so I'll get a b7 instead ay?

[DrSasso]

Hey b7 section! some might have seen my name on the b8 section as I was looking to buy a b8 a4, but after ages of looking I can't seem to find one I like that I'm happy to part money with (mainly because of the sheer quantity of money required and me being a bit of a perfectionist haha! I know what I like )

Originally I was looking for a b7 for around £8k, then got told I should just save a bit more and get a b8 for around 11-13k....well as that's not happened and can't see it happening any time soon I've kinda gone full circle back to my original idea

so here I am, I have money in the bank and an idea/dream

have love audi since first sitting (and later getting to drive a few times ) in my dads work audi a4 estate 1.9tdi (either b6/b7 i think). having only driven a 1.2 as the most powerful before...putting the foot down and overtaking was like an orgasm.... so much pull!!! haven't really stopped grinning since haha!

so yea I've been wanting/dreaming for some time about getting one and only been looking seriously for the past two years really (finished uni, got job etc etc etc) but not committed to a purchase yet

so spec wise will be:

audi a4 saloon
2.0 tfsi petrol
quattro
s-line or higher
splitting rear seats
bose/nav maybe?

however, coming back to the b7s makes filling the last bit of the spec more difficult as some are and some aren't split rear seats i want it for the option of being able to carry bigger loads but I prefer the saloon to the avant shape so not gunna go down that route (maybe).

I've also seen now that the special editions and DTM have a higher power engine and some other little differences like bigger brakes (dunno if anything else apart from e.g. dtm bumpers and such), but the engine has better pistons (?) allowing for possibly better gains from remapping/further mods? so can these special editions have the rear split? (remember searching before and hardly finding the splits on any car )


in the b8 I was quite fond of getting the B&O sound as I do love my music so wondering how the standard b7 audi system and the bose system rank in comparison to each other (and the B&O ) substantial difference? mp3 functionality is a must, either via mp3 cd, sd card (or maybe bluetooth/aux to my phone). whilst on this topic the satnav fits in here too. now I'm not fussed on satnav, it's what I have google maps for on my phone but having one built it would be nice, but not sure if you can get them with the bose system or not? (or if you can retrofit it with the bose system in?) think the nav unit has sd card slot for mp3 music?


now I know when looking for these the cambelt is something to check on when asking about vehicles and their servicing as this is a key and expensive service right? is there anything else in particular I should be asking/looking out for/weary of/avoiding at all cost?

mileage is something that I dunno whether to think about it too much or not. I only do about 10k (if that, hence the petrol) per year, seen a few with decent mileage (sub 70k) but there are quite a few more with closer to 100k or over... is this really a bad point :\ ? everyone says different things haha!

I did see a beauty I was ready to go and see but when I phoned about it the car had already been sold... HATE it when people don't take down their adverts. seen it on auto trader and the guy said it was sold over a week ago... why is the advert still up?! (it's down now ) seems my b8 luck is following me on my b7 hunt


so yea, looking to ideally spend a max of around £6.5k or lower, that way I'll have more cash in the bank for the insurance tax mot and most importantly.... the mods hahaha! also feel a lot more comfortable handing over a smaller wad of cash and also feel more comfortable attempting to do learn/work on the car myself with it being a bit older and cheaper. bestow me with your knowledge!!!

(shall probably post a few cars that take my fancy in here and hopefully get some feed back from you guys and gals along the lines of "oh sweet jesus it's sexy" or "awww helll nawwwww! stay away from that junk!")

 

[RS5 JON]

Have a look at holly35's add in classifieds ( Audi Cars)

JG

 

[Molnboman]

Have a look at holly35's add in classifieds ( Audi Cars)

JG

Think the Gent is after a petrol Bud.

BR
A

 

[Gazwould]

Hold out for a B8 .

 

[RS5 JON]

Think the Gent is after a petrol Bud.

BR
A

Just in case he was willing to consider a tdi, it looks a nice motor mate.

JG

 

[Av4nt]

I have the B7 special edition S Line. Lovely car and very nippy. I would not have a B8 over it in my opinion. Not all would agree but heyho. The spec editions have a slightly stronger engine I believe too.

 

[DieselJake]

Cars are a very personal thing especially for enthusiasts, not quite sure why the OP felt the need to justify the decision in such depth but welcome aboard

 

[V6 Quatt]

Agree......

Hold out for a B8 .

