent Laguna Seca lap database, and you have something very useful. I suggest providing a comparison chart for the vehicle in question with other vehicles in its class. And finally, a vehicle ranking chart along with other test result summaries so the rankings can be understood.

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Cadillac Ciel wows the crowd in Carmel, California

The Cadillac Ciel made a major impression on all in attendance at the unveiling on Thursday, August 18th. After showing the ELR Hybrid concept, basically a slightly redone Converj, at the Tehama Golf Club in Carmel, CA, jaws dropped as the Ciel was driven to the main display area. Cadillac hosted a delicious dinner to match the introduction

The Ciel, which is French for “sky” or as Pretty Navigator said as in, “Sky is the limit”, is a lateral step taking modern technology and features to a classic motoring level going back to the early 60s or even the 1930s. It’s a modern throwback to the elegant days of motoring in a large car, enjoying the cruise. It’s all about the style, it doesn’t matter how fast it is. It’s a timeless classic. Expected to be on display in front of The Lodge tomorrow at the Concours D’elegance, it’s a must-see.

The Ciel is a 4-door convertible with rear suicide doors and a superb technology interface for the passengers. Its wheelbase is 125”, 5” longer than a Chrysler 300C/Dodge Charger and with a length of 203”, only 3” longer than the Charger which makes it very large. It’s powered by a twin-turbo V-6 making 425 horsepower. That horsepower is very nice, but nothing crazy for a big car, just right, actually. The lines are show stopping, an instant classic. This is the kind of car that will be in the field at a D’elegance in 50 or 100 years. The BMW Z-8 also comes to mind as sportier instant classic that also will eventually sit on the lawn as well.

Numerous features include ultra-modern digital display, sloping bolsters on the seats for easier ingress, power assisted transmission shifter, LED ambient lighting, zippers in the doors, even pull-out blankets for the three passengers.

Definitely not an extension of the “Transformer” styling of the CTS Coupe, a big congratulations must go to General Motors Vice President Global Design Ed Welburn and Cadillac Global Design Director Clay Dean. As interesting as what they talked about, they really didn’t have to say a word. The Ciel speaks volumes.

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2010 Audi S4 : Undisclosed Extra Horsepower?

It's great when sedans crack the 12 second quarter mile mark at 108mph or more. But when they weigh 4,000lbs and are rated at 333hp, something doesn't add up. In this case, the S4 seems to be making approximately 70 horsepower more than advertised. Consider the following test results:

Road & Track May 2010: 12.9 seconds @ 108.6 mph

Road & Track January 2010: 13.2 seconds @ 106.8 mph

Car & Driver October 2009: 13.4 seconds @ 106 mph

With very aggressive gearing and AWD like the Porsche Panamera this would be believable from a 333hp 2-ton sedan. But these times have been achieved with 6-speed manual cars. Looking back to the 420hp RS4 that was also around 4,000lbs, this matches pretty well. Audi isn't lying about the weight either. The Road & Track car weighed in at 4,010lbs. A really quick pig, if you will.

At 333hp, an all-wheel drive car needs to weigh around 3,300lbs to achieve those speeds. There is more parasitic loss with AWD vs. two-wheel drive powertrain layout. Is Audi purposefully underrating the car? Or does cool weather and a cool motor with direct injection make a lot more horsepower than if fully warmed up at normal operating temperatures?

This has happened in the past and perhaps forced induction motors are more susceptible to horsepower variations in temperature. If intentional, it's a nice benefit for the owners. But if the ratings creep up during the model run, what changes warrant it?

There is a 13.0 @ 107mph on dragtimes.com that is attributed to a private party. Hopefully this means these are not magazine "ringers" with aggressive tunes or smaller-than-stock supercharger pulleys creating more boost. Many including myself think Nissan did this with the pre-production GT-Rs that were much quicker than those sold in the showrooms. And of course, the Nurburgring times are questionable for any 3800+lbs, 480hp car. You can't defy physics. Audi isn't making any wild claims though. Except of course the low horsepower rating...

