Audi A6
Toll roads are quite honestly the bane of my life. There is simply nothing in this world that I hate more. For one simple reason, they are never in proper working order.
Just think to yourself when the last time was that the surface of a toll road was unblemished, or free from miles and miles of construction bollards with nothing constructive going on behind them.
I am less sure of my own existence than I am of the fact that no one can remember such a situation. And this in my opinion is pure and utter bollocks. How do we as road users allow those thieves at SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency Ltd) to charge us what are honestly ridiculous fees to use something that is for the most part broken or semi-usable at best?
If I walked into Woolies today and bought a pair of pants that had holes in them, or only had one leg sown together, I would sure as hell go back and demand a refund. Or if a contractor is commissioned to build your house, you aren’t going to pay the bloke for more than what he’s actually finished.
Surely it is then only logical that the same applies when using a toll road. If there are road works for 20km of the 100km stretch I only want to pay 80% of the fee. What’s worse are speed limit reductions. I, like most people in the world, actually have to be places on time. Work for example – not that construction workers or SANRAL employees know what that entails. Now there is no other reason for the existence of a highway than to get people to their destination as quickly and efficiently as possible. So why are we charged to use a road where the speed limit is anything less than the designated 120km/h? In fact I’d like a refund for every extra minute of my journey at snail’s pace.
I feel particularly sorry for anyone who lives near Jo’burg International, or whatever it’s called at the moment. The N1 is a complete disaster. I drove through there on a Sunday morning recently and encountered bumper to bumper traffic. A Sunday morning for crying out loud. How anyone gets to work on time without leaving just after dinner is nothing but a miracle.
Not to mention the psychological damage caused by sitting in traffic for a couple hours a day. I would go completely mental taking that road to work in the morning – to the extent that I’d end up in a straight jacket, rocking gently back and forth at my desk for eight hours with a slight bit of drool down my face.
Unless I owned an Audi A6. This big German saloon has the most soothing effect I’ve ever experienced in a car. Nothing, not work, not climate change, not even the war on terror had the slightest of meaning. (Actually the war on terror never does but you get my drift) And the power delivery only extended the experience. Not once did the unobtrusive surge from the 2.0 litre TFSI engine prod into action that part of me that wants to drive like a maniac.
It looks the part too. The lines are so clean and the design so simple it comes across as a piece of minimalist art, leaving me surprised it runs on something as crude as petrol. The interior follows the minimal theme; there are no unnecessary gadgets that will only go to destroy your peaceful state when they inevitably go wrong, there’s just Sat-Nav to ensure you don’t get lost, and a radio to ensure you’re kept company along the way.
The A6 is without a doubt the best Audi I’ve driven. There is no split personality. It knows it’s purpose, and sticks to it, leaving a remarkable impression.
Price: R394,500
Engine: 1984cc four-cylinder turbocharged
Power: 125 kW
Torque: 280 Nm
Acceleration (0-100 km/h): 8.2
Top speed: 228 km/h
Fuel consumption: 7.5/100km (claimed)
Verdict – simply remarkable
Miles Downard
Photo Credit: Motorpics