Quick, name three luxury brands at the top of your head. For most folks, they would say BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz. It’s totally understandable given that these are some of the more common lux brands we see on the roads.
But over in Europe, the big three of luxury are all German, namely Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. But why isn’t Audi particularly massive (by local high-end car standards) in the country?
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Of course, we won’t be able to answer that without resorting to a ten-page essay. But what we can tell you is that a lot of its current offering are massively underrated. We recently sampled a trio of Audi’s range during the recent PGA World of Supercars day at the Clark International Speedway, and to say we enjoyed that drive would be an understatement.
Audi Q7
When it comes to luxury SUVs, most folks default to something like a Toyota Land Cruiser or Lexus LX. Why it’s understandable why it’s become the de facto king of plush SUVs, we say give luxury crossovers a try. Besides, we don’t see a lot of first owners taking these to the trail.
That brings us neatly to the Audi Q7. Admittedly, it’s one of the oldest models in the current lineup at nine years old. Still, it looks handsome in subtle way and in no way ‘in-your-face’, at least in the local context. Its interior will wow those who appreciate a solid, bank vault feel and will please many with its rich-feeling materials. Not flashy. Classy.
But beyond that, the Q7 is surprisingly capable if it needs to show some of its off-roading chops. It’s easy to dismiss crossovers are wagons on big tires, but it does have some clever bits in it. Okay, it doesn’t have low range, but it does have a self-locking center differential and an intelligent traction control system that allows it to send power to wheels that need more grip.
Over axle twisters, it doesn’t have the same suspension articulation as off-roaders with live axles, but the Quattro all-wheel drive system can cope with it even with two wheels in the air. The automatic differential sorts it out quickly to keep you moving forward. Truth be told, we weren’t expecting much out of it, but driving the Q7 showed why Audi is still so proud of its all-wheel drive tech.
Audi Q8 e-tron
So far, this has been a solid seller for Audi in the Philippines, not that we see them on a daily basis. That said, there is a lot of substance underneath this chunky electric crossover.
Styling is, well, typical Audi. It’s good looking, but it’s not actively seeking attention.
Proportions are well balanced, and the interior is a nice blend of conventional and forward thinking. There’s not much in the way of a learning curve when it comes to getting used to the controls in the car.
But the biggest surprise that the Q8 e-tron had to offer was its dynamics. Granted, these things are unlikely to ever be used on a track day, but it was a good steer around Clark International Speedway. Yes, you feel the heft, but it had good steering feel and feedback that makes it engaging to drive.
It had none of the typical EV driving sins, either. The brake pedal was progressive in feel, never biting aggressively and easy to modulate. Its accelerator was also progressive, almost as if you’re driving a gas-powered car. Truth be told, if it wasn’t for the silence, you’d think you’re driving, well, a ‘normal’ car.
Audi e-tron GT
While we weren’t able to take any R8s out for a spin, we reckon the e-tron GT can give it a run for its money. Simply put, it’s got eye-popping performance, figuratively and literally.
Stats, you ask? Its dual electric motors can punch out up to 523hp but usually hangs around 469hp if you’re not hammering it. Okay, so there are still cars out there that make much more, but the instant power delivery that an EV offers is something one must experience. On top of that, this car produces 630Nm of torque and lays it down on the ground with Quattro all-wheel drive.
All that power and torque propels this low-slung four-door coupe to 100kph in just 4.1 seconds. Granted, something like a Porsche 911 Turbo can shave off another second or so off that time, but this is a practical, four-seater with a huge trunk we’re talking about here.
Heck, it even has child seat mounts at the back that makes it passable as a family car.
But the e-tron GT is more than just a straight line rocket. Out on the track, the combination of grip and power is something that needs to be felt in person. As much as we refuse to use cliches here, the e-tron GT sticks to the road harder than Mighty Bond.
Yes, it’ll bite back if you’re being clumsy with it, but the way it stops and steers makes you feel like an absolute hero on the track. The brakes and steering feel was fantastic, bordering on sports car levels of feedback. Sling it around corners, and the e-tron GT responds gladly to your steering inputs, encouraging you take it faster on the next lap.
Mind you, it has so much grip that you can actually get dizzy driving it around the circuit. Just ask some of the other folks who gave it a thrashing on track. It’s not the flaw of the car, it’s just a reminder that us mere mortals need to get used to its performance. With the way it dances around a track, we’d encourage Audi to put a supercar body on it and call it an R8 e-tron.
We ended the day having even greater respect for the four rings. Audi may not be the top of mind luxury brand in the country, but with what it has to offer, it’s definitely worth swinging by your nearest showroom and book a test drive.
