This Audi ended up being our rental car for our trip to Switzerland. We were originally supposed to have an Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but that didn't happen. So we went to look around and found a BMW 1 Series. It turned out that it was a 120d (we didn't want a diesel), and a rear light was out. I recommended we rent a Fiat 500L, or the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante over in the corner. Neither of those things happened and we rented a 2013 Audi A3.
One good mark for this car is looks, up until recently the A3 looked kind of boring, but now that the front end has been altered to look more sinister, it looks better. The interior though is a different story. The front passenger seat is uncomfortable, there really aren't enough controls, you basically get a radio and climate control. I do like how the radio comes up from the dashboard, though in Switzerland we didn't know what they were saying. Another thing on the radio, it chooses to come on when ever you start the car, which is annoying.The controls do look nice in the interior, and the air con dials have a quality feel to them. The whole car does seem to be quality. You know that all of the car is put together with the utmost precision.
One thing that this car has that no other car on this blog has is an electronic parking brake. This turned out to be a bad thing, as it took about two minutes to figure it out (alright alright we didn't use the owners manual), and it makes a really annoying sound when you engage it. Sounds a bit like a spaceship that needs some work.
On the driving front, i can report that it has enough power. We overtook a lot on the roads of Switzerland and this car had the power to do so. It even handles nicely, though the signature Audi understeer is still present. However, the steering does feel (I was told) disconnected. The driver of the Audi said he would much rather be driving a Mini on the mountain passes of the Swiss Alps.
The handling may not be 100% spot on, but this does make for a ride that is very nice. This is rather spoiled when you are in the seats for more than half and hour. The driver's seat especially is a problem and the driving position is uncomfortable. I didn't have enough room in the passenger's seat. The back seats aren't as bad, but for some reason the ride is much, much worse.
As far as space, it isn't too bad. We managed to get quite a lot into the back. We did notice that the car we were supposed to have rented, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, may not have been big enough. We definitely loaded the Audi up. The Alfa probably couldn't handle all of it.
So the Audi may not be a rival in performance to say, a Mini, however it is a bit more day-today. Though it doesn't do that very well either.
Specifications:
Engine
2.0L Turbocharged I4
200 Horsepower @ 5100-6000 RPM
207 ft-lb of torque @ 1800-5000 RPM
Top Speed: 144 MPH
Emissions
Tons/yr C02 @15k mi/year: 7.8
EPA Greenhouse Gas Score: 7
Mileage
EPA Hwy: 30 MPG
EPA City: 21 MPG
Range Hwy: 435 miles
Range City: 304.5 miles
Friday, June 21, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
From the Passenger's Perspective: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
When I arrived at this year's Geneva Foreign & Sports Benefit Car Show, i didn't expect to be getting any material for one of these articles. I was wrong.
About a month ago, i wrote an article on the C63's younger brother, the C300. When i approached the C63, the first thing i noticed was the 6.3L V8 badge on the side. That's about twice that of the C300, and 2.3 Liters more than anything I've ever been in. The second thing i noticed were the AMG alloy wheels, the subtle rear spoiler, and the front aero adjustments.
Then, as i stepped inside, I noticed the carbon fiber trim, as opposed to stainless steel (or plastic made to look like stainless steel......) in the C300. It's interior is pretty much the same, except for one detail. In the standard C300, when you open the panel on the dashboard you get a screen that displays the radio and a knob down on the center console to control it. In the C63, when you open the hood, a larger screen folds out with more stuff than the standard. Then, when you press off (or something else i forget) the whole thing folds back in and the panel slides over it unaided. I discovered this on accident when I pressed the button while reaching for something else.
Earlier in the day, i heard somebody leave in the C63, and they gave it the beans out onto the road. It sounded incredible, sort of a deep screaming grumble. When we pulled out, on the other hand, the driver immediately slowed down and got very scared (my mother). Unfortunately, we were never able to give it a full throttle blast, mainly because we would have ended up in a ditch. But this car is fast. I can tell. Another incredible thing I observed was the comfort. The seats were great, they wrap around you so you don't fly out the window when you go into the ditch. It is also, and this surprised me, more comfortable than the C300.
This car is really incredible, and it can be yours for $46,000 (at least what i was told, it may be different now) at Geneva Foreign & Sports in Geneva, NY (I'm not trying to advertise..........)
About a month ago, i wrote an article on the C63's younger brother, the C300. When i approached the C63, the first thing i noticed was the 6.3L V8 badge on the side. That's about twice that of the C300, and 2.3 Liters more than anything I've ever been in. The second thing i noticed were the AMG alloy wheels, the subtle rear spoiler, and the front aero adjustments.
Then, as i stepped inside, I noticed the carbon fiber trim, as opposed to stainless steel (or plastic made to look like stainless steel......) in the C300. It's interior is pretty much the same, except for one detail. In the standard C300, when you open the panel on the dashboard you get a screen that displays the radio and a knob down on the center console to control it. In the C63, when you open the hood, a larger screen folds out with more stuff than the standard. Then, when you press off (or something else i forget) the whole thing folds back in and the panel slides over it unaided. I discovered this on accident when I pressed the button while reaching for something else.
Earlier in the day, i heard somebody leave in the C63, and they gave it the beans out onto the road. It sounded incredible, sort of a deep screaming grumble. When we pulled out, on the other hand, the driver immediately slowed down and got very scared (my mother). Unfortunately, we were never able to give it a full throttle blast, mainly because we would have ended up in a ditch. But this car is fast. I can tell. Another incredible thing I observed was the comfort. The seats were great, they wrap around you so you don't fly out the window when you go into the ditch. It is also, and this surprised me, more comfortable than the C300.
This car is really incredible, and it can be yours for $46,000 (at least what i was told, it may be different now) at Geneva Foreign & Sports in Geneva, NY (I'm not trying to advertise..........)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)