 

[Molnboman]

Must say if I had the cash & the time and wanted a petrol, then I think I would go for the B8 too. Chain cam, better mpg and a tad bigger would do it for me.

Cheers
A

 

[DrSasso]

Have a look at holly35's add in classifieds ( Audi Cars)
JG

Think the Gent is after a petrol Bud.
BR
A

thanks for the suggestion, it's a nice car , but I am after a petrol rather than a diesel

I have the B7 special edition S Line. Lovely car and very nippy. I would not have a B8 over it in my opinion. Not all would agree but heyho. The spec editions have a slightly stronger engine I believe too.

each to their own isn't it ay that's what I was wondering about the engine and whether it would be worth specifically looking for a 220ps model over the 200ps in terms of future tuning and general performance/reliability/quality of parts?

Cars are a very personal thing especially for enthusiasts, not quite sure why the OP felt the need to justify the decision in such depth but welcome aboard

ah just kinda started typing and just kept going haha! but also a bit of back story as to how i got to here might help some how

Hold out for a B8 .

Must say if I had the cash & the time and wanted a petrol, then I think I would go for the B8 too. Chain cam, better mpg and a tad bigger would do it for me.

Cheers
A

see well that was my original thinking of moving to the b8 over the b7, it's a bit bigger and generally more refined it seems.... but..... that comes with a premium (as does everything ). however it's been increasingly difficult to find what I want for the price I want to pay and seeing how I was going to be happy originally with a b7 I've gone back to hunting for those, not to say I haven't stopped looking for b8s...but focusing more on the b7 market to see what's out there.

I've been looking for so long in the b8 market and there's just fewer and fewer cars that appeal to me and just increasing in price. been looking for ages now, being told to wait for registration changes as there will be more cars at audi dealerships..... LIES!!! PURE LIES! through the several reg changes I saw next to no new cars were listed and the few that did were usually out of my budget being £20k+

just trying to think a bit more realistically about it and the money is there but the willing to part with such a substantial chunk of cash on the first car I'll personally be buying is rather daunting. you here these horror stories about big expensive fixes, so buying an older model for half the price does give me considerably more in the bank in case there are problems. also I'd be more comfortable attempting work myself on the car, not to mention if I botched it up!!! minimising my losses

so yea, given these reasons and the current market the b7 looks to be the more viable choice for me

 

[Furkz]

if you find a nice B7 and buy it after the honeymoon period you will always be like i shoulda/need to buy a B8. so keep saving or keep hunting for that perfect B8

 

[Molnboman]

Well, if it has to be a B7 take your time and bag a good, low mileage, late model, petrol manual with sh#t loads of history imho....the DTM BUL engines seem good but not easy to find....my BGB 200bhp engine has mixed reports but at nearly 230k km's and a MTM re map it's still drives brilliantly, starts first time in any weather and makes me smile every time I jump in! Good Luck.

BR
A

 

[DrSasso]

if you find a nice B7 and buy it after the honeymoon period you will always be like i shoulda/need to buy a B8. so keep saving or keep hunting for that perfect B8

yeah that is one worry but I do really like the b7s too and I'm still looking for both currently but if I did find I really wanted a b8 after having a b7 for a while at least the value wouldn't have depreciated too much and I'd have an audi to trade in for p/x

Well, if it has to be a B7 take your time and bag a good, low mileage, late model, petrol manual with sh#t loads of history imho....the DTM BUL engines seem good but not easy to find....my BGB 200bhp engine has mixed reports but at nearly 230k km's and a MTM re map it's still drives brilliantly, starts first time in any weather and makes me smile every time I jump in! Good Luck.

BR
A

thanks for the luck (going to need it with my track record of car hunting lol!!!) when you say "low mileage", what sorta figures are we talking? like I consider 30k miles low but then again the latest b7 would be 2007 (?) so low for that could be 70-80k going on 10k a year driving and closer to 100k miles for a 2005 model...

not really sure what BUL and BGB engines mean I know that one was for the special editions/DTM and then there were a few different ones for the non special/DTM. is it worth holding out the search to look in favour of a dtm/special edition over the standard s-lines? or is there so little in it that if there's a nice s-line just go for that? (already seen a few that catch my eye )

 

[Molnboman]

yeah that is one worry but I do really like the b7s too and I'm still looking for both currently but if I did find I really wanted a b8 after having a b7 for a while at least the value wouldn't have depreciated too much and I'd have an audi to trade in for p/x




thanks for the luck (going to need it with my track record of car hunting lol!!!) when you say "low mileage", what sorta figures are we talking? like I consider 30k miles low but then again the latest b7 would be 2007 (?) so low for that could be 70-80k going on 10k a year driving and closer to 100k miles for a 2005 model...

