MORE POWER FOR THE SPEEDING BULLET

© All photos by Harvey Schwartz

MORE POWER FOR THE SPEEDING BULLET By HARVEY SCHWARTZ This year Audi puts a more powerful, 4.2-liter, 40-valve, 300-horsepower V8 engine into their great looking and great performing Allroad Quattro luxury sport wagon. The V8 now gives the Allroad Quattro more low-end torque and quicker acceleration to make it one of the best high-performing luxury sport wagons on the market. Combine this new found power with the Allroad's Quattro all-wheel-drive system, five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, a fully independent sport tuned suspension with four-level height settings, powerful four-wheel disc brakes riding on sporty 17 x 7.5 aluminum alloy wheels and performance tires, and you have a formula for driving excitement, and family versatility that's hard to beat. The new V8 powered Allroad is truly unique. You can drive it hard and fast on smooth pavement. With permanent all-wheel-drive, you can take it off the hard pavement and easily drive on sand, dirt, snow, or mud. At speed, the Allroad's ground clearance is 5.6 inches. But the Allroad can go from that ground-hugging height to 8.2 inches like many sport utilities, enabling it to easily transverse up to moderate off-road trails. To help with entering and exiting inclines and declines, the Allroad Quattro carries a front body overhand that is 1.45 inches shorter than the Audi A6. The Audi Allroad Quattro body styling is both elegant and sleek, with a low front end, steeply raked windshield and a flat roof. The Allroad Quattro cuts through the air with a co-efficient of drag of only 0.31. The unique front fascia is highlighted with jeweled HID headlamps behind clear lenses, Audi's wide signature grille with chrome surround strip, full-perimeter black composite front bumper, lower air-intakes behind plastic mesh, and a set of powerful round foglamps at the corners. From the side, the Allroad is just a few inches taller than a sport sedan and is highlighted with flared fender arches, chrome accents around the windows, brushed aluminum bars under the doors, that also protects the sides when traveling over narrow off-road trails, and aero-styled, power-remote, folding/heated/self-dimming side-view mirrors and obtuse angled rear hatch. The bold rear fascia is highlighted with big wraparound tail/brake/backup lamps, bright red foglamps on each side of the license plate surround, full-perimeter black composite rear bumper and two, 3in. wide chrome exhaust tips under the bumper. The roof comes with an integrated brushed aluminum rack that is easy to use to expand cargo storage. The Audi Allroad Quattro's sleek, polished design doesn't convey the car's rugged underpinnings.

The exceptional blend of the Allroad vehicle concept-featuring four-level air suspension, Quattro permanent all-wheel drive, and Tiptronic automatic transmission with Dynamic Shift Program-is further enhanced by the addition of the 4.2-liter V8 engine. The Allroad Quattro V8 now accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.9 seconds, with an electronically governed top speed of 130 mph. The potent, 4.2-liter, 40-valve, all-aluminum alloy, DOHC V8 engine makes 300 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, and 280 pounds feet of torque between 2,700-4,600 rpm. To incorporate the 4.2 liter V8 into the Allroad Quattro's engine bay, the toothed belt previously found at the engine's front end has been replaced by a chain drive at the rear, and two controllable electric cooler fans that take the place of the large viscous fan at the front of the vehicle. Compared with the toothed-belt engine, the length of the already unusually compact Audi V8 engine has thus been reduced further by 2.05 inches. The rear chain of the Allroad Quattro 4.2-liter V8 drives the water pump, oil pump, hydraulic pump and AC compressor. The transfer of the drive movements to these ancillary devices take place via drive axle shafts. The four camshafts are driven maintenance-free by chains. Through the use of magnesium components, engine weight have been reduced some 11lbs. compared to the other Audi V8 engines. A two-stage variable intake manifold made from magnesium guarantees maximum engine output at higher speeds and ample low-end torque. Continuous camshaft control also contributes toward impressive dynamism across an extremely wide range of engine speeds. The Audi Allroad Quattro 4.2 V8 has one variable camshaft system per band of cylinders to vary the valve timing of the inlet camshafts according to the engine speed range. An ample torque curve across the entire speed band and quiet running in combination with low exhaust emissions are the result. The Motronic system integrates the power take-offs of the Audi Allroad Quattro 4.2 into the engine management concept in keeping with the level of torque. Its lambda control permanently establishes the operating conditions and continually optimizes the relationship between torque and fuel consumption, as well as the exhaust emission values. Accelerator movements are translated directly into propulsion by means of electrical pulses without any delay, (drive-by-wire). Four knock sensors assure ultra-precise knock control. Cylinder-specific ignition timing moreover assures exemplary engine smoothness and excellent idle running.

The potent 4.2-liter V8 engine is mated to Audi's proven Quattro all-wheel drive system and Tiptronic five-speed automatic transmission with an easy to operate auto/manual shift-gate. By moving the leather topped shifter to the right 'auto/manual' notch, you can go up or down the five forward gears by just pushing up or pulling back, for more heartbeat-quickening excitement on the road. Key to the versatility of the Allroad is its height-adjustable electronically controlled pneumatic suspension. This innovation provides four-ground clearance levels and automatic load leveling to adjust to a range of passenger and cargo weights, including trailer tongue and towing weight. The suspension can be raised or lowered on demand by simply pushing corresponding buttons on a control panel at the top of the center console. The suspension also automatically lowers at predetermined vehicle speeds, while a delay circuit allows for frequently varying road speeds, such as temporary speed reductions for construction zones. The benefit of maximum ground clearance is only realized if a vehicle can effectively navigate through varying terrain. For this, the Allroad takes full advantage of its Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system. With both front and rear axles constantly engaged, each tire exerts more force on the road-both in cornering and straight-line driving. A Torsen self-locking center differential delivers up to two-thirds of the engine's power to either axle, as needed, while Electronic Differential Locks (EDL) engage at road speeds up to 58mph to maintain progress even if only one tires has traction. Adding to the Allroad Quattro's stability is the latest generation of the Audi four-link front suspension with a built-in self-centering effect that is especially critical on rugged terrain. In the rear, the double-wishbone suspension is designed for directional stability and maximum ride comfort. The brakes on the new V8 powered Allroad Quattro are big and powerful with 14-inch vented rotors with a 4-piston caliper up front and 13-inch solid rotors clamped by a single caliper in the rear. This powerful braking system is enhanced with standard ABS and the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP). By constantly monitoring of wheel rotation speeds, steering angle, yaw rate and lateral acceleration, ESP applies selective wheel braking to correct any under-or-oversteer. ESP also intervenes if the vehicle begins to skid.

