Test drive Audi A4 B5 1994 - 2001 sedan

Like two aircraft

Audi A4 Kamai vs Alfa Romeo 155 Q4

Ivan V. Paderin

 

The theme of a sports four -wheel drive car is limitless. It is only necessary to put a regular serial car on four drive wheels and set up a turbine, like yesterday’s modest sedan or hech turns into a monster of racing tracks. There is no need to go far for examples. In the courtyard is Lancia Delta HF Integrale - the car is almost legendary, six -time world rally champion. Subaru Impreza, a 1995 champion, is also a candidate for Glory. Others came to our test. But they have every reason to be called not simple cars. And that's why...

 

Alfa Romeo 155 Q4

The acute -angled ALFA 155 appeared in 1992 - the heyday of the bio -design. And if then the machine of chopped forms presented, say, Toyota, then would not have escaped sarcastic criticism. But no one even dared to blame Alfa Romeo - the prestige of this brand and the authority of Italian design are so high. A year later, the 155th forced the whole automobile world to talk about itself, having won the German body championship - DTM. The 1993 champion was Nikola Larini, part-time test Pilot Scuderia Ferrari. On the Alfa Romeo 155 V6 T1, he did not leave the Mercedes-Benz and BMW stables on their tracks no chance.

 

A full-wheel drive version and a 2-liter turbo engine appeared almost simultaneously with the base model. Create the most powerful and expensive version of Quadrafoglio 4 hand did not flinch. Italians rightly believe that all -wheel drive without a turbine is money right. So, Q4. In the appearance of the car is aggression itself. You will see one in the rear view mirror - you will immediately give way.

 

You can love Alfa 155 for two reasons: for beauty and for power. Alfa conquers. But you need to be a very brave person to buy such a car. ALFA Romeo 155 is designed for a fanatic, who does not pay attention to its shortcomings and can talk about its advantages for hours. The main advantage of our 155th is the color of the body. Perhaps any Italian car in red is perceived as a kind of Ferrari. Pseudo -sports elements and other popes on Alfa 155 are absent, there are also no threads from Versace - this is an alloy. The car is designed primarily for a person who knows a lot about cars.

 

It does not hurt to pay attention to 16-inch wheels. Tires and ... Pirelli discs. The slots in the disks are made in the form of the capital letter of the company's logo.

 

Salon. In order not to spread for a long time, we note that there is everything inside the machine. ALFA chairs are leather, with good lateral support. But the seat pillow allows the booty. You cannot call this a disadvantage, you can’t please everyone. But still in a harsh chair it is better to have a dense landing - this is a private opinion.

 

Everything would be fine, but only the spring sun played a cruel joke with me. Pictures of summer, convertible began to be drawn ... No, better than Spider. Favorite girl and the road going to the sunset. Sometimes it’s nice to dream. In the meantime, I dreamed, the Miller racers of the Miller team took me Alfa Romeo. Yes, when the hijacker is the Russian vice -champion, the empty business is chasing him. In the sky, a plane flew over us - I remembered when I heard a mining rumble. He looked into the sky. Empty. He looked around and saw the racing under 150, no less, Alfa. The car literally shook air masses with its square aerodynamics. The car looks very aggressive in statics, and at good speed it turns into a kind of SO-27.

 

Audi A4 Kamai 1.8 Turbo Quattro

Audi was not a conveyor, but a Kamai tuning atelier. Serious work was carried out inside the cabin. Outside - the wheel arches of the wheels are expanded.

 

There were without a hitch of spoilers, anti -winged and other lotions. The body is concise. But the car is not immediately recognizable in the ANFAS. The standard plastic cladding of the Audi A4 with an emblem of woven rings gave way to a metal mesh with an asymmetric nameplate Kamai.

 

One design of Kamai did not get off - the intake and exhaust systems reconfigured in the engine: the phases of gas distribution, the configuration of the exhaust manifold and exhaust pipes were changed. It should be noted right away that the pipes are burning - the sound of the motor has a quick, aggressive driving.

 

Sitting in a car, the driver goes into a special world of skin, nut, levers and buttons. The word cockpit is more suitable for indicating the driver’s place than the left front seat. The salon first seems crowded - black skin and plastic visually reduce the space. But soon you understand that there are as much space as in the standard A4. The landing is low. Raising the seats as much as possible, they received a wonderful overview.

 

Sports wheel with a pillow of safety, a light handle of a box of boxes, sports pedals. Everything is so organic that it is a pleasure to manage A4.

 

It is time to roll Audi Kamai. The motor is impressive. Audi engine in volume is less - 1.8 liters. But the specific power of the two engines is comparable: 0.95 liters. S./Cub. cm at Alfa and 0.94 for Audi. In addition, a German is easier than 130 kg.

 

In the movement, the smooth contours of the Audi body do not shake air masses. Su-27 did not fly here. However, the tuning tuning of the exhaust also allows you to take Audi for the fighter on a span. Only for this the speed of the car should be decent. Our test gradually turned into a kind of air battle. It seemed that both cars were about to fly up. There were every reason for this. If not for Sir Isaac Newton with his laws. As the cars behaved, the Miller Pilot racers say.

 

Special opinion - I

 

Audi+A4+1.8+Turbo+Quattro Aleksey Vasiliev, Miller Pilot team racer, Russian driver's vice champion. Comfortable. The entire instrument panel is perfectly read. The passenger chair is located at a sufficient distance and does not create obstacles to the operation of the gear lever.

