Small Car, big Heart

The seductive Audi A3 has proved to be a palpable hit with British motoring writers. Robert Govender, not normally given to herd instincts, joins the madding crowd! On the M1 on one of those dark, wet, wintry afternoons, of the kind that casts a heavy pall of gloom on those born in warmer climes, there was an uncharacteristic absence of motorway madness.

Most drivers behaved sensibly, not punching above their weight. There were many highly rated cars, but their drivers appeared to be intimidated by, what were, even by British standards, abnormally harsh conditions. The exception to the "sensible" rule was a very powerful black Merc in front of me on the fast lane. The conceited and inconsiderate driver, that the Audi A3 behind him, being a small 'un, need not be taken too seriously. He refused to give way. Many years of dealing with such troglodytes had taught me the utter futility of giving way to impatience or frustration. I could also afford to be magnanimous, even condescending, because the magnificently imperious and powerful Audi A3 which I was testing had the measure of the Merc.

That may sound immodest, but as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. When the devoutly wished for opportunity presented itself, I got on to a virtually empty middle lane, and after leaving the Merc gasping for breath a few miles behind, returned to the fast lane. I guess, as the Americans would say, the Man in the big Merc must have got a mighty surprise as I disappeared from view ,despite his best efforts to catch up with me. While the ability to drive sensibly, which generally comes from many years of experience or precocious maturity, is of vital importance in such conditions, even more important is the Darwinian capability of the particular species of car not only to suruive but also to thrive in an age when the competition is also in the "fittest" category. In this regard the stately dignity, the awesome power, the elegant but utilitarian design, the thoughtful and imaginative safety attributes, and the astonishing stability of the Audi A3 more than adequately meet the rigid Darwinian test for immortality.

There are many large, powerful, well structured and skilfully engineered cars, but some of them are unsure and querulous at high speeds on wet and treacherous surfaces. In over 20 years of road-testing, I have tested many cars of rare excellence, and I do not think I exaggerate when I say that this is one of the very few occasions in over 20 years as a motoring correspondent, that I can say with Wordsworth, in a somewhat different social and poetic context, that "'t'wereit " bliss" to be alive in the age of the Audi A3! Now back to terra firma -All A3 models come with front wheel drive.

The feline silence of the engine will go down well with the increasingly vociferous anti-noise lobby. A key element in the A3's seemingly mystical oneness with the road is the famous McPherson strut front suspension which gave GM products an enviable lead in road holding and stability over a quarter of a century ago. The car looks deceptively small from the outside, but space-wise it is generous and comfortable for driver and passenger. The boot, too, is roomy. Those human or more incorrectly sub-human predators, aptly described by the police as hyenas, clever and cunning though they are will not find the Audi A3 easy prey. It has some very effective security features which are likely to frustrate the nimblest of the wily Fagin's prodigies. As for safety, the Audi complies fully with worldwide standards and forthcoming European legislation and "is designed to withstand every kind of impact as effectively as possible." There are also full size airbags for driver and passenger, pyrotechnic front seat belt tensioners and automatic-reel seat belts with special safeguards for the child's seat.