SR 222

The morning sun did not shine on my face. The roasters did not wake me up. It was my intrusive alarm from my mobile phone that did it. This place was just too tranquil to do anything this early. But we were on a mission; to enjoy Q5 3.0 TDI under the Tuscan sun.

SR 222 goes through the wine region of Tuscany. No wonder the Italian loves to make sports cars. Roads like this are their source of inspiration. The mesmerizing rolling hills, the fast switch backs, and the occasional exhilarating hairpins are all can be found here with the postcard-like scenery.

Imagine if you have been towing a two ton weight and then all of the sudden that weight disappears. All of the energy used to carry the enormous weight is now available at your disposal to be used for whatever your heart desires. And that's what I had to unleash on these Tuscan roads.

To optimize the power delivery on the smooth paved road, I selected the Dynamic mode of the Audi Drive Select feature. This mode sets the engine's throttle response, the dual-clutch transmission's shift points, the CDC shock absorber, and the servotronic's speed-dependent power steering into a racing inspired driving characteristic map. If I were a seasoned weekend racer, I would opt to individually program the 24 variables of driving characteristic map and save the customized map on my personal key memory.

Gunning the car on a deserted straight, the quite diesel engine roared its baritone sporty sound. And at the S-tronic shift points, the sound of the turbo blow-off valves added a melody to the exhilarating soundtrack. At this back pressing acceleration, the view of distant villas and stone farmhouses that dotted the hills stayed relatively sharp and in place, but the view of perfectly lined and manicured cypresses on the sides of the road became blurry. Coming into a series of downhill switchbacks, I trail braked and paddle shifted to fifth and fourth, the engine burbled. I turned the wheels to hit the apex. Then, I quickly pressed the accelerator to pick up speed and paddle shifted to fifth.

As I performed this blissful act, the Q5 brain was analyzing signals from fourteen sensors. And based on the signals and the Dynamic driving characteristic map, the brain continuously adjusted the electrically governed shock absorber at each individual wheels every millisecond to counteract the body roll.

Additionally, all suspension control arms are made of forged aluminum parts. The anti-roll bar is designed and made from a high-strength tube. The five-link front suspension handles longitudinal and lateral forces separately when the car is in motion. All of these engineering prowess guarantees low unsprung masses and precise handling. Hence, this Q5 exhibited a Le Mans and DTM inspired sports car handling.

Quickly we forgot that we were in an SUV, because there was no sense of terror during the high speed maneuvers. We just wanted to drive and drive some more. That's all we wanted to do till our stomachs started complaining.

Greve in Chianti

Arriving at Greve, we switched our minds from devouring curves to devouring Tuscan delicacies. Greve in Chianti is synonymous with the famous wine for a simple reason; the Chianti originated here. This was originally a market town of the Chianti Classico wine zone of Tuscany, because it was at the crossroads of merchant traffics in the past time. Every September, wine connoisseurs from all over the world flock to this town to attend the largest wine fair in the region.

The main cobblestone piazza has a unique triangular shape lined with porticoes. On weekends, this piazza is buzzing with activities just like in the old days. Aromatic Italian foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, vibrant flowers, adorning crafts, cured meats, and smooth silky fabrics attract not only local residents but also many visitors from neighboring towns and villages.

The simple buildings in this town feature terracotta tiles, beamed ceilings, neoclassical facades, and plantation shutter windows. The statue of the explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, who discovered New York Harbor, stands proudly at the center.

We stopped here to enjoy the weekend market ambiance and the Italian fried vegetable and seafood snacks. Out of the intensity agricultural activities in this region, every ingredient that made up the simple snacks was extremely savory and delicious. As a matter of fact, the menus in this region change several times in a year according to the different harvests to maximize the the ingredients' freshness. The cyclical menus have been perfected over centuries of passion and hard work. The result is self evidence in the Tuscan delicacies.

SR 222

The morning sun did not shine on my face. The roasters did not wake me up. It was my intrusive alarm from my mobile phone that did it. This place was just too tranquil to do anything this early. But we were on a mission; to enjoy Q5 3.0 TDI under the Tuscan sun.

SR 222 goes through the wine region of Tuscany. No wonder the Italian loves to make sports cars. Roads like this are their source of inspiration. The mesmerizing rolling hills, the fast switch backs, and the occasional exhilarating hairpins are all can be found here with the postcard-like scenery.

Imagine if you have been towing a two ton weight and then all of the sudden that weight disappears. All of the energy used to carry the enormous weight is now available at your disposal to be used for whatever your heart desires. And that's what I had to unleash on these Tuscan roads.

To optimize the power delivery on the smooth paved road, I selected the Dynamic mode of the Audi Drive Select feature. This mode sets the engine's throttle response, the dual-clutch transmission's shift points, the CDC shock absorber, and the servotronic's speed-dependent power steering into a racing inspired driving characteristic map. If I were a seasoned weekend racer, I would opt to individually program the 24 variables of driving characteristic map and save the customized map on my personal key memory.

Gunning the car on a deserted straight, the quite diesel engine roared its baritone sporty sound. And at the S-tronic shift points, the sound of the turbo blow-off valves added a melody to the exhilarating soundtrack. At this back pressing acceleration, the view of distant villas and stone farmhouses that dotted the hills stayed relatively sharp and in place, but the view of perfectly lined and manicured cypresses on the sides of the road became blurry. Coming into a series of downhill switchbacks, I trail braked and paddle shifted to fifth and fourth, the engine burbled. I turned the wheels to hit the apex. Then, I quickly pressed the accelerator to pick up speed and paddle shifted to fifth.

As I performed this blissful act, the Q5 brain was analyzing signals from fourteen sensors. And based on the signals and the Dynamic driving characteristic map, the brain continuously adjusted the electrically governed shock absorber at each individual wheels every millisecond to counteract the body roll.

Additionally, all suspension control arms are made of forged aluminum parts. The anti-roll bar is designed and made from a high-strength tube. The five-link front suspension handles longitudinal and lateral forces separately when the car is in motion. All of these engineering prowess guarantees low unsprung masses and precise handling. Hence, this Q5 exhibited a Le Mans and DTM inspired sports car handling.

Quickly we forgot that we were in an SUV, because there was no sense of terror during the high speed maneuvers. We just wanted to drive and drive some more. That's all we wanted to do till our stomachs started complaining.

Greve in Chianti

Arriving at Greve, we switched our minds from devouring curves to devouring Tuscan delicacies. Greve in Chianti is synonymous with the famous wine for a simple reason; the Chianti originated here. This was originally a market town of the Chianti Classico wine zone of Tuscany, because it was at the crossroads of merchant traffics in the past time. Every September, wine connoisseurs from all over the world flock to this town to attend the largest wine fair in the region.

The main cobblestone piazza has a unique triangular shape lined with porticoes. On weekends, this piazza is buzzing with activities just like in the old days. Aromatic Italian foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, vibrant flowers, adorning crafts, cured meats, and smooth silky fabrics attract not only local residents but also many visitors from neighboring towns and villages.

The simple buildings in this town feature terracotta tiles, beamed ceilings, neoclassical facades, and plantation shutter windows. The statue of the explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, who discovered New York Harbor, stands proudly at the center.

We stopped here to enjoy the weekend market ambiance and the Italian fried vegetable and seafood snacks. Out of the intensity agricultural activities in this region, every ingredient that made up the simple snacks was extremely savory and delicious. As a matter of fact, the menus in this region change several times in a year according to the different harvests to maximize the the ingredients' freshness. The cyclical menus have been perfected over centuries of passion and hard work. The result is self evidence in the Tuscan delicacies.