Car Review 2013

Remember that video? Big stuff all over the internet earlier this year.

Well, the wheels of justice turn quickly in the UK...driver John Tomlinson has appeared before a traffic commissioner, pleaded his case (that he couldnt see, hear or smell the Renault Clio attached to his front bumper) and has been allowed to keep his license.

In fact, traffic commissioner Beverley Bell praised Tomlinson for his fast action and cool head. You dont see it in the video, but other drivers signaled him to pull over, he discovered the Clio on his bumper, and freed driver Rhona Jane Williams.

Commissioner Bell urged companies to retrofit older lorries (trucks to us Yanks)with the kind of proximity mirrors now standard on newer models.

The 2013 Audi A4 2.0T quattro.

As weve noted here at TireKicker before, the worst part of a successful car is keeping the ball rolling...doing the freshening needed to keep the car relevant without losing the thread and screwing it all up. Last time around, two and a half years ago, I worried that Audi was letting the magic of the A4 slip away.  If they were, they fixed it in a hurry.

The 2013 Audi A4 2.0T quattro is simply tremendous. A car that pulls of the trick of feeling utterly contemporary and timeless at the same time. The timeless thing is important because Audis had the A4 pretty close to perfect for a long time. To wander too far from what has made an A4 an A4 for the past decade or so would be courting disaster.

The 2.0T quattro tiptronic is a 2.0 liter turbocharged inline four, making 211 horsepower....mated to Audis quattro (the lower case "q" is intentional) full-time all-wheel-drive system and the tiptronic (the lower case "t" is also intentional) 8-speed transmission with sport and manual shift modes. Base price: $34,600, and thats a rock-solid price for the car...neither too high nor too low.

Standard equipment includes anti-lock brakes with brake assist, 17-inch 10-spoke wheels on all-season tires, electronic stability control, electromechanical speed-sensitive power steering, a dynamic five-link front suspension, a dynamic trapezoidal-link fully independent rear axle, power glass sunroof, halogen headlights, front and rear foglights, rain and light sensors, heated and powered outside mirrors, leather seating surfaces, a 12-way power drivers seat and an 8-way power passengers seat, automatic climate control, Audi concert radio with premium sound, including AM/FM/SiriusXM/CD, with SD Card, USB and auxilary inputs, and the usual airbags and alarms.

Going small in displacement with the 2-liter engine and an 8-speed transmission delivers strong fuel economy numbers, too...20 city/30 highway.




2013 Audi A4 interior.

The interior continues to be a best-in-class effort (despite my concerns in 2010)...and our options tended to enhance the time spent at the wheel: The $4,200 Premium Plus package delivered auto-dimming mirrors inside and out, an iPod cable, Bluetooth, a driver information system with trip computer, heated front seats with driver memory, a split-folding rear seatback, HomeLink garage door opener, a three-zone climate control plus Xenon plus headlamps, LED daytime running lights and taillamps, and an upgrade to 18-inch 10-spoke wheels. The car was also treated to polished exhaust tips for $140 and an extra-cost paint job (Monsoon Gray metallic) for $475. With $895 destination charges, the bottom line wound up at $40,310.

Theres no question the Audi A4 lives in a competitive world (the BMW 328i, also packing a 2-liter turbo four is probably its deadliest nemesis), but its hard to imagine a car holding its ground better. If you cross-shop the A4 and the 3-series, itll be personal preference, not a weakness in either vehicle, that will most likely be the deciding factor.

For the following tips for your car safe from the hands of bad thief:

1. Try parking in
the light and make sure your vehicle is easily seen by the crowd. Parking in a bright and easily visible will make thieves think back to steal your car.
2. Wear safety devices
Key additions such as alarms and steering wheel to anticipate theft of your vehicle.
3. Do not leave letter
Valuable, bad habits which often do is leave the vehicle registration. So if the car was stolen, you give the thief was a complete comprehensive package plus car plus vehicle registration.

4. Do not leave items
valuables in the car, valuables such as notebooks, mobile phones, purses, etc. into one of the triggers thieves to unload your car.
5. Make sure all windows doors
tightly closed and locked the car before you leave your car. Negligence will facilitate the thieves in dismantling your car.

Hopefully the above tips can be a guide for you to maintain security Your favorite car.