I was sitting in this exquisite, sophisticated cabin with my eyes shut. My senses were being stimulated by classical music streaming through top notch speakers.
I stretched out my hand searching for the button that would push me to the climax. Good music gives me goose pimples and right then I was helpless inside the Audi A8.
Before I could do anything else, the gentleman explaining the new features in the car tapped my shoulder and asked if I was fine. Clearly I wasn’t, I was smitten, besotted, in love, enchanted by this classic work of automotive art.
When I opened my eyes and looked around, I shook my head in utter amazement. I was overwhelmed and almost teary eyed. I looked out through the large window, still speechless, and for a moment there, the music literary stopped.
I was staring at the R8. This is Audi’s first real super car. It was protected by a barrier that seemed to say, ‘you have no business touching this car if you do not have three eight-bedroom houses in leafy suburbs and a bank balance so healthy the bank manager has your doctor’s cellphone numbers’.
I am not easily intimidated by expensive super cars, but this one had something special about it. Something that said it will find its way onto Kenyan roads before the Ferrari 550 or Mercedes SLR McLaren.
When I saw it last December, it seemed to glide on the tarmac, its 20 inch tyres almost invisible under that svelte and muscular body.
To the ladies it is LL Cool J, six-pack and all and to the guys its Beyonce, she carries the full package. As the first Audi mid-engined sports car, the R8 combines Audi’s experience gained from numerous motor sport triumphs with ground-breaking design and the acknowledged technological expertise of the brand.
Optimistic outlook
Why am I going on about a car so expensive so unattainable and extremely impractical for Kenya? Because I have adopted a very optimistic outlook to life.
The Mercedes SLR McLarenWith our top two politicians talking in one voice I pray they do so long enough for all the roads to get done. Smooth and wide is what I prefer, then they can work on our petroleum industry so that we have high octane fuel and ultra low sulphur diesel.
This way we can import any vehicle in the developed world without having to suffer the price of failed engines and a busted suspension.
Speaking of super cars on our roads, the R8 has been compared to the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and the BMW M6. The Porsche and the BMW M6 are already on our roads, that leaves the Aston and R8. Seeing the way Kenyans love their cars, do not be surprised by my optimism.
Standing amidst nine gleaming, gorgeous works of art at the last South African Motor Expo was like being on the front row of a fashion show in Milan. As I walked up to the stand I had counted 9 vehicles on the Audi stand. All Subtle, elegant, superior and sublimely discreet, except the R8 ofcourse.
The competition amongst European premium automobiles is as fierce as ever. While BMW have being joking around as seen with the 3 Series design, they have redeemed themselves with the new 7 series, It looks like a gem.
Mercedes dumped the Jeep and the Chrysler bunch that were dragging them down and released very impressive models like the new C-class and flagship S-Class.
Turf war
They have now gone crazy with the GLK crossover vehicle that goes on sale in October.
While these two models have been focusing on each other, Audi has been slowly sneaking up on their turf and by the look of the cars on this page, things are heating up pretty fast.
A look at the performance models and you will see what I mean. The RS4 and S6 leave no doubt and when you take a closer look at the Q7 and the recently launched Q5, you can be sure that Kenya’s Audi aficionados will be smiling when the new models finally reach here.
While that’s what makes last year sad for me you can understand why I am smiling, 2008 can only be better.
The BMW M6Audi have refreshed the design of the basic A4 and its siblings with modern lighting technologies as well as more efficient engines. They have stretched things a bit and given us the handsome and capable 2008 A5 Coupe as well.
Although most of the 2007 models you see on this page have evolved little in design and power, with no dealer here, this is what you can get off the grey market.
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