Footdown
Bavarian brawn hits right note
When Canto-pop stars pick up the mic and 'express their passion' for a car at its launch, we clear the room, but crooners Andy Hui Chi-on and Edmond Leung Hon-man had every reason to be lyrical at Premium Motors' launch of the Audi S5 and A5 (below) launch last week. The coupes ooze speed with sleek bodies, short front overhangs, LED xenons, new suspension and, the marque says, a 'much improved axle load distribution for enhanced balance and handling neutrality'. The cars' rack-and-pinion, power assisted steering has also been completely re-engineered, and 'repositioned ahead of the front axle closer to the wheel centre line to provide an even more direct feel and improved response', Audi says.
The 3.2-litre, 265-horsepower FSI petrol version (HK$599,000) sprints to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds. The coupe drinks 8.63 litres per 100 km on a combined cycle, thanks to the efficiencies of the advanced Audi valve-lift system, which varies valve lift between two levels through the use of sets of sliding cams mounted directly on the intake camshafts, the marque says.
The S5 (HK$749,000) sounds too fast for Hong Kong, but an ideal way to see the mainland, with a 4.2-litre V8 FSI petrol unit that whacks out 354 horsepower and 440Nm of torque from just 3,500rpm, sprints to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds and tops out at 250km/h. A six-speed, close ratio manual gearbox is standard in all A5 models and the S5 Quattro, and for front-wheel-drive versions there will be the option of a new version of the acclaimed Audi multitronic continuously variable automatic transmission.
Audi also announced this week that it was fitting A5s with a four-cylinder, 1.8-litre FSI engine that combines turbo charging with direct petrol injection. This might be better value than the larger A5 in Hong Kong, as the marque says its smaller block still thumps out 170 horsepower at 4,800rpm and 250Nm torque from 1,500rpm through to 4,800rpm.
'As a result, the front-wheel-driven A5 1.8 TFSI with six-speed manual transmission passes the 62mph [100km/h] yardstick 8.4 seconds after take off, and can continue to a top speed of 140mph [224km/h], with up to 39.8mpg [7.1l/100km] possible [on] a combined cycle.'
Oldest Roller on the block
Bonhams will auction two historic cars in London on 3 December, says the auction house's Hong Kong spokeswoman, Mabel Au-yeung. The first is the world's oldest known surviving Rolls-Royce, she says. Built in 1904 - the year the marque was founded, Rolls-Royce Car No20154 (top) is a diminutive 10hp two-seater that was first exhibited at the Paris Salon in the late autumn of 1904 and is expected to raise more than GBP1 million (HK$15.7 million) at Bonhams' annual Olympia Motoring Sale in London.
The second model is a very rare Bugatti Type 30 believed to have been owned by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of The Little Prince. The 1926 Bugatti, chassis 4724 (bottom), is one of only three surviving examples of the Type 30 by favoured coachbuilders Lavocat et Marsaud, and is expected to fetch about GBP200,000.
The car was supplied new to a Parisian dealership in 1926 and soon afterwards was bought by Louis Charavel, a well-known connoisseur of 1920s Bugattis. Let's hope we can see both models in Hong Kong next year.
Much-loved locals go on show
Finally, and speaking of old cars, the Classic Car Club of Hong Kong holds its annual show in Chater Road, Central, tomorrow. It's always been a lovely day out, and the owners are usually delighted to talk about their restorations. See you there.