It's in Audi's best interest to disclose the horsepower variance. And I would love to see if the 7-speed DCT transmission can do better and if it has more aggressive gearing. Interestingly Audi lists the weight of the manual transmission car at 3847lbs, 77lbs less than the 7-speed. They are not fibbing that the weight is over 3800lbs, that's for sure.

Audi's supercharged S4 eclipses the previous generation RS4 and is beating the competition. If driving it is anything like my experience from A5 review from 1//17/10, it's awesome. Not bad from "only" 333hp, right? Oink oink!

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Silicon Valley Auto International Auto Show 2010 slideshow of customs and modified cars

As mentioned in my previous article here, one of the highlights of the show was the South Hall with numerous custom and modified cars, low riders, trucks, etc. There was even some live entertainment and dancing.
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Have a question about cars you would like answered? Want to know about performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com!

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Infiniti JX Concept World Premiere

Infiniti held a different kind of premiere at Pebble Beach on Thursday, August 18th, 2012. The Infiniti JX Concept is a 3-row SUV with styling that distinguishes itself from the perceived box on wheels. Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore and Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura both spoke about the market segment and the impact the JX is expected to make.

Interestingly the 3-row luxury crossover (SUV, same thing) is one of the fastest growing segments. The JX is to exceed in interior utilization, safety and driver interaction. It's supposed to offer extremely easy access to the 3rdrow, back-up collision intervention and advanced telematics. The telematics features an automatic sync to the owner’s smartphone with navigation provided. Also personal concierge service with 24-hour access.

One area that I’m surprised to learn is it will be the first Infiniti with a continuously variable transmission. To my knowledge this is the first large vehicle with a decently powered V-6 offered with such a transmission as well. While a “step mode” will provide perceived shifts while in sport mode, how the driving experience is day-to-day will be interesting.

A smaller and more intimate gathering with product specialists on site, the outdoor section has a selection, seemingly their entire model line-up. It’s the equivalent of a complete factory show room that you normally wouldn’t see at the dealership.

Another bonus is one of the actual Red Bull Formula 1 cars on display for up-close viewing. That doesn’t happen at the races (so I’ve heard) and typically seen up close only years after the car is retired. It’s an impressive piece of engineering, full of carbon fiber and aerodynamic management pieces.

What you can expect from Infiniti is a great driving experience, excellent comfort, clever touches and excellent dealer service. Add the clever utility with the styling touches of the JX, and Infiniti has a winner for a crossover (SUV).

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Lexus GS World Premiere at Pebble Beach

Lexus presented the new 2013 GS sedan to the world in Pebble Beach, California during the Monterey Automotive Event weekend, what I call M.A.W. On Thursday, August 18th, Lexus presented a GS that had previously needed edgier styling and better driving dynamics. Lexus delivered. This sedan could finally bring Lexus back into the forefront for enthusiasts in the mid-size luxury segment as well as those seeking the latest in high-tech.

Lexus put on a world-class event for those attending with both Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda and Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager talking about the brand and the car itself. Lexus wants passion and emotion in their products. The GS 350 is a positive step in that direction.

The GS series has sold over 300,000 units and has always been a standard for reliability. What it lacked was driving dynamics along with styling to match. Now it has and all-new platform with crisp, sharp lines, great style and a highly advanced driver interactive interior.

Matching the first-rate atmosphere and presentation, the new GS 350 is quite a stunner for a 4-door sedan. It has styling cues from the LS460 and the LS-A supercar. Body lines are tight and crisp with very small gaps. As mentioned in the presentation, it was built without compromise.

Promising improved driving dynamics with the driver selectable ride and dynamic control, a knob/dial has a Sport and Sport Plus modes in addition to Eco and Normal modes. Although the gasoline engine is rated at “only” 306 horsepower provided premium gas is used, this is the most powerful base engine among the competition. Hybrid and F-Sport editions will follow. Surprisingly, there was no mention of the 8-speed automatic transmission. Assuming the V-8 and 8-speed automatic transmission from the IS-F is used in the F sport edition; this roomier, more advanced sedan will be a serious sport sedan contender.

