Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
As a boy, before bedtime each evening my mother would read me a story from my book of Aesop’s Fables.
Those stories were fun and informative and they subtly taught me valuable life lessons such as ‘never judge a book by its cover’. Last week, I was reminded of that lesson when I got behind the wheel of the Audi RS4 Avant.
On first glance I wasn’t bowled over by the exterior design because while the front is sleek and aggressive, the rear, in my opinion, looked a little frumpy.
Admittedly, it’s hard to make a station wagon look sexy and Audi have certainly had a good crack at it, but the drive would have to be pretty amazing to change my mind about this model.
So, did it change my mind? A sincere and emphatic, yes!
Once you slip inside, it’s classy and sophisticated … quintessentially Audi all the way. Fine finishes, electronically-adjustable leather seats, user-friendly infotainment system and steering wheel-mounted controls are just some of the welcome design features that make sure you’re sitting pretty in this car.
After a quick tap of the pushbutton ignition, I was off on a drive that was as smooth as silk and as surprising as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
This third generation model is deceptively and immensely powerful. Under the bonnet of this unassuming-looking model is a high-revving V8 paired with 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and launch control as standard. This driving monster develops 450bhp that literally rockets you to the back of your seat when you hit the accelerator.
There were a range of driving modes in the fully-loaded model I drove, Comfort, Dynamic and Individual.
After 20 minutes of shock and disbelief cruising along the highway I decided to be brave and switch to Dynamic mode for a sportier driving experience, sharpening the steering and throttle response.
The car was responsive before, but in Dynamic it felt like a new animal altogether. The sheep became a fully-fledged wolf, roaring and howling as it hurtled along.
The engine’s power flows to all four wheels via the Quattro permanent all-wheel drive, which results in fantastic handling, especially around corners and the new electromechanical power steering provides excellent road feedback.
Like all RS models, the RS4 Avant is a sports car for everyday use. It combines strong performance with plenty of storage space and there’s even lots of legroom in the rear.
As for city driving, this Audi is a delight. The Comfort mode does exactly what it promises, keeping the steering light and the ride smooth, which is always helpful when navigating Manama’s treacherous traffic and congestion.
Audi also offers a wide selection of modern driver assistance systems and infotainment modules as options. These include the Bang & Olufsen sound system and the Bluetooth online car phone, which delivers the tailored services of Audi Connect to the car. A panoramic sunroof is also available as an option.
Prices start from BD29,760.
For details, call Audi Centre Bahrain on 17459933.