 

There is nothing to complain about. Everything is at hand and is controlled instinctively. Overview in the windows and in the mirrors is magnificent. Quite peculiar, inherent in all models of Audi and Volkswagen, when the seats are adjusted to three handles: back and forth, back tilt and pillow adjustment in height. Since the lifting of the pillow occurs along the radius, the right position is not selected immediately. But, oddly enough, in Audi you quickly get used to landing, which just seemed uncomfortable. Side. Very comfortable. The anatomy of the seat is fully consistent with the status of a simply charged, but not a sports-home car, that is, the function of comfort and prestige is more emphasized than sports. With a rhythmic movement, the body is quite steady in the chair. Road. Very comfortable for rhythmic work. The hydraulic wrap is soft and even. The angle of rotation of the wheels is felt well. Pedali. They are located competently, everything is in their places. Very informative.

 

Only gas carrion has a weak return move. Maybe the pedal drive mechanism itself is clearly triggered, but since the engine is inertia, the revolution of the revolutions occurs slowly. But you get used to it. It is in the right place and fully meets the athlete's requirements. The driver’s landing is oriented to work with a lever, as in a normal racing machine. I liked it. There is a professional habit - with a rhythmic work by a lever, to give a greater stiffness to the hand to support it with the right foot, the hand seems to slide along the leg. So, this trick also takes place on Audi. The handle itself is very pleasantly in the palm of your hand. The overall impression of the cabin. The salon is wonderful. It may be even more convenient than in BMW cars of the same class. Suspension. Soft and short -term at the same time. For our roads, not the most suitable option. The engine and box. The engine for this machine could be made more powerful.

 

Acceleration from a place is not the most frisky (Alfa starts more dynamic). The dynamics are well felt in 3-4 gears, and not only with constant acceleration, but also in the run mode. This is achieved due to the optimal selection of gear rates of the transmission and the elastic characteristic of the motor. Regulation. Coursework resistance at altitude. The car is controlled.

Silent blocks seemed soft in the rear suspension - when the temporal snake was moving, the delay in the stabilization of the task was felt. Very good. Audi brakes are incomparably better than Alfa-Romeo. Which is basically clear. Indeed, in fact, Alfa is a serial car, and Audi is prepared, almost like a sports car of the group -a. Absolute information content of the pedal. With a sharp press of the pedal at a speed of 150 km/h, the brakes are so cool that it does not even reach ABS. The car slows down with great progression. Kaif. There is. But I would like more powerful. The overall impression of the car. In the cabin and appearance, this is a car for a man of 25-30 years old. And according to the dynamic sensations of Audi, I would recommend fashionable mobile girls who are engaged in aerobics and lead an active lifestyle. Who will win the first stage of the F-1 championship? Vilnev. Hill will not even be fifth.

 

Special opinion - II

ALFA+Romeo+155+Q4 Igor Mikhalev, driver of the Miller team+pilot's place of the driver. All controls are located in their places, at hand. You do not need to stretch and be distracted. Problems with visibility - there is practically no rear review due to the high backs of the rear seat. The lateral review is eaten with wide plastic overlays on medium racks. There are no complaints about the mirrors. Very comfortable. The range of adjustments to the driver's seat does not cause complaints. I liked. I love hard seats. But not everyone gets used to this. It is as a professional rider of a chair in Alfa-Romeo that I like more than in Audi. Rouple. The car is steaming on 4 on a five -point scale. The hydraulic wrap does not accurately react to the ruler’s argument. The bagel itself is selected correctly both in diameter and cross -section. Pedali. From the point of view of ergonomics, everything is great. Pedal moves are almost perfect for an athlete. We’ll talk about the brakes separately. The lever is very convenient. However, there is no proper clarity during the lever and the inclusion of gears. The overall impression of the cabin. A typical Italian finish is left to be desired in comparison with the same Audi ...

 

A-la Ferrari-F40 plastic plays well on Ferrari, and for everyday use it is irrational. Engine and box. A rather powerful, short -flowing sports motor, with an excellent pedal reaction. And here is a box with a very big step of gear rates. It turns out that the engine is designed for a hard sports ride, and the transmission is smooth, measured. The transmission noticeably limits the passport capabilities of the motor. The box should be shorter. The suspension. The suspension is also short and, like the motor, designed for sports. Since the box does not contribute to this, the need for a hard sports suspension also disappears. In addition, in our conditions, such a sensitive suspension requires a neat driving. Management. Very good.

 

The machine is fully controlled. Everything is strictly. Dynamics. I liked the initial moment of acceleration. When the turbine turns on, you feel a very good pickup. The driver Alfa -Romeo will hope - there is a Dnipade in all modes of movement, and even with a margin. Make. The brakes for such a motor and such a machine are none. I would not advise chasing this car. With such power, they should be more efficient. I did not feel much buzz. But of course, this device will impress the person who moved in Alfa-Romeo from an ordinary machine. Good car. Solid. Alfa cannot be taken away. But much in it from the Italian consumer goods - Fiat.

 

The design of the machine and the salon are perceived as a frank hairs under Ferrari. Therefore, in everyday life, the machine is as uncomfortable as supercars. It may sooner or later be bored with an ordinary consumer. And so, Alfa is an aesthetic thing. Who will win the first stage of the F -1 championship? Vilnev. Benetons will come to the second or third.

 
 
 

Source: Magazine Motor