My All-Time Favorite Car
I have had a lot of fun during the last decade testing some great cars for Cigar Aficionado. There was the Bentley Continental GT (big and brawny), the Aston Martin Vantage (sexy and smooth), the Audi RS6 (a twin-turbo dynamo), a Mercedes E-series AMG (fast and steady), a Corvette Stingray (slightly randy and rocket-like), a Jaguar F-type coupe (sexy and feline quick)... and that's just to name a few.
But my all-time favorite remains the Audi RS5, a stunning combination of sports super car with a daily driveability that is second to none. I spent five days in an RS5 cabriolet in October, a kind of last hurrah before my move to Mexico. If I had my druthers, I would pick the RS5 Coupe for my home garage; it's simple, really—the convertible top takes up too much room in the trunk. Mind you, the Coupe doesn't have a lot of room back there, but it's enough to hold a couple of weekend bags and one set of golf clubs. But the cabriolet was a perfect substitute. And, like all the S and RS series, the back seat offers just enough room for a couple of small adults to sit for short rides—not a long highway trip, but a quick dash for dinner to a nearby restaurant is just fine.
The real standard setting comes with RS5's awesome power and its handling out on the road. This car, like many of the high-horsepower vehicles on the road today, does what you think, when you think it. Want to pass that truck before you can count to three? Downshift with the steering wheel paddles, hit the accelerator and be sure you are ready to pass or you will end up in the tailpipe of that truck. On the highway, there is a real sense of security knowing that you can make the car do exactly what you want it to.
Sadly, I didn't have the Autobahn to speed along. And on my favorite highway in America—New York's Taconic State Parkway—the ubiquitous presence of the State Patrol makes driving too much beyond the speed limit a risky proposition. So, I motored along at a safe 10 mph over the listed speed, 55 mph, and essentially never had to touch the brakes. Well, there was that one particularly enticing downhill set of curves where no cop can hide; I had the car moving fast enough that a couple brushes of the brakes were needed to keep it on line through the corners. Yeah, it was a just a little bit of a thrill to be taking curves at well over 70 mph; but even then, the car remained so smooth and in control that my wife didn't even look up from her smartphone.
So, test cars won't be a big part of my new role as a Cigar Aficionado contributing editor living in Mexico. But maybe every now and then, when I'm back in the United States, I'll find some new car that will end up in one of my blogs. And, I'll get my buzz on for a few days out on the open road. For now, I'll have plenty to dream about with my fresh RS5 experience.
