Went on vacation in Europe, drove a 1.8T A6 in Germany with some interesting differences.
03-13-2003, 11:37 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Went on vacation in Europe, drove a 1.8T A6 in Germany with some interesting differences.
<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/13178/dscf0003.jpg"></center><p>Just came back from the EU and the Geneva auto show in Switzerland with dozens of neat pictures, however most of them are already available on Audiworld, so I won't show any here. I didn't go to Europe just to see the show, but it would be one of the planned destinations. I landed in Copenhagen to see friends there and at various places along the way. We rented a car, not only for the flexibility but really the only way to see the sites. As an added bonus we drove through Germany on our way to Geneva.
I've driven around Germany before, but only with wimpy cars like little Fiats. This time I wanted a quality German car. I asked repeatedly for an A4, but instead I wound up with an A6. The only problem is that it had the 150 horse 1.8T. It's all they had and I left disappointed.
When I got inside, my perception of Audi changed completely. It was the most stripped car I have ever seen. No cruise, no trip computer, no factory radio, manual seats, no wood trim, plastic steering wheel and shift *****, front wheel drive, etc. I thought I was going to getting a premium car. Driving around town, I actually loved this car.
The 1.8T was perfect in an A6. I was surprised by the acceleration and the handling. It drove just like my 2001 A4 1.8T at home. With a chip it could be a great car. Why?
Well the engine has the VVT just like the 170 here in the US but no stumble. The throttle response is instantaneous, even better than my chipped car. The most remarkable part of this engine vs. it's NA cousin is that it pulls strongly all the way to the redline. North America's 1.8T has been extremely castrated.
I think in part to the quality of fuel. Our premium fuel is their regular. The EU has 92, 95 and 98 at the pumps. I feel as if our cars have been adapted to work with ****ty gas and the character of this wonderful engine has suffered.
On the autobahn, this car was FAST. It had to be. Germans drive so ****ing aggressively on the open road; it's just like a race track. The majority of fast drivers drove Mercedes of course. Audi's were a close second. I didn't see too many BMW's or even Porsche's racing around.
The quality of roads were great as expected, but not too different than ours. The dotted lines are longer and spaced apart so you have this feeling of comfort at great speeds. I do have to add that they are rebuilding roads in former east Germany. These concrete roads are amazingly perfect. It's surreal to go 130+ and have an absolutely still car. Most roads I found had 3 lanes. The trucks hugged the farthest right with the slower cars in the middle. The insane cars had the left. Everyone obeyed the rules and left the left hand lane open. One could go at least 100 mph in heavy traffic. Doesn't that sound dangerous?
I was traveling the autobahns about 180 to 200, (That's 113 and 125 MPH) as this was the A6's comfort zone which is fast in anybody's book. But in Germany you better get the hell outta the way because others are going 150-160. Since you can only pass on the left, you can't stay in the far left too long. You must keep your eye on the rear view mirror. Cars come from up fast and you have to think ahead. If you can't move over they ride your ***, and I mean inches. Imagine trying to squeeze into slower traffic, (100 MPH) and you're going 140 MPH, add 4 other Mercedes behind you inches from your bumper and you get the idea.
I did try to max out the car to see what it could do. Although the suspension was quite firm, 140 was the max I could stand. The car was way too floaty for my tastes. I did manage 238 kph or 148, but I was way too nervous for more. The remarkable thing is that there was more room to go. I estimate that the car could pass 150. That's one fast little 4 cylinder! Now before you start calling bull****, the European cars are geared much lower. At 2500 rpm's the car is going 62 MPH. At 3000 it's going 81 mph, and at 100 mph it showing 4000. Finally 5000 is indicating 125 with 6000 showing 150. I have a pic for all you non-believers! : )
During the whole trip we managed about 2500 miles. So I had a fair amount of road time in Germany. The German autobahn was a vacation in itself. I had a blast!
We are truly blessed to have what we do. Although there are differences, some better, they do come at a substantial cost:
To fill up our tank with the lowest grade: 72 dollars.
Toll roads cost as much as 34 dollars:
An optioned out 3 series is about 65K in Berlin!
Eating out - Average cost: 120 dollars.
I have always enjoyed Europe, the best part was the unique personality of each country, and unfortunately now it has become a copy of the USA. The old ways are changing or evolving as everything we have, they have now. I had lived in Europe previously and amazed at the changes that have taken place. The saddest part is the new fondness of SUV's. They are more and more prevalent. Finally, I have to add that we in America are constantly accused of being wasteful. I find that hard to believe that an SUV going 60 MPH and getting 18 MPG is worst then a 4 cylinder A6 going 120 MPG and getting 10 MPG.
I've driven around Germany before, but only with wimpy cars like little Fiats. This time I wanted a quality German car. I asked repeatedly for an A4, but instead I wound up with an A6. The only problem is that it had the 150 horse 1.8T. It's all they had and I left disappointed.
When I got inside, my perception of Audi changed completely. It was the most stripped car I have ever seen. No cruise, no trip computer, no factory radio, manual seats, no wood trim, plastic steering wheel and shift *****, front wheel drive, etc. I thought I was going to getting a premium car. Driving around town, I actually loved this car.
The 1.8T was perfect in an A6. I was surprised by the acceleration and the handling. It drove just like my 2001 A4 1.8T at home. With a chip it could be a great car. Why?
