Most other markets get a 150 2.0 tdi manual Quattro and there is already a RHD conversion as it is available in Ireland. Are others interested in a manual Quattro? Let's get a campaign going with Audi UK.
Manual Quattro tdi
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The Irish Price List is a bit strange. It lists the 2.0TDI-150 Manual quattro that you mention, but it also lists a 2.0TDI-184 7-speed stronic quattro which is a model that Audi do not make. All 2.0TDI-184 stronic quattro's use the 6-speed s-tronic not the 7-speed. The 7-speed would not take the torque produced by the 184 engine. A mistake me thinks.
It's generally down to the individual countries importer, Audi UK in the case of the UK. They basically agree which models and how many they are going to want to be available in the production schedules for the next 12 months.
some years ago Audi UK didn't want to import any of the then new Sportback 5-door version because they thought it would take away the 'sporty' image of the A3. Now of course nearly four times as many Sportbacks are sold compared with 3-door version.
Interesting. Next time before they are taking any decisions, someone please advice the them (the Audi top managers) to check the situation on other European markets, I am pretty sure the UK inhabitants not are that different from the rest in their preferences (apart from that thing with the steering wheel side)
But at a second thought, there are differences, e.g. almost no 3 door A3's are sold in Sweden (5-10%), as it is regarded to impractical.
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I wish we drove on the same side all over Europe. It seems ridiculous as we are EU members that we don't all conform .
As for a manual quattro Tdi ... Our last 8p was a cracker but having to put up with an S3 manual now.. Times are tough but grins are permanent!
As for a manual quattro Tdi ... Our last 8p was a cracker but having to put up with an S3 manual now.. Times are tough but grins are permanent!
Interesting. Next time before they are taking any decisions, someone please advice the them (the Audi top managers) to check the situation on other European markets, I am pretty sure the UK inhabitants not are that different from the rest in their preferences (apart from that thing with the steering wheel side)
Yes i totally agree we should all be driving on the same side by now. Perhaps to make it easier the trucks and busses should change over first then cars then bikes !
I think when Sweden did it they did Blue cars on Monday, red cars on Tuesday etc ;-)
Most bikes (motor) ride on the right most of the time already!
Whose to say we need to change which side we drive on ?
I don't want to debate it as it's too late and I got to go back to work tomorrow......but I personally feel driving on the left is more logical and road layouts at junctions etc are better.
Back on topic - could you not buy the car in Ireland and then get it registered in UK if it really is important you have that engine / transmission combo?
I don't want to debate it as it's too late and I got to go back to work tomorrow......but I personally feel driving on the left is more logical and road layouts at junctions etc are better.
Back on topic - could you not buy the car in Ireland and then get it registered in UK if it really is important you have that engine / transmission combo?
Having lived in both the usa and germany i can not say there is any advantage or disadvantage to driving on the right, it is just different.
On topic, my gripe is that audi uk are deciding to deny the people in the uk a model that is widely available elsewhere let the marketplace decide. If people dont want this model it wont be ordered but i suspect it would be popular as not everyone wants a high powered quattro for the performance. Many want the reassurance quattro drive would give in adverse weather and dont want or need 180+ps.
Agreed, as long as your car has the wheel on the correct side for the country you're driving in it makes little difference from what I can tell.
Agree with that Flibble, I just believe as we are in the EU and many travel to/from the Uk it would be better if we grasped the nettle and all drove on the same side. I do the switch 8/9 times a year and it has become automatic but many don't find it easy & of course safety issues overtaking etc.
And of course the added advantage of a Tdi manual quattro!
And of course the added advantage of a Tdi manual quattro!
As a country we cannot even find the money to fill in pot holes let alone the huge cost of changing which side of the road we drive. No doubt if we were to consider it would would start with cars and then follow with buses, coached and lorries six months later
I've driven many thousands of miles on the continent and don't find it a problem. If someone really wants a TDI manual quattro that much they could always buy one from Germany, France or anywhere else in Europe depending which country offerred the best price.
I've driven many thousands of miles on the continent and don't find it a problem. If someone really wants a TDI manual quattro that much they could always buy one from Germany, France or anywhere else in Europe depending which country offerred the best price.
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Overtaking is the big issue when in LHD countries and having a house there we often travel without a passenger. Will probably buy a LHD car and use that for foreign trips.
As for buying a RHD manual quattro 8V that is not possible in mainland Europe as they do not make one. Also the price is highly prohibitive, certainly in France an S3 to the same spec as mine circa £38k in the UK (before discount) is over 21% more expensive for the LHD version!! Hence people buy LHD cars in the UK to take to mainland Europe.
As for potholes.. just think it's about time the current Government and Local Councils got their act together, there's an election coming. My Local Tory Council refuses to put up Council Tax as a matter of principle whereas a quick poll around the office suggests folks would gladly pay say 1% more for better services and fewer potholes!! It is not a case of not finding the money, it is B* politicians not raising the revenue they could and arguably should to provide decent roads!