not really sure what BUL and BGB engines mean I know that one was for the special editions/DTM and then there were a few different ones for the non special/DTM. is it worth holding out the search to look in favour of a dtm/special edition over the standard s-lines? or is there so little in it that if there's a nice s-line just go for that? (already seen a few that catch my eye )

Low mileage isn't necessarily a good thing either, eh. A car doing regular high motorway miles could possibly be in better nick than an engine just popping up to the supermarket every couple of days and doing a few miles a week. For me, I would not overlook anything post 100k miles, as long as it had absolute FSH and proof of a recent full cambelt and water pump service. A well service Audi is capable of some pretty incredible mileages....it can just be your luck. 10 - 15k a year is about right...maybe less with a petrol compared to diesels. I bought mine at 110,000miles with full VAGFSH and I was really lucky. I would avoid anything 2005 early 2006 cause of rust issues, but that's just me....as for engines...check the HJ website comments...a lot of those comments are valid, although it could freak you right out if you dig into the bad points too heavily, although it's mostly the 2.0 diesels which get a right slagging..Audi A4 B7 2005 - Car Review | Honest John oh, and avoid that dodgy owner's ocd review from the bloke in Sweden.....he's an ****!

As for DTM v S Line....could be down to taste...am not a huge fan of the rear end of the DTM models....the S Line quattro with leather is pretty and would be my weapon of choice.

Good Luck,
A

 

[DrSasso]

ay that's the thing, just don't know most the time what the car has been used for

I quite like the bumpers of the DTM, not so much the boot lip spoiler thingy :\ mostly seen ones for sale in silver with the black lip on the boots... looks a bit off to me :\ I was thinking more benefits wise but if it is just down to styling then I'll probably go for an s-line over the DTM as more choice out there (and cheaper) and can always get the bumpers fitted after

also is there any way to tell if a car has the rear seats split? I mean... obviously if you have a pic from the boot you can see it clear as day but most adverts lack that pic they'll have one of the back seats but usually angled so can't really tell. are there any markers on the seats like by the seatbeat socket I should keep an eye out for? (like a dent in the seat to allow for folding?) can both the cloth and the leather seats come in split options?


I have a lot of questions I know xD

edit: just had a quick look at that HJ site.... yea from the good/bad section I could only see one mention of a petrol engine in the bad (rest being diesels ) and that was regarding oil consumption, which I think was more of a problem on the b8 cars?

 

[Molnboman]

ay that's the thing, just don't know most the time what the car has been used for

I quite like the bumpers of the DTM, not so much the boot lip spoiler thingy :\ mostly seen ones for sale in silver with the black lip on the boots... looks a bit off to me :\ I was thinking more benefits wise but if it is just down to styling then I'll probably go for an s-line over the DTM as more choice out there (and cheaper) and can always get the bumpers fitted after

also is there any way to tell if a car has the rear seats split? I mean... obviously if you have a pic from the boot you can see it clear as day but most adverts lack that pic they'll have one of the back seats but usually angled so can't really tell. are there any markers on the seats like by the seatbeat socket I should keep an eye out for? (like a dent in the seat to allow for folding?) can both the cloth and the leather seats come in split options?


I have a lot of questions I know xD

edit: just had a quick look at that HJ site.... yea from the good/bad section I could only see one mention of a petrol engine in the bad (rest being diesels ) and that was regarding oil consumption, which I think was more of a problem on the b8 cars?

Benefit wise? Little more oomph, and slightly better spec', unique blue colour & cache of having one I guess but compared to a high spec'd Q S Line you could argue there's not much in it...but best to get an opinion from a DTM and Quattro S Line owner.....I have just got the cheap council version! hehe As for the rear split...you mean 60 - 40 rear seat thingy?.....I thought they all did in Avants...not sure in Saloons....but again, someone will confirm this who has the knowledge.