The technology and features are impressive. The industry’s largest interactive display screen (it goes way beyond navigation) measures 12.3 inches. Sitting under a shaded hood, it features a high definition screen display with split-screen capability. It features online application access, highly advanced voice recognition and the best search function in an automobile.

Also included are 18-way power seats, each one having a 3-position memory settings and temperature sensors in the seats for more efficient airflow contributing to a 3% improvement in fuel economy.

For the eyes, a heads up display, a night vision display that detects movement beyond the range of the low beams, and an active eye monitoring system. The eye monitoring detects eye position in case the driver starts to fall asleep and beeps to regain the driver’s attention. The Lane Keep Assist will gently tug the steering wheel to correct the lane position. For the ears, a Mark Levinson (part of Harman International Industries) 835 watt surround sound system is offered with 17 speakers.

The key to introducing new and innovative technology is to make sure it enhances rather than distracts. Will distractions be the driving force towards autonomous cars? Will these high-tech features mean drivers will drive more often while overly tired or sick, depending upon technology to help them? As long as the systems are able to be turned off, or turned down, those that like driving will continue to enjoy interacting with their car, versus the car interacting with them.

The Lexus GS 350 and upcoming GS models promise to deliver a driving interaction, features and amenites unseen in Lexus before.

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Racing in Sonoma is No Drag! NHRA FRAM Autolite Nationals

This weekend brings the NHRA FRAM/Autolite Nationals to Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. Loud, obnoixious cars invaded a 1/4 mile strip in wine country. The sheer audacity of the visual and audio experience is why drag racing is so popular. Who would think on a Friday afternoon the grandstands at Infineon Raceway at Sears Point would be packed?

The whole experience is awesome, even for the non –car lover. Pretty Navigator can attest to that. In fact, she enjoyed it so much, she screamed every time the cars went by. But at these races, no one can hear you scream…

Why would a self-professed non-car person get some much enjoyment from such an intense experience? The reason why the drag races are so popular versus the purer road circuit or high-speed oval races is that it’s not hours of potentially monotonous droning. What NHRA drag racing offers is an intense experience lasting 4 to 6 seconds with a clear winner at the end and just a enough data, elapsed time and trap speed, to give a reference point. It’s repeated instant gratification which makes for a really fun experience. Add in some flames, like at dusk or at night, it's just way cool. Check out the video.

Even parking about 1/2 mile from the track is very organized. The shuttle service ran quickly and efficiently for arrivals and departures. Plenty of food and drink with vendor displays of types besides the action in the pits.

In the pits, it may seem boring to watch an engine get rebuilt, but upon start-up and a few revs, it’s like massive explosions happening all at once. Nitro methane exhaust will burns your eyes and throat to the point that the crew has gas masks on when the start-up occurs. A friend watching himself on video being subjected to the exhaust even had a second reaction!

Walking around there are all sorts of vendors selling the standard merchandise of hats and t-shirts, Harley Davidson was present with their 2012 bikes and a drag race simulator, the U.S. Army with a technology display including a night vision demonstration and flight simulator. If you could do a number of overhand grip pull-ups, all the way down and chin over the bar (well into the teens if not higher) you win a free t-shirt.

This is an experience everyone should have and I guarantee you’ll really enjoy it. Just bring earplugs and something warm to wear at night for Friday night qualifying. Then sit, relax and cheer, or scream!

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Indy Cars vs. Formula One - Which is faster?

Which is faster, an Formula 1 car or an Indy car? Joe G., San Jose, CA

As a general rule, Indy cars are faster in a straight line by design for races on oval circuits. Formula One cars are quicker around a road circuit, hands down. There are no super speedway oval tracks in that series. The series rules are what limit the power-to-weight ratios and aerodynamic aids allowed.

