Audi A4 1.8 Turbo: 2 Hot 2 Handle

And so it comes full circle. This writer has found a new level of respect for PGA Cars and now sincerely believes in the Audi dealership’s efforts to seriously tip the scale of the premium car buying public’s psyche in their direction. Why? Because they deliver.

A few months back, Amado del Rosario, PGA Cars’ VP for Sales and Marketing, gave us at Philippine STAR first dibs behind the wheel of an A4 2.0 Premium. He followed it up with a test drive of their A6 2.4 Multitronic. We happily reported to our readers the performance of the first two Audi models sent our way and so once again we bring to you a review of the third Audi that we have been fortunate enough to drive thanks to the (once again fulfilled) promise of PGA Cars — the Audi A4 1.8 Turbo.

Now, basically, there isn’t much difference between the A4 2.0 Premium and the A4 1.8 turbo — that is, if 30 extra horses underneath the hood are not to be considered much. Make that 30 extra horses and a kick-@$$ Bose sound system, an electronic seat adjustment capability and 17-inch alloy wheels. You see, while the 2.0 Premium’s 11 speaker system and 16-inch alloy wheels aren’t too shabby, a little extra help on the pogi factor can never really hurt the Audi enthusiast. Oh, and did we mention that Audi’s fire truck red shade can draw admiring stares from just about anyone (just an aside, really, as in our opinion the 1.8 Turbo couldn’t have come in a more head turning shade)?

Aside from the expected superb handling made possible by a combination of an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), an Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), and improved front and rear suspensions compared to previous A4 models, the 1.8 Turbo adds some spice to the driving experience by making sure that the extra 30 stallions serve up a deep baritone. And we’re talking about the kind of baritone that’ll excite the more adventurous drivers out there. Of course the 1.8 Turbo doesn’t just sound faster, it actually drives harder than the 2.0 Premium. And despite not having its S4 sibling’s eight cylinders, the 1.8 Turbo’s four and 20 valves do an admirable job at thrusting the car with enough velocity out onto unsuspecting highways to make for an exciting driving experience. We’re tempted to say it’s a very practical alternative to bigger Europeans but we’d be making unfair comparisons. In truth, we see the 1.8 Turbo filling up a niche — a gap in the market, if you will.

Among European sedans, it is one among the few that doesn’t pretend to be what it isn’t. While it’s got all the amenities and safety features of many bigger rivals, for example, it doesn’t hide the fact that it is in fact smaller and that it does indeed carry a smaller, lighter, but more substantially powered engine — at least compared to its body. It doesn’t lack that aloofness to be chauffeur-driven, if you ask me, but who’d want to be driven around in a car with this much fun factor molded into it? In other words, you’d have to love driving if you were to make the most out of this Audi.

Behind the wheel of this baby, you’ll feel blessed to say the very least. Squeeze on that throttle and the engine comes alive to deliver pulling power that won’t let you down. A pair of paddle shifters located behind the steering wheel give that added fun feel. Of course all this extra power will cost you on the mileage numbers but, hey, no one ever said you’d be driving a common rail diesel engine here. And while Audi has drastically tamed the dreaded torque steer curve that hounds many a front wheel drive, I’m still left wondering whether an experience behind a Quattro will make me see things in a different light. Because as good as the A4 1.8 Turbo’s ESP can guarantee steering response, the added power seems to throw you off just a wee bit whenever you get too excited with your right foot. But hey, who am I to complain, right? I most certainly do not own a car at par with the A4 1.8 Turbo in terms of performance and handling.

All in all, the Audi A4 1.8 Turbo has done what its siblings the A4 2.0 Premium and A6 2.4 Multitronic have done — make me believe further in this German carmaker’s ability to come up with really impressive pieces of engineering. I am so tempted to call it among the best cars I’ve driven over the past year. Maybe I’ll do just that in next week’s Star Picks 2005. (Hint! Hint!)