There’s one sure thing about Murphy: when you don’t want him, he’s sure to be around!

The sun had shone for the Audi dealers who had tried out the new allroad quattro at the Aughrim Estate the day before. But today the mist was rolling in on the mountains, and there had been an extraordinary amount of rain the night before. But sure weren’t we experienced motoring journalists, prepared for any circumstances, and weren’t these conditions perfect for us to test the car?

Maybe for most of us, but I have to say straight out that my own off-roading so far has been relatively limited. I’m learning quickly, though.

Part of the offroad track around the 1,500-acre estate had been deeper under water than expected when an earlier group were taking a run in the allroad. To the point that water had to be bailed out of the car before we got our run, as it seemed that somebody had opened a door to see how deep the water was ... and found out!

Anyway, we were first given a run down on the car’s capabilities from Jan Becker, an Audi expert who had recently test-driven the car in ice and snow in Kitzbühel. But even though this was only Ireland, he described the course we were about to experience as ‘the most difficult, the toughest terrain the car had yet been tested on’.

He said that the car was ‘a road vehicle with off road capability’ but that with the use of a very sophisticated height adjustment system, the allroad could actually provide similar ground clearance as a full off-road SUV.

There are three levels of height available on this luxury estate, two of which are automatically controlled in relation to the road speed of the car. For instance, at high speeds the height automatically lowers for better aerodynamic performance, and when the car is stopped and parked it raises itself up higher than normal to allow you get in and out more easily.

In addition, a further high level can be manually selected for crossing more extreme terrain, and Jan warned us that at this height the car must not be driven at more than 20mph. That, in fact, was the speed limit for our complete excursion around the mountain.

For the record, these are the actual levels - Low: 142mm; Normal: 167mm; High One: 152mm; High Two: 208mm. Lights on the dash show what level you’re at.

Our short trip through the forest - with muddy spray flying in all directions - included a pretty steep hill track. Normal estate cars most certainly would not have got far, but the allroad quattro held firm.

Next, we went through ‘the dips’, an incline test where the vehicle was put through a mud and water pit designed to tip it over sideways to what at first experience seemed an alarming degree. But the vehicle coped excellently. That a car could handle such significant side inclines was pretty astounding to me, and reassuring for the next time.

Comfort items on the allroad include climate control, air conditioning, and 6-disc CD changer. On the safety side, the car comes with electronic stability programme, automatic headlight range adjustment, front airbags and Audi’s front driver/passenger/side/head airbag system.

For those who need extra space, a split folding rear seat expands the load area to 1,590 litres.

The vehicle is available in two models - the 2.5-litre TDi and the 2.7-litre petrol engine, both are V6s. Prices range from 60,670-70,980 euros.

The Audi allroad quattro is the latest luxury ‘crossover’ estate/SUV to be launched on the Irish market and the distributors say it is an unrivaled all-rounder aimed at those ‘whose lifestyles have a distinctly off-road dimension’.

And certainly, as more and more rural and urban consumers are now opting for off road vehicles, maybe it’s time for every carmaker to include a lesson in off-roading as part of the sales deal.

Indeed, the operators of the Aughrim estate say they are working with one importer of offroaders to provide this service.

Even if they never again venture away from the straight and flat in their shiny new 4x4 estates, at least they’ll know from experience just what their vehicles can do.

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