No, the Sport Quattro on the plinth wasn't available for driving. Nor the R8 GT3. But Audi has gathered a fair few of its products today in Warwickshire for a range review day for us all to catch up on its latest tweaks to the range.
Pick an Audi, any Audi. Perhaps not an S5 though.
Not all of them PH-worthy, it has to be said. But I've been able to tick a few boxes of cars I've missed out on here and there.
RS3
being one of them. Sadly that was out when I got here so I settled for an S5 Sportback instead, not having tried the supercharged V6 or, indeed, five-door coupaloon body before either.
It certainly sounds good. But, like everything on the A5, S5 and RS5 the noise seems a bit synthetic. There are a gazillion different settings for dampers, noise, throttle, steering, gearbox and even the differential. But even my 'Individual' setting with everything mechanical on Dynamic and everything chassis related on Comfort it doesn't quite gel. Worst is the steering, which is springy and light in comfort, nudges back at you with artificial 'feedback' in Auto and simply adds unwelcome weight in Dynamic. It's quick and sure footed on the slithery winter roads but that's about it.
Flaws actually make the RS3 more fun
The RS3 turns out to be the polar opposite. It has most un-Audi like attributes, like character in abundance. It's also pleasingly a bit uncouth, the power delivery properly old school whoosh-bang turbocharged and even the familiar S tronic DCT (no manual option, sadly) feeling a bit more clunky and mechanical than usual. The fixed rate dampers feel a bit overwhelmed by the springs and heavy wheels at times but it still feels a world better than the multi-setting set-up on the S5.
Winter tyres mean it even slides around a bit too. It's typically nose heavy but once settled into the corner carries huge speed, the five-cylinder warble and turbo roar adding to the excitement. It's a proper B-road weapon in the Impreza/Evo mould, albeit with Audi trappings and a more stealthy, sinister look. Especially in dark grey with a layer of road grime. I like! It's not perfect - the chassis can get overwhelmed - but it's one of those cars whose flaws almost make it more interesting and fun.
So that's that. It's time to go really. But there are a couple of R8s here too, including a special edition V8 manual. Well, it'd be rude not to...