It really was an "only in LA" sighting. Last Saturday, on my way out to get yet another wireless router, I was southbound on San Vicente Blvd at Santa Monica Blvd and what did I see? In the four northbound lanes of San Vicente, facing me at the red light, were four brand new Audis with Michigan manufacturer plates.

These weren't the usual Audis I see every day either. To my left, turning right, was the RS4, the not-yet-available competitor to BMW's upcoming M3. In the next lane to the RS4 was the all-new and only on sale this week Audi Q7 -- Audi's new huge SUV. Next to the Q7 was an S8. Again, the S8, the super-sleek rocket ship powered by the Lamborghini V10 isn't due here until the fall. And in the left turn lane was an A3 3.2 Quattro S-line.

When the light turned green, the RS4's engine gunned and gave whiplash to the passengers as it turned right. The S8 took off up San Vicente to Sunset with the gas pedal pushed to the floor. The Q7 proceeded a little more sedately up San Vicente, also with its destination as Sunset Blvd. The A3 and I sat waiting to make our left turns.

As I made my way through the usual heavy traffic on Santa Monica Blvd, I got to see another Q7 in traffic but I never caught up to or found the RS4. I had no idea what was going on, but I was going to do some reconnaissance on my way back from Best Buy. I was going to swing by the Beverly Hills Audi dealership, but I found out that wasn't necessary.

My route home took me west on Melrose to San Vicente. The whole area was crawling with Audis of all stripes and as I drove north on San Vicente Blvd, I saw that this was an event sponsored by Audi held at the Pacific Design Center. The event was called "Streets of Tomorrow" and this event was one stop on a national tour hitting major cities important to Audi's customer base. I'm a current Audi owner and Alan is a registered former Audi owner. So where was our invitation? It must have been lost in e-mail ether.

That didn't deter me, however. I drove home, quickly changed into shorts, driving shoes and a t-shirts, grabbed my camera and sprinted down to the Pacific Design Center to snap some photos. While taking pictures of the featured Q7 in the fountain courtyard, I spoke with the Audi rep about the event. He said anyone was welcome to register and drive the cars! He didn't have to tell me twice.

I walked over to the registration area and got my identification badge and then signed up to drive the Q7. You had to drive the Q7 before you could drive any of the other demonstrators available. The Q7 is better looking in the metal than it is in pictures. The design is curvaceous, and does a good job of managing the size of the beast. It's bigger than either of its cousins, the Porsche Cayenne and the VW Touareg, and it can fit seven adults in a pinch or more comfortably, four adults and two younger children.

The standard Q7 engine is Audi's 4.2 liter direct-injection V8. It's an excellent engine mated to Audi's 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. The Q7 drives lighter than its hefty weight of about 4200 pounds would suggest and it almost seems "agile" in traffic. It had no problem pulling me and my professional driver companion, provided courtesy of Audi, up some pretty steep hills in the Trousedale area of Beverly Hills. It might have a bit more problem if it was loaded with more people and cargo. We actually passed a new BMW M5, but I think the driver was just hunting for an address while talking on his mobile phone.

I have no use for an SUV this big; however, there will be a market for some buyers looking for a big SUV with lots of luxury features. My favorite new luxury feature is the rear parking camera which includes graphics showing the exact angle of your wheels and distance to the car behind you. If I had to pick from a Cadillac Escalade or the Q7, the Q7 would get my dollar every time. The interior is very much like the A6, with excellent quality materials and top fit and finish. The exterior lines are fresh and pleasing for any box this size. The whole package exudes quality and luxury.

My next car was the A3 3.2 liter Quattro with DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox). My professional driver companion was brought in from Vancouver, BC and he was the most interesting of the three drivers I experienced. Since I was a "local" I took him on a slightly different drive than the one mapped out by Audi. We took the A3 through traffic on Sunset, steep hills in Beverly Hills and the horrible road conditions of Coldwater Canyon. The A3 was by far the sportiest drive and the sports seats (part of the S-line package) were much better than the "luxury" seats in my personal A6.

My driver and I talked about this area of Los Angeles. His first remark was that he had never seen the Maserati Quattroporte on the road before. That day, he had already seen five. And he had never seen so many Bentleys either. But it was the Maserati that had him mesmerized -- and he's a professional driver!