A

 

[DrSasso]

ay that's what I'm thikning, if it's only a little more oomf and body kit from DTM then I'll look more at the special edition s-lines that have said oomf but more selection out there (though the blue is nice )

yep 60/40 rear seat splits sorry xD yea the avants are standard but for the b7 saloons it was a factory option you had to select

 

[DrSasso]

So been having a bit more of a look and seeing what is available for me (and about locally). seen this one that's not too far away so was thinking of going up on sat for a nosey at it and a test drive (still yet to drive the 2.0tfsi...old dak dak diesels so far ): Audi A4 2.0T FSI Quattro S Line Special Edition 4dr

there ar these other two then which are pretty nice, ones got quite a bit more mileage on though and the other is that much more expensive again
Audi A4 2.0T FSI Quattro S Line Special Edition 4dr
Audi A4 2.0T FSI Quattro DTM 4dr


have also seen this on ebay and think it's one of the guys on this forum?
Audi A4 DTM (B7, Quattro 2.0T) | eBay

and also seen this

2006 AUDI A4 SPECIAL EDITION S LINE 2.0T QUATTRO PEARLESCENT AVUS SILVER | eBay

problem is they are all much of a muchness with a few differences in spec, but none seem to have folding seats also mileage is around the 100k mark on most (one at 137k !?) but most say full service history with audi up till their last service.

opinions on these preliminary choices? again, the less I spend the more for mods there are so ideally £5-6k also if I do go to view that car on sat are there any visual things I should be looking out for? anything about the way the car runs? (again...not driven the 2.0tfsi, or quattro so will be pretty new to me )

 

[Molnboman]

opinions on these preliminary choices? again, the less I spend the more for mods there are so ideally £5-6k also if I do go to view that car on sat are there any visual things I should be looking out for? anything about the way the car runs? (again...not driven the 2.0tfsi, or quattro so will be pretty new to me )

Basic rules apply,try and the get the motor from cold, see if turns over nicely....remember the tsfi engines do rattle like f#ck on start up and when warm too! haha. Check bodywork for rust and that all panels match up....check paintwork in daylight, Tyres, should be in good nick ( all 4 ) if it's a quattro ( or negotiate down ) look for badly worn discs. Inside, make sure all the buttons work...and I mean everything ( vanity mirror lights! ) Paperwork: Check history hpi clear, number of owners etc...when was the belts service was done ( or negotiate ) Driving, is temp bang on 90c...after it's warm...if not negotiate ( new thermostat probably) Engine bay, any obvious botch ups? Check oil filler cap....any mayonnaise inside, does the oil look nice ( eh? ) Test drive....gears all work smoothly ( the gearboxes in manual can be a bit notchy from cold ) Clutch feel good, no noises from steering wheel when on full lock.....no clunks from steering when hitting bumps in the road......er can't think of much more......just take your time and bag a good one.

Good Luck,
A

 

[DrSasso]

thanks for the reply molnboman shall make notes of this and take it with me!! gunna phone them over lunch to try and book something

 

[Molnboman]

thanks for the reply molnboman shall make notes of this and take it with me!! gunna phone them over lunch to try and book something

Oh forgot.....take a friend...pref' a **** hot VAG mechanic who knows his stuff and has VAG reader to do a diagnostic check on the engine!

 

[Craig Cull]

I had a B8.5 2.0t fsi for 2 weeks while my B7 was in for repair. It was a nice car, but I couldn't wait to get back in the B7. Less electrical bull**** stepping in when I wanted to give it some. Especially for the difference in price. This was when it was running the standard 220bhp, before I went stage 3. Still after 3 years of ownership I have never regretted my choice. If a B8 was an option, the S4 would be the only one worth while.

 

[DrSasso]

Oh forgot.....take a friend...pref' a **** hot VAG mechanic who knows his stuff and has VAG reader to do a diagnostic check on the engine!

ahhh good shout! not sure If I actually have any though xD I'll ask...though not sure what kinda response I'll get asking for any VAG mechanics on my facebook....

I had a B8.5 2.0t fsi for 2 weeks while my B7 was in for repair. It was a nice car, but I couldn't wait to get back in the B7. Less electrical bull**** stepping in when I wanted to give it some. Especially for the difference in price. This was when it was running the standard 220bhp, before I went stage 3. Still after 3 years of ownership I have never regretted my choice. If a B8 was an option, the S4 would be the only one worth while.

less to go wrong ay? less electronically at least! like manual handbrake xD didn't really like the electronic one in the B8 when I took one for a drive... yea it's all well and good on the flat... but without hill assist you seem to have to do some fancy/fast footwork to pull away before rolling back? I live in wales so hills everywhere xD so yea, mechanical=good. KISS(keep it simple, stupid )

I did actually look a little at some b7 S4s....but think I'd be biting off a bit more than I could chew... maybe later down the line


just a bit gutted this one only 30 miles away doesn't have the folding seats :\ if it did I think I'd be a lot more inclined to buy it, but could be a good thing going into view the first car with the intention of giving it more of a look/feel than deffo looking to buy it might get some money knocked off by looking disinterested in certain aspects maybe.... I'm so clueless haha!!!

