More than an old car #231: Audi A3 8L

 

Given the ever-growing number of old cars in Singapore, there are bound to be some that I have no idea of its existence, and one cannot help but marvel at these 2 surprisingly preserved 1998/2000 Audi A3 8L!

First introduced in 1996 at the Paris Motor Show, the A3 Typ 8L marked Audi's return to small cars after 19 years. As part of the Volkswagen Group, the A3 shared a platform and closely resembled the VW Golf Mk4. Initially, the A3 was only available as a 3-door hatchback: this was done to give the model a sportier image and differentiate it from the Golf. 4 different grades were offered with a few engine selections: the Attraction was the base model with 4-spoke steering wheel and aluminum wheels in a 10-hole design while the S-Line was top of the line with a 3-spoke leather steering wheel, lowered height and 9-spoke wheels.

A 5-door hatchback appeared in 1999 and the sportier S3 also made its debut, which was powered by a turbocharged engine. There was a facelift done in 2000, with changes to the headlights, taillights and addition of a head airbag system among other things.

These 2 units were powered by a 1595 cc EA827 series i4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 183 km/h with an 0 to 100 km/h timing of 12.8 seconds. With dimensions of 4152 x 1735 x 1427 mm, weighing in at 1090 kg (for 3-door) and 1135 kg (for 5-door), and fuel consumption of 8.6 litres / 100 km, it had decent economical performance which would have been a good fit for a prospective owner looking for a premium compact hatchback. 

Production of the A3 8L ended in 2003 with about 913,000 sold, though it continued to be made in Brazil until 2006. The A3 8L was first sold in Singapore in 1997, where it retailed at S$123,000 by Motor Ultima, the former Audi dealer; the 5-door hatchback was sold later in 2000 by Premium Automobiles. It is believed that these 2 units are the last ones here: I have not come across pictures of other units on the road and none were also sold on online marketplaces. Amazingly both are still registered as of writing, though I cannot tell if they are on a 5 year or 10 year COE cycle. 

While Audi A3 may not have the cult following of a hot hatch icon or the visual drama of a sports car, it proved that luxury could be compact and performance could be practical. It paved the way through unchartered territory for numerous compact cars such as the Mercedes A-Class and BMW 1 Series. I hope you will have a chance to see these 2 humble icons some day!

More than an old car #230: Mercedes Benz C215 CL55 AMG

Given the huge backlog of cars that I have, there may be a likelihood that some cars which I have seen before are no longer here, and this 2000 Mercedes Benz C215 CL55 AMG is unfortunately one of them...

Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1999, the C215 was the second generation of Mercedes’ luxury coupe (CL comes from Coupe-Luxury). The CL name had appeared in June 1996 (1997 for the American market) on the W140 series on the CL 500 and CL 600 models. 

It was the first car in the world with Active Body Control active suspension, which minimises rolling, pitching, and squatting movements of the body. Designed by Bruno Sacco, it also featured a unique pillar-less design with no B-pillar. It was also the first car in the world with both low beam and high beam High Intensity Discharge headlamps. Various engine types were offered with the lowest capacity in the CL500; there was also exclusive versions such as an F1 Limited Edition of the CL55 AMG, featuring carbon-ceramic brake discs. The C215 had a facelift in 2002, featuring a revised grille and taillights, along with engine upgrades.

It was powered by a 5439 cc M115 V8 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 250 km/h with an acceleration of 6 seconds. It was 4993 mm long and weighed 1795 kg, with a fuel consumption of 13.4 litres / 100 km.

Production of the C215 ended in 2006 where it was replaced by the C216 generation; 47,984 were made of which 6,380 were the CL55 AMG. CL55 AMGs were brought in by the Mercedes dealer Cycle and Carriage, though it did not appear to be advertised openly. 

This unit is a pre-facelift model and was the last unit left here before it was most likely exported. C215s are considered rather obscure, especially so when they were also very expensive upon release: the open market value of a CL500 was S$123,617 in 2000, which was only overshadowed by the Ferrari 360, Porsche 911 and Aston Martin DB7 at that time. I last saw it in 2019 and it was one of the cars that I wanted to write about, just that I didn't have the time previously. While this car may not be here anymore, I hope that this will be a lasting snapshot of this unicorn that used to roam our shores!