Indy cars are powered by an ultra-reliable “spec” race engine supplied by Honda with only one failure in years. The 3.5 liter V-8 engine produces roughly 630 horsepower and revs up to 10,500 rpm. The car minimum weight is 1,525 lbs and uses a 6-speed sequential shift semi-automatic transmission.

Formula One cars have multiple manufacturers involved competing against each other and currently have a minimum weight of 1372lbs. The engines produce roughly 730 horsepower from the 2.7 liter V-8 engines and can rev around 18,000rpm. Impressive considering the engines are restricted from using “exotic” materials. A sequential-shift semi-automatic 7-speed transmission is used.

Aerodynamics make it possible for the cars to corner as fast as they do. It was recently reported that the “Drag Reduction System” or DRS in a Formula One car can enable an extra 10-12 mph on a straightaway. That is enormous!

When the two series last raced on the same track, the Formula One cars were roughly 5 to 7 seconds quicker than the Indy cars. If you want to see the Indy cars race locally, be sure to check out the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, August 26-28th at Infineon Raceway.

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Transfer a LoJack?

Q: Hey is LoJack transferable when you sell a car? - anonymous

A: No, a LoJack cannot be transferred when you sell or buy a car. The LoJack unit is registered specifically to the vehicle identification number (VIN) and it cannot be changed. When the vehicle is reported stolen, the VIN in the stolen vehicle report is what activates the LoJack via radio signal activation, much like a pager.

The advantages to LoJack are obvious, vehicle recovery, less damage, possible insurance discount. The disadvantages are limited hiding places in modern cars and limited coverage areas. Satellite tracking systems also have their benefits and aspects that are foolproof as well.

LoJack offers an early notification option as well as extra recovery guarantees. It is still the only recovery system directly used by the police.

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2010 Chevrolet Camaro Pace Car Is Wrong

It's time for a change in the monotany of the Indy 500 pace cars. Not only that, GM does strange marketing moves. Repeating the Camaro for 2010 as the "pace car" which means extra stickers and badging like the silly Bumblebee, and it's again handicapped with the lower horsepower rated automatic transmission. Besides that, why is it brand dominated? Besides greed, this isn't about the fine Camaro, it's about relevance.

The IndyCar series currently has seven drivers from the United States of the thirty listed. Not that this is a bad thing, but the only engine used in these cars is from Honda. That's right, Honda. Since Honda doesn't make a performance car any longer (S2000 and the NSX are dead) the pace car, if Honda powered should either be an Acura flagship or a motorcycle like the CBR1000RR or VRF1200F.

Another idea, besides the greed oriented bidding process is to have different brands by judging. A how about a performance car of the year by a vote? Or the pace car of choice by the previous years race winner or previous year series champion. Decals don't make the car either. But having an SUV like the Oldsmobile Bravada in 2001 was a joke.

Another laugh was the Chevrolet SSR in 2003. Basically an overweight, poor selling concept vehicle with little purpose, the long overdue Mustang Cobra would have been far more appropriate. Corvettes have had a too long of a run and skipped the ZR1 for some odd reason. The Dodge Viper has also been missing a long, long time. After all, the Viper ACR is now the king of the track until perhas the Ferrari 599 GTO comes along at takes the crown.

While I'm on this soapbox, forget the 2008 E85 fueled Corvette. E85 doesn't produce the same power as gasoline and produces less miles per gallon. The "Green" racing was attempted at the highest level in Formula 1 and it was dropped. It's just an exercise in marketing. Higher performance breeds greater efficiency anyway.

A website for Indy pace cars is here with some interesting models over the years. But now it's time to spice it up with some variety and no more consecutive year model repeats unless it's something significant. And GM, not a slower version, please.

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Silicon Valley Auto Show 2011 Part 3 and Slideshow

Part 3 of the coverage of the Silicon Valley Auto Show with slideshow featuring manufacturers "M" through "V"

The Silicon Valley Auto Show offered a great value for those wanting to really take a close look at new cars. Although highly desirable marquees like Porsche and Audi were absent, considering the $9 admission price which includes a 1-year subscription to Motor Trend, or $7 with an online coupon, it’s more affordable than virtually any other auto show.