Well the engine has the VVT just like the 170 here in the US but no stumble. The throttle response is instantaneous, even better than my chipped car. The most remarkable part of this engine vs. it's NA cousin is that it pulls strongly all the way to the redline. North America's 1.8T has been extremely castrated.
I think in part to the quality of fuel. Our premium fuel is their regular. The EU has 92, 95 and 98 at the pumps. I feel as if our cars have been adapted to work with ****ty gas and the character of this wonderful engine has suffered.
On the autobahn, this car was FAST. It had to be. Germans drive so ****ing aggressively on the open road; it's just like a race track. The majority of fast drivers drove Mercedes of course. Audi's were a close second. I didn't see too many BMW's or even Porsche's racing around.
The quality of roads were great as expected, but not too different than ours. The dotted lines are longer and spaced apart so you have this feeling of comfort at great speeds. I do have to add that they are rebuilding roads in former east Germany. These concrete roads are amazingly perfect. It's surreal to go 130+ and have an absolutely still car. Most roads I found had 3 lanes. The trucks hugged the farthest right with the slower cars in the middle. The insane cars had the left. Everyone obeyed the rules and left the left hand lane open. One could go at least 100 mph in heavy traffic. Doesn't that sound dangerous?
I was traveling the autobahns about 180 to 200, (That's 113 and 125 MPH) as this was the A6's comfort zone which is fast in anybody's book. But in Germany you better get the hell outta the way because others are going 150-160. Since you can only pass on the left, you can't stay in the far left too long. You must keep your eye on the rear view mirror. Cars come from up fast and you have to think ahead. If you can't move over they ride your ***, and I mean inches. Imagine trying to squeeze into slower traffic, (100 MPH) and you're going 140 MPH, add 4 other Mercedes behind you inches from your bumper and you get the idea.
I did try to max out the car to see what it could do. Although the suspension was quite firm, 140 was the max I could stand. The car was way too floaty for my tastes. I did manage 238 kph or 148, but I was way too nervous for more. The remarkable thing is that there was more room to go. I estimate that the car could pass 150. That's one fast little 4 cylinder! Now before you start calling bull****, the European cars are geared much lower. At 2500 rpm's the car is going 62 MPH. At 3000 it's going 81 mph, and at 100 mph it showing 4000. Finally 5000 is indicating 125 with 6000 showing 150. I have a pic for all you non-believers! : )
During the whole trip we managed about 2500 miles. So I had a fair amount of road time in Germany. The German autobahn was a vacation in itself. I had a blast!
We are truly blessed to have what we do. Although there are differences, some better, they do come at a substantial cost:
To fill up our tank with the lowest grade: 72 dollars.
Toll roads cost as much as 34 dollars:
An optioned out 3 series is about 65K in Berlin!
Eating out - Average cost: 120 dollars.
I have always enjoyed Europe, the best part was the unique personality of each country, and unfortunately now it has become a copy of the USA. The old ways are changing or evolving as everything we have, they have now. I had lived in Europe previously and amazed at the changes that have taken place. The saddest part is the new fondness of SUV's. They are more and more prevalent. Finally, I have to add that we in America are constantly accused of being wasteful. I find that hard to believe that an SUV going 60 MPH and getting 18 MPG is worst then a 4 cylinder A6 going 120 MPG and getting 10 MPG.
03-13-2003, 11:46 AM
#2
AudiWorld Expert
it's not that they have better gas - their octane ratings are calculated differently...
that's all.
As far as it feeling fast, it's mainly due to it being a front-wheel-drive. Quattro sucks up some power. That is also why you see the engine running on lower rpms - the front-traks are geared differently. They don't have to stay in such high rpm range because they don't need to power the quattro.
As far as it feeling fast, it's mainly due to it being a front-wheel-drive. Quattro sucks up some power. That is also why you see the engine running on lower rpms - the front-traks are geared differently. They don't have to stay in such high rpm range because they don't need to power the quattro.
03-13-2003, 11:48 AM
#4
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i strongly disagree with your last sentence ...
i averaged about ~100mph on the highway going from houston->florida. given relatively flat terrain and open roads .. i easily saw 200miles on 1/2 a tank. the math is easy.
cool thing is .. we have that little hairdryer which is amazingly effiecent if you dont hammer the gas. no suv can match that.
otherwise .. a good read. =)
cool thing is .. we have that little hairdryer which is amazingly effiecent if you dont hammer the gas. no suv can match that.
otherwise .. a good read. =)
03-13-2003, 11:53 AM
#7
AudiWorld Expert
efficient? I can't get more than 28mpg while cruising at 75 mph...
Go any faster than that, and the mileage becomes really, really crappy on the 1.8T since it's so high strung. At 100mph, I can't imagine you getting more than about 23-24 mpg.
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03-13-2003, 11:57 AM
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LOL!! Your last line killed me!!
So true! Nice write up! As QP mentions, the octane rates are calculated differently over there. They are both relatively the same I think, however we have crap mixed in with our fuels to lower emissions or something like that. Regarding the quicker throttle response...is it possible that the European cars utilize non-DBW, while our cars get DBW? I know I've just about had it with DBW...it ranks right up there with an automatic transmission in my book. As a driver, I have to anticipate the delays in the DBW system, and drive accordingly. *spit*