This new V8 powered Audi Quattro Allroad rides on unique 245/45R17 performance tires made with silicate formulas and a structure that easily adapts to a full spectrum of surface conditions. These great all-season radial tires wrap around rugged, 17 x 7.5-inch, 'twin-spoke' aluminum alloy wheels. Guiding the new V8 powered Audi Allroad Quattro is Audi's proven Servotronic speed sensitive rack & pinion steering system that is very responsive and gives you excellent feedback from the road with a very good on-center feel. The interior cabin is luxurious, comfortable, safe and very versatile in the cargo area. All four doors open perpendicular to the body for real easy entry and exit. A thick and wide beautiful dark wood strip runs around the entire interior. Leather is found in each door's trim and the center console comes with a padded leather top. All four door handles are made of brushed aluminum. Only the finest materials are used inside for a real luxury feel. The 12-way power-adjustable and heated, front leather bucket seats were developed exclusively for the Allroad and are very comfortable and supportive, especially during rigorous off-road and demanding on-road maneuvers. The power tilting/telescoping, leather wrapped steering wheel feels perfect in your hands, and contain controls for the great audio system. The center stack is within easy reach to use the dual-zone, electronic climate control system, heated seat controls, four-level suspension settings, ESP traction control on/off button, and the magnificent Audi Symphony audio system with powerful AM-FM stereo radio, cassette deck and 6-CD player. This great system comes with eight speakers. The instrument panel is very easy to see and understand with a big 160 mph speedometer, 8,000 rpm tachometer and smaller gauges for fuel, engine coolant temperature, oil pressure and voltmeter. Bright LED readouts warn of system or safety failure. In the middle of the instrument panel is a screen displaying information such as current radio station, outside temperature, instant mpg, etc. It also displays information to use when you use the optional navigation system. No map, but directing you on the screen when to turn right or left at designated streets, avenues or boulevards. There is an audio help where the system tells you when to turn left or right. At night the amber red lamps give a warm glow when traveling.

The center console is also elegant with a full dark wood cover and brushed aluminum shift gate. The leather topped shifter feels very comfortable in your hand. A single cupholder pops out from the top of the center stack and it is next to a pop-out draw to hold coins or other small and flat items. The pull-down center console opens to reveal two cupholders for the rear passengers to use. The unique cargo area has 60/40 split rear seating for versatility, a manual sunshade for the rear hatch glass, a pull-up partition net that attaches to the headliner stopping cargo from entering the passenger compartment during spirited driving or during severe maneuvers, a full-length cargo-net and many chrome tie-downs to arrange your cargo keeping it as secure as possible. Maximum cargo capacity with the second-row seats down is 73 cubic feet. Other standard features include heated rear seats, front and rear underbody protection, front and rear power windows with one-touch down/up and pinch protection, automatic door locks, remote keyless entry, pollen filter, remote rear hatch opener, full-perimeter thick-pile carpeting, grab handles above each door, electronic cruise control, locking glove box,18.5 gallon fuel tank, and a powerful concealed headlight washer system. An electric sunroof is optional. Standard safety features include driver and front passenger 'next generation' airbag supplemental restraint system, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbag, SIDEGUARD inflatable curtain airbags, lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH), front and rear 3-point safety belts with automatic pretensioning, front belts with load limiters, side impact protection, body crumple zones, side-marker lights, and an anti-theft alarm system. The new, more powerful Audi Allroad Quattro is a great alternative to the big and bulky sport utility vehicles massing on the roads today. It gives you the same multi-function versatility, but with better handling and maneuverability. With a luxurious, quiet and safe cabin, plus the proven Quattro all-wheel-drive system and four-level suspension height settings, there's no stopping this silver bullet, no matter the task.

© All text and photos by Harvey Schwartz

For more information on Audi products, go to www.audiusa.com. More photos from Harvey Schwartz can be found at www.autofotos.com

SPECIFICATIONS Name of Vehicle: Audi Allroad Quattro 4.2-liter V8 Price: $46,950.00 Engine type: 4.2-liter, DOHC, 40-valve V8 engine with aluminum alloy block and heads. Horsepower: 300 at 6,200 rpm Torque: 280 at 2,700-4,600 rpm Drive configuration: Front engine/all-wheel-drive Transmission type: Five-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with semi-manual shifting Front suspension: Independent multi-link front with air-springs, gas-charged shocks and stabilizer bar Rear suspension: Double-wishbone with gas-charged shocks and stabilizer bar. Wheels/tires: 17 x 7.5-inch aluminum alloy wheels, 245/45R17 performance tires. Brakes: Front: 14 in. vented rotors with 4-piston calipers Rear: 13 in. solid rotor with 2-piston calipers. ABS and ESP stability program. Overall length: 189.4 in. Overall width: 76.1 in. Overall height: 62 in. Curb weight: 4,278 pounds EPA mileage estimates: 16mpg/city, 21mpg/highway 0-60 mph: 6.9 seconds