Audi Coupe Injection

In 10 weeks the managing editor has covered 5,300 miles in his Audi Coupe Injection at a surprisingly good average of 30.2 mpg, the five-cylinder engine having used two litres of oil in this time.

At the time of ordering it was a straight choice between the new Sierra XR4i and the Audi Coupe, both priced at a shade under £10,000 “on the road” with radio, delivery charges and the rest. The Sierra lost out, fine family car as it is, on account of its rather too soft rear suspension and the probability that the ‘fuel consumption would be on the wrong side of 25 mpg, while the Audi’s handsome styling was a plus-point that carried weight.

The Audi was handed over with no mechanical defects at all, perfect save foes stone-chip above the nearside rear wheel arch and a defect on the coachlining nearby. On the face of it a front-drive car with a five-cylinder, 2.2-litre, 130 bhp engine overhung seems to be biased stomach to the front, but excellent power steering makes it nice to drive and understeer is extremely mild. It will be interesting to see how it behaves in the winter-time.

So far, so good. It has never failed to start first time, to run cleanly and to pull well, the still unusual five-cylinder engine malting a pleasant and distinctive growl as it passes the 4,000 rpm mark. It becomes noticeably harsher at higher revs (and the two-litre version of the unit has been revised now to make it less harsh), but not uncomfortably so, and there is enough torque to make 5,000 rpm a sensible change-up point, unless hurrying.

With full seating for four adults and a long list of standard equipment, lacking only a radio, the Audi Coupe Injection is an attractive choice in the sub-f 10,000 sector, now vacated by Porsche’s 924 model. A further report will be published next year — M.L.C.