Evo reviewed new A3 3.2..

[Banwell]

.. in this months edition. Usual audi bashing, from a great mag. Rapid, but more tamed than a R32. Defo not the next S3 - no mention of a RS3. Did mention a R34 - so maybe that's the engine the new s3 or RS3 will get? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

Tester had choice of DSG or manual.

As Evo say, they're sure there's a great car in there somewhere, but the marketing dept & engineers have hid it well.

Can't see why you couldn't just uprate the suspension, stick a free flow R32 exhaust on it & chip though! that'd bring it up to scratch.

No mention of the RS4 developed brakes that the tt 3.2 wears.

26.5k...

Which can only mean that the S3 will be 2.5-3k more, and RS3???

 

[AL_B]

Yeah, I've read the review too. Usual Audi bashing as you say.

Thing is though, just taking the reviewer at his word for now, why the hell aren't Audi listening and developing more driver pleasing and dynamic cars? People have been saying the things about Audi's handling for years now.

The other thing I'd say about the A3 3.2 Sport is the price - it seems quite high at £24,360 grand. There doesn't seem to be a cheaper but reasonably rapid alternative in the A3 range IMO. For example, remember the old 1.8T A3 Sport, that was cira £18-20 grand IIRC. Official 0-60 of 8.1s, which was more like 7.5/7.7s. Audi doesn't seem to be catering for that segment at the moment.

The other bad thing about the price of the A3 3.2, is if they do make an S3, it could be quite pricey, £28 grand or more? Maybe?

AL

 

[dbm]

Interesting comment on price. It has been mentioned by people (supposedly Audi people) that there won't be room for an S3 between the RS3 and the 3.2Q. We've been assuming there won't be room in performance terms. Maybe they mean there won't be room in price terms?

Dan