While debating the merits of a comparatively small show vs. the International level events, keep in mind versus something like a Goodguys custom car show in Pleasanton, not only is it less expensive, including parking, but here you can sit, touch and feel all these cars and trucks and many of them have much nicer interiors, if not as colorful. But as I wrote before, either one is a nice alternative to the zoo.

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Silicon Valley Auto Show 2011 Part 2 and Slideshow

Part 2 of the highlights of the 2011 Silicon Valley Auto Show.

In San Jose, the 2011 Silicon Valley Auto Show presented by Motor Trend held Thursday 1/6 – Sunday 1/9 is much improved over last year. Additional highlights of the show are listed below. Be sure to check out all the observations in the slideshow as well.

A free subscription to Motor Trend magazine with each ticket purchase.

Ford Mustang Dream Giveaway benfitting the Healing Heroes Network. It's actually for two Mustangs, a '69 Calypso Coral High Performance Boss 30 and a matching 2012 Boss 302. The 2012 model is the only one offered in Calypso Coral as well and the Boss package means 440hp. Be sure to see the Laguna Seca edition in the slideshow too.

Ride and Drives from GM (Chevrolet, Buick & GMC), Ford and Toyota.

Specialty Vehicles from Chevrolet include the Corvette Stingray concept, the "American Pride" Camaro and the SLP ZL585 Camaro. See the slideshow from Part 1. Also a magic show as well.

Exotic Vehicles courtesy of Los Gatos Luxury Cars. Makes like Aston Martin, Bentley, Lamborghini, Lotus and Rolls Royce.

Ferrari Club Display courtesy of the Pacific Region of the Ferrari Club of America. See the slideshow below.

SHIFTR Automotive and Lifestyle Expo. Lowriders, race cars, tuner cars, girls, DJs, dance crews, etc. Pretty Navigator asked me to show her something interesting, after looking at the Hershey bar truck (a brown extended cab and bed Dodge with a 160" wheelbase), this was the destination. Highlights include supercharged G35s, a GT-R, a 1000+ horsepower Corvette, an 8-second quarter-mile 1,000+ horsepower Ford Lightning and much more.

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Silicon Valley Auto Show 2011

In San Jose, the 2011 Silicon Valley Auto Show presented by Motor Trend held Thursday 1/6 – Sunday 1/9 is much improved over last year. Although not as large as the “other” major city shows like Chicago, Detroit, LA and New York that feature new model and concept introductions, there are distinct advantages and some very interesting observations.

Access is particularly easy and parking is affordable. Since it’s not too big, and on Thursday night not too crowded, you can really crawl around the cars and take in all the details. And of course, some under-supervised little kids walk all over the cars leaving details too. Hint to parents – pretend these cars belong to your boss, okay? Perhaps the lack of the crowd meant everyone seemed to be friendly, courteous, in good humor and polite. This folks was not like a trip Costco.

Sadly, Porsche, Nissan and Audi among others were missed and these smaller-show cars tend to be in drab black and grey colors. And Mercedes, in a dimly lit hallway location, didn’t have any of their high performance models with those boring colors. Jaguar, planned or not, was also in the hallway but their color choices were actually striking in that lighting, as well as their performance models.

In the upcoming slideshows, you may notice the drab colors so the eye was drawn to more meaningful designs and observations. Some details were very clever, some archaic, you decide for yourself. There was no sorry attempt to fill space this year either, apologies to classic Camaro owners from last year. Another benefit with a smaller crowd is the representatives from the factory and dealers have time to talk in detail.

The vendor displays again were very good and Club Sportiva had the first red Ferrari 458 I can recall seeing in person. By this time the thirst generated meant paying $4.00 for bottled water. That is not a typo but it sure was cold.

Stay tuned for further coverage and pictures from the show.

