Is Hamish eying up a younger model?
| Driver's Log | |
|---|---|
| Date acquired: | Sept 2011 |
| Total kilometres: | 122,657 |
| Kilometres this month: | 2901 |
| Costs this month: | $785 |
| L/100km this month: | 12.1 |
In our apartment building’s car park, there is a gunmetal grey B8 RS4 parked adjacent to my Audi RS4. I have walked past it every morning for the last four months, and to begin with I would just walk straight by staring at the grille (the owner always reverses it into a park). Soon I started walking around the car taking in its chiseled edges and sneaking a look inside the driver’s side window at the chunky leather steering wheel. Recently I caught myself down on a knee inspecting rims and brake calipers. I’ve stopped getting too close now before the affair gets out of hand. In the past week I have not even looked at the B8 and instead raced over to my lovely B7, fired it up and stroked the dash reassuringly as if the say “I’ll never leave you for another car”. But the reality is I have been thinking more and more about the next purchase.
The RS4 has just had its 120,000km service. I feared the worst. It was a major service and Al Nabooda needed the car for the best part of a week to tinker. But it was released with a clean bill of health and work consisted of nothing more that the usual change of filters and spark plugs. I also had the cruise control switch replaced (under warranty). Dare I say it, and touch wood, the car is in perfect working order. There is actually no good reason for me to sell it other than a desire to try a younger model.
Despite the similar pedigree of sharing a naturally aspirated 4.2-litre V8, four years between drinks has meant the B7 and the B8 are quiet different to look at. I do love the squat muscular stance and flared arches of the B7 and the rear end is definitely preferred to that of the B8’s Avant format. But the B8 still has a weapon’s grade physique and totally looks the part. It actually looks stealthier and unassuming than the B7, something I am a big fan of in Audis generally: subtle but threatening. Queue months of online researching and discussions with the wife about the possibility of losing a significant chunk of our disposal income into a depreciating asset.
For now, this is all just a curiosity of mine: to B8 or not to B8, that is the question.
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