 

[Craig Cull]

ahhh good shout! not sure If I actually have any though xD I'll ask...though not sure what kinda response I'll get asking for any VAG mechanics on my facebook....



less to go wrong ay? less electronically at least! like manual handbrake xD didn't really like the electronic one in the B8 when I took one for a drive... yea it's all well and good on the flat... but without hill assist you seem to have to do some fancy/fast footwork to pull away before rolling back? I live in wales so hills everywhere xD so yea, mechanical=good. KISS(keep it simple, stupid )

I did actually look a little at some b7 S4s....but think I'd be biting off a bit more than I could chew... maybe later down the line


just a bit gutted this one only 30 miles away doesn't have the folding seats :\ if it did I think I'd be a lot more inclined to buy it, but could be a good thing going into view the first car with the intention of giving it more of a look/feel than deffo looking to buy it might get some money knocked off by looking disinterested in certain aspects maybe.... I'm so clueless haha!!!

Don't get me wrong, they are a beautiful car and it's simply my opinion, mainly because I thought Audi cracked it with the B7 lol.
I was going to buy an RS4 but the V8 is not only thirsty as he'll but tax, insurance and maintenance is just not worth it for what is basically a nice expensive sound. Some will argue with me on this but I chose to have some fun and learn about my car whilst modifying it.

They don't look dated, and there's loads you can do for more power. Even the single mass fly wheel and the stage 3 clutch really give it that more thoroughbred feel (if that's what you like) but if that's not your thing, the standard set up gives it a nice everyday drive with loads of comfort. Just a good all round platform to work from no matter which direction you choose

 

[Molnboman]

Don't get me wrong, they are a beautiful car and it's simply my opinion, mainly because I thought Audi cracked it with the B7 lol.
I was going to buy an RS4 but the V8 is not only thirsty as he'll but tax, insurance and maintenance is just not worth it for what is basically a nice expensive sound. Some will argue with me on this but I chose to have some fun and learn about my car whilst modifying it.

They don't look dated, and there's loads you can do for more power. Even the single mass fly wheel and the stage 3 clutch really give it that more thoroughbred feel (if that's what you like) but if that's not your thing, the standard set up gives it a nice everyday drive with loads of comfort. Just a good all round platform to work from no matter which direction you choose

Quit while you are ahead Craig! hahaha

Can't disagree with most of your post Mate re the B7 v B8. Think the early B8 petrols are thirst feckers by all accounts.....new ones are sorted....and as for the diesels seems to be quite a few issues with the newer engines too!...****** diesels...don't get me started on them! As for the RS4 ...bang on there....running costs I couldn't justify....but a nice new S4 V6 with a remap? hehehehehe

I still think the B7's, both versions look wise are classics.....but am a bit biased! hehehe

Cheers
A

 

[Craig Cull]

Quit while you are ahead Craig! hahaha

Can't disagree with most of your post Mate re the B7 v B8. Think the early B8 petrols are thirst feckers by all accounts.....new ones are sorted....and as for the diesels seems to be quite a few issues with the newer engines too!...****** diesels...don't get me started on them! As for the RS4 ...bang on there....running costs I couldn't justify....but a nice new S4 V6 with a remap? hehehehehe

I still think the B7's, both versions look wise are classics.....but am a bit biased! hehehe

Cheers
A

Haha! I like the S4 B8, that was my next option before I decided to tune. But £17k - £20k+ just isn't worth it. ****** nice cars though

 

[ben.w93]

Hold out for a B8, 2.0tq in both the B7 and B8 are good, I had a 2.0Tq B7 saloon with split seats before my 3.0TDI avant I'm waiting for a decent B8 to change to. Dad had a B8 S5 sportback from 2010 to 2012 and there was no comparison in terms of the interior and kit on offer, (It was a well specked S5, so not really a fair comparison), the B7 is just a facelift B6 which has been around since about 2001, granted, they have much better engines and transmissions on offer, but even the newest B7s are going to 6-7 years old now. Ultimately its down to you, and B8s do fetch more money, hence why I have stuck with my B7 3.0TDI because I refuse to go to a 2.0tdi B8. Good luck with your car search

