Audi 2013 Annual Report Download - page 63

6 a.m. That great, unbelievable, glorious Los Angeles light
is already there. The best time to hit the road in the new A3
Sportback e-tron. I’m still tired, but the e-tron makes things
very comfortable for me. I lean back, the adjustable steering
wheel in position. The monitor of the MMI Navigation plus
rises up and indicates when I am running on gasoline and
when on electricity. The vehicle is running solely on electric
power, very quietly, very dynamically.
The e-tron feels like a spaceship in which you could even medi-
tate. That’s how quiet it is inside. That fits Los Angeles.
A combination of futuristic and ecologically aware. A perfect
oasis of tranquility in the traffic of Los Angeles. Because
traffic rules and dominates the city. It determines whom you
see when, and where you go. Living and driving in L.A. are
inevitably intertwined.
I’m on my way to Venice for my first cup of coffee of the
morning. It’s still quiet on the Abbot Kinney at this time of
day. People in Venice sleep longer, but the early-risers all
stop to have a look at my Audi. Interest. Wide eyes. The brand
new e-tron. Which goes on sale in Germany in 2014. Because
Angelinos are always interested in new things. Like the recent
enthusiasm for almond milk rather than soy milk because it
is “even more vegan.”
I go into TOMS. They have excellent coffee. And fresh-
squeezed juices, of course. There’s nothing healthier. Casual
sunglasses and shoes, too. All a little bit hippie, yet chic.
The TOMS concept is very Los Angeles : When you buy a pair
of shoes, you also buy a pair for a child in need. One for one.
The shop is a good example of the Los Angeles attitude to life.
One of sustainability, of eco-consciousness.
/ ROCK ‘N’ROLL WITH THE AUDI E-TRON IN LOS ANGELES