The 3.2 liter V6 mated with VW's excellent DSG transmission was a blast. As with all Quattro Audis, the feel of acceleration is very "neutral" and the steering is precise on center. You don't feel any torque steer, despite the asymmetrical layout of the A3's engine and drive shafts. You even get a very tight turning radius -- something missing in most front-drive (or AWD) cars. The only problem with the A3 3.2 Quattro is the price. Our test car was fully-loaded and that means it's almost $40,000. That's a lot of money that can buy a nicely-equipped A4 or BMW 325i.

The last car I drove was the A8 4.2. This was the long wheel-base flagship and the cabin is certainly a nice place to be. The A8 accelerates effortlessly and brakes strongly. The interior is a feast for the eyes. The materials used are first class and the textures and color combinations really work. The sports seats have great side bolsters and great thigh support.

I know the A8's design is a bit older than the new Mercedes S-550, but I still think that Audi's interior is as good as or better than the much more expensive Mercedes.

After I returned the A8 to the fleet at the Pacific Design Center, I did some more inquiry about the S8 I'd seen driving the roads earlier. I was told that the S8 I saw belonged to a dealer. I'm not sure I believe the story. What dealer would have an S8 in inventory when they aren't officially coming to the US until September? I think that Audi brought two S8's to the show, but they were not for public consumption. There was a beautiful dark gray metallic German-spec S8 inside the PDC for us to drool over. But only VIP people got to ride or drive the S8s that I saw.

I mentioned that the 2007 RS4 was at the event. The new RS4 packs the corporate V8, with special sports tuning, suspension, seats, etc. There were three RS4s in use there, but we weren't allowed to drive them. You could only take a ride in one with a professional driver at the wheel. I have to say that the RS4 is a nice package and the 4.2 liter V8 looked like it was stuffed into the engine bay with no room to spare.

I learned from a German transplant working at Audi's HQ in Michigan that the W12 engine may not be stuffed into the Q7 SUV. We do, however, get the 3.2 liter V6 as the entry level Q7 several months after launch. This is the same marketing approach VW took with the Touareg. However, given the current oil situation and gas prices inching ever closer to $4.00 per gallon, perhaps VW USA marketing should think about getting the more economical V6 here sooner.

I asked various Audi reps about the possibility of an Audi diesel engine making its way to the US. The answers were more hems and hahs rather than an answer. I'll take that as a "no". I read somewhere that VW may not be able to have a TDI Jetta/Golf for the US market in 2007. The current TDI won't meet 2007 standards. I'm sure VW is working on a particulate reduction system a la Mercedes Bluetech technology as it will need to meet future EU requirements too.

The 2007 Q7 will be the first Audi with the more simplified option choices. Audi is trying to simplify and streamline the models and engine/transmission combinations it brings to the US. Things like a $2,400 Technology Package includes a rear-view camera parking feature and side assist which warns of nearby vehicles. Only one additional option package is available. The Cold Weather package includes heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Audi will offer only 13 other options on the Q7. Audi will also encourage lease customers to order their next car as much as six months in advance. Audi's goal is to reduce custom order time from 90 days to 64 days and they will promise to have a custom-order car ready for its customers when their current lease expires.

If you drive in Los Angeles, you see lots of Audis on the road. I couldn't get any numbers from the Audi reps at this event, but I did get a driver to say that Southern California probably accounts for 50% of Audi's total sales. So this two-day weekend event at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood was a very crucial stop in the Streets of Tomorrow tour.

I think that it's to Audi's credit that while it provided products from competitors for comparison test drives, very few of the large number of participants took advantage of the competitors' products. They had a BMW X5 SAV, a Volvo XC70 wagon and a Lexus GX470. The sign-up list only had about five names on it at the end of the day. Audi brought fresh product for people to take on a real test drive accompanied by professional drivers. The professional drivers were briefed on stats, measurements, weights, volumes and some talking points. But the product did the talking for Audi. And the car business is all about the product.

There was no shortage of good food, refreshments, live music and white-shirted Audi employees and representatives to answer any question you had. The event was mercifully free from the presence of any sales pressure and local dealer sales staff. Overall, I think Audi went all out for this event and it was well received by all the participants. We love our Audis in LA!