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Audi A5 Quattro coupe review and test drive - sublime perfection

When the interior of the car you're driving puts a smile on your face and you don't mind you could have another 140 horsepower, it's immensely satisfying. The Audi A5 is a luxury coupe that must be driven to be appreciated.

Although not as aggressively styled as it's 354hp sibling, the S5, it has beautiful lines with some classy exterior touches. The headlight and tail light assemblies have LED accent lighting which is quite distinctive and the body lines are subtly aggressive. See the slideshow for some highlights of the exterior.

Opening the hood, the 211hp 4-cylinder engine seems properly placed as opposed to past and current Audi models that appear to have too much mass in front of the wheels. Not that Audi's have flawed designs, its that the A5 engine bay with the 2.0 liter engine just looks "proper". See the slideshow for a comparison to the S5 with the V-8 engine hanging over the front axles. The trunk is roomy and nicely finished as well with hidden hinges.

The interior should be called a occupant interface environment instead of a cockpit. The 8-way power seats are excellent with adjustable lower thigh support. The right hand falls naturally to the control wheel and buttons for the Audi Multi Media Interface (MMI) navigation and system. Voice control for the phone, 3D navigation and iPod integration with a 40-GB hard drive are among it's many features with a beautiful 7" display screen. If think you don't need a vehicle navigation system because you have your own handheld, check out the features of the vehicle system integration available at your fingertips. You can read more about it here. It also includes a television tuner! Reaching for the dial and buttons isn't necessary like a dashboard mounted system. There are also separate controls for the heating and air conditioning since those are accessed more frequently by both passengers.

The outward view in all directions is excellent and I'm now a big fan of back-up cameras. What happened to turning around and looking behind you and using mirrors? This camera has a fish-eye lens that allows you to see past the rear of tall trucks and SUVs that park next to you when backing out of a parking space. The other reason is to see small children trailing behind lousy parents in parking lots.

The rear window view made me think of the difference vs. a recent view of the Cadillac CTS-V sedan pictured in the slideshow here. The upcoming CTS coupe sits 2" lower and if that means the roofline is even lower, a back-up camera should be mandatory. I still say the non-V coupe will be a failure and the coupe production will be a financial mistake. Read more here.
Rear seat room is limited but well laid out considering the size of the car. 6-footers must sit in front not unlike any other small coupe.

This car was finished in Aluminum "Hologram" interior which resembles a carbon fiber pattern. One complaint about carbon fiber interior finishes I've heard is it's propensity to scratch. While it looks nice, it's still an overlay for looks instead of structural rigidity. The aluminum is a nice alternative.

Driving the car was a delight. I was half-expecting massive turbo lag after a bad experience with a rental Volkswagen Passat 1.8 turbo from around 2004. Instead power response was immediate and fantastically tuned with throttle pedal travel. As my foot moved, the car responded urgently yet very smoothly. Credit must be given to 258 ft lbs of torque from 1500 to 4200rpm. It was quiet and virtually lag free. Despite requiring 91 octane gas, a 22mpg city and 30mpg highway and a 17.17 gallon tank makes it very satisfactory daily driver.

Acceleration above 70mph was little soft but if track days, 100mph blasts and drag racing are not your on your radar, 211hp and a bit over 3583lbs works great in the daily grind of commuting. All-wheel drive is nice to have as well not matter what.

Another very attractive aspect was the $1,450 sport package which include 19" wheels and 255/35 tires, sport front seats with lumbar support, sport suspension and shift paddles for the 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. A bargain if there ever was one.

The sport suspension made itself apparent in two notable ways. The ride over a particularly bumpy road was firm yet didn't shake or crash. The owner reported his previous generation BMW M3 (E46 2000-2007 model years) was quite bad over the same road. Hitting an off ramp at a high speed, there was no lateral shift in the chassis due to slop or tolerances in the suspension components. It was incredibly confidence inspiring.

There is so much more to the technological aspects of the car than can be discussed here but if a luxury coupe is what you're looking for, the Audi should not be skipped when shopping. For more detailed information on the A5 coupe from Audi USA click here.

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