 

[kanecullen89]

I think it's horses for courses.
For me personally I went for the B8. Better interior, better looks exterior.
Better chassis, newer and longer.
And the B8 should be better performance wise. It has a torsen T3 centre diff which had a default 40:60 front rear power split whereas the B7 (except RS and possibly S) have the T2 diff which means 50:50 split.
Audi went with the T3 to dial out the understeer issues with the 50:50 split and they did a pretty good job.
These mechanical differences were enough to persuade me to spend a little more on a B8

 

[Craig Cull]

I think it's horses for courses.
For me personally I went for the B8. Better interior, better looks exterior.
Better chassis, newer and longer.
And the B8 should be better performance wise. It has a torsen T3 centre diff which had a default 40:60 front rear power split whereas the B7 (except RS and possibly S) have the T2 diff which means 50:50 split.
Audi went with the T3 to dial out the understeer issues with the 50:50 split and they did a pretty good job.
These mechanical differences were enough to persuade me to spend a little more on a B8

60/40 on the B7 mate, mine broadsides for fun with 360bhp

 

[kanecullen89]

60/40 on the B7 mate, mine broadsides for fun with 360bhp

http://m.awdwiki.com/en/quattro+evolutions/

B7 (except S and RS) use Quattro IV generation which is torsen T2 50:50 power split.

RS4 and S4 B7 and all B8's use generation V with torsen T3 and 40:60 front:rear split.

 

[Craig Cull]

S and RS models run the haldex system which never puts more than 50% of the power to the rear wheels. Considering mine spins the rear wheels with a reasonable launch, says to me that more than 50% goes to the rears. There's nothing haldex related on mine. Which I'm happy about. The Quattro responds like my impreza STI did, only better

 

[kanecullen89]

It actually says T1 for B7 on there so B7's might actually use the oldest generation

 

[kanecullen89]

It's only the transverse engines that use haldex like the A3/S3 and TT.
All A4's and above (including S and RS) use torsen with the longitudinal engine setup.

 

[Craig Cull]

It actually says T1 for B7 on there so B7's might actually use the oldest generation

Probably is the oldest generation. Reminds me of an escort cosworth. No ******* about, just power to the wheels and let the driver do the rest

 

[kanecullen89]

Probably is the oldest generation. Reminds me of an escort cosworth. No ******* about, just power to the wheels and let the driver do the rest

I completely agree with you that mechanical is the best. That's why I love the torsen setup. Purely mechanical, immediately responsive. I love the 4wd response in my car

 

[DrSasso]

thanks for the reply guys yeah I've been holding out/looking for a b8 for about 2 years though (after starting my search for b7s)

it's the "spend a little more" though which currently is pretty much double the price of the b7's I'm looking at xD so yeah, don;t get me wrong, a b8 would be great but after this test drive I'll get a feel for the b7 and if I still feel the same (love it) then it seems the more sensible option for me


ok bit confused about this talk on central diffs but think I get it, quattro type 3, torsion 1 on the b7's from that link I think? so oldest mechanically but 3rd gen of adaptation of it (EDL etc? )

anywho....having only ever driven FWD I'm sure any AWD will be an interesting experience (well... haven driven a 4x4 but that was for like 50 yards xD )

 

[Craig Cull]

It's only the transverse engines that use haldex like the A3/S3 and TT.
All A4's and above (including S and RS) use torsen with the longitudinal engine setup.

I was always under the impression that the RS4 run the haldex system, that was another main reason for not buying one

 

[kanecullen89]

I was always under the impression that the RS4 run the haldex system, that was another main reason for not buying one

Only the RS3 and TTRS.
The RS4 and above have the same longitudinal and torsen setup as the B8 so still fully mechanical.
I believe that the RS models also have an extra sports diff (not sure if standard or an extra) but that's just another mechanical diff which makes the handling better still

 

[dpaz]

I own a B7 and B8. They both have their merits. The B7, if you find a decent low miler is a lot of car for the money. The B8 is still expensive as the shape is still current-ish.

I'll be selling my B7 soon though as it's not getting used It's a diesel so won't help the OP.

 

[Craig Cull]

To be fair, as much as all the new updates on newer models improve the handling, apart from body roll on the B7 (which I replaced with Eibach) handling as always been the best feature for me. I've never suffered from under steer with it, or found it hard to drive, so I'm not really sure what's been gained with the new systems