2001 Audi Allroad Quattro

Walnut and aluminum are the interior themes. Seats have improved lateral support, and standard instrumentation includes oil and coolant temp gauges as well as a driver information display.

The Quattro is bolstered by the Allroad's four-level suspension, which varies ground clearance by 2.6 inches. Level 1 (5.6 inches) is intended for highway driving, Level 2 (6.6 inches) provides some pothole protection, Level 3 (7.6 inches) is for irregular terrain, and Level 4 gives the same ground clearance—8.2 inches—as the Land Rover Discovery. As previously mentioned, suspension height can be controlled either automatically or manually by dash-mounted buttons, but the system's computer will override manual selection and lower the suspension as vehicle speeds increase.


Allroad's interior was also designed with flexibility in mind. In 5-passenger configuration, it has 36.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity; folding the rear seat increases gear space to 73.2 cubic feet. The rear cargo area can accommodate an optional rear-facing seat, and standard features include a retractable cover, a ski sack and a 12-volt outlet. A nice touch is the portable air compressor, which has a built-in pressure gauge and can be powered from the rear outlet. Overall, interior accoutrements are plush, bordering on regal.

More muscular than the A6 Avant wagon, the Allroad Quattro possesses multiple personalities. Makes one wonder if the AMC Eagle was way ahead of its time.

The 2001 Allroad offers four prominent option packages. Premium grouping includes seat memory, folding side mirrors and auto-dimming mirrors. The Convenience Package offers heated seats and steering wheel as well as the HomeLink remote-control system. A Warm Weather Package includes solar-sunroof-powered interior cooling and rear-window sunshades. Finally, Audi's Guidance Package consists of a GPS nav system and rear parking-assist system. Stand-alone optional offerings include a two-kid rear-facing bench seat, rear-seat airbags, HID headlights, and a 200-watt Bose sound system with 6-disc CD changer.


For those interested in conquering paved and unpaved roads in luxury, the Audi Allroad's prices range from $42,475 in well-equipped base trim to upward of $50,000 when you check every option. (www.audi.com)