As for buying a RHD manual quattro 8V that is not possible in mainland Europe as they do not make one. Also the price is highly prohibitive, certainly in France an S3 to the same spec as mine circa £38k in the UK (before discount) is over 21% more expensive for the LHD version!! Hence people buy LHD cars in the UK to take to mainland Europe.
As for potholes.. just think it's about time the current Government and Local Councils got their act together, there's an election coming. My Local Tory Council refuses to put up Council Tax as a matter of principle whereas a quick poll around the office suggests folks would gladly pay say 1% more for better services and fewer potholes!! It is not a case of not finding the money, it is B* politicians not raising the revenue they could and arguably should to provide decent roads!
Audi do actually make a 2.0TDI-150 6-speed Manual quattro in RHD as they is one on the Audi Eire price list.
The prices in Euro's are â¬34,420 for the Entry level, â¬35,590 for SE and â¬38,740 for the S-line. Presumably as Eire is an EU country there would be no further Import Duty or VAT to pay.
The price list also list a 2.0TDI-184 7-speed stronic quattro which I think must be a typo because the 184 is fitted with the 6-speed quattro because of the high (380 Nm) torque level. The only model that is a direct comparison is the S-Line which is â¬42,330 which is around £36,720 compared to a UK Total RRP of £29,410 which obviously makes it rather expensive when compared to the UK price.
The prices in Euro's are â¬34,420 for the Entry level, â¬35,590 for SE and â¬38,740 for the S-line. Presumably as Eire is an EU country there would be no further Import Duty or VAT to pay.
The price list also list a 2.0TDI-184 7-speed stronic quattro which I think must be a typo because the 184 is fitted with the 6-speed quattro because of the high (380 Nm) torque level. The only model that is a direct comparison is the S-Line which is â¬42,330 which is around £36,720 compared to a UK Total RRP of £29,410 which obviously makes it rather expensive when compared to the UK price.
Well that's not what Audi France told us! Frankly I take the website info with a pinch of salt as there are usually errors as Dave has pointed out.
Prices in Euros are sky high our spec s3 is 21% higher for LHD at 1.21 Euro/£1uk
I am seriously looking at buying a few LHD in uk for European colleagues.
Prices in Euros are sky high our spec s3 is 21% higher for LHD at 1.21 Euro/£1uk
I am seriously looking at buying a few LHD in uk for European colleagues.
Personally I would think Audi Eire were more likely to know what the are able to sell to their customers than Audi France who have no real interest in RHD cars.
Details are in their Product and Price Guide
Model Year 2014 - Released December 2013
The current price list for Germany shows the S3 Sportback manual at â¬40,100 which at the â¬1.21 to the £1 = £33,140 which is £2700 more than the UK Total RRP which is 8.64% more than the UK. I don't know if Audi UK can order LHD version but the other option if the S3 is 21% more in France than the UK would be to go over the border and order a LHD model from a German dealer. Specifications may be different of course.
Why are France so much more than the UK or Germany - different tax system for new cars?
Details are in their Product and Price Guide
Model Year 2014 - Released December 2013
The current price list for Germany shows the S3 Sportback manual at â¬40,100 which at the â¬1.21 to the £1 = £33,140 which is £2700 more than the UK Total RRP which is 8.64% more than the UK. I don't know if Audi UK can order LHD version but the other option if the S3 is 21% more in France than the UK would be to go over the border and order a LHD model from a German dealer. Specifications may be different of course.
Why are France so much more than the UK or Germany - different tax system for new cars?
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You'd actually buy the car without Irish VAT, then pay the VAT in the UK. Since VAT in Ireland is 23%, there's a modest saving to be made there.
The specs are very different , models , wheels seats and extras. Uk spec cars are generally better spec'd than others in the EU are. in my experience . Also the value of used cars in Europe is different too.
Take a look.
Configurateur Audi - Intro
There is a French person on here who collected an S3 (LHD) I believe from Watford, and saved thousands!
Take a look.
Configurateur Audi - Intro
There is a French person on here who collected an S3 (LHD) I believe from Watford, and saved thousands!
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snakehips
Registered User
For me the biggest advantage to driving on the right is that maybe then the touchpad would recognise what the hell I'm trying to write.
Yes I've always thought it would be quite nice to have a LHD car because being right-handed it means I could opperate things like the MMI etc using my right hand rather than my left. It is actually one of the reasons I like my TomTom. Because I have it mounter just below eye level at the right-hand end of the screen it means I can tap in a location of address using the touch QWERTY keyboard with my right-hand and being at that end of the screen the power wire can be hidden inside the door rubber with the charger and it's feed wire hidden behind the dash, but still very easy to get at.
LHD with s-tronic would not be a problem but many years ago I drove a German 5-series BMW and kept trying to change gear with the window winder (before the days of electric windows)
I knew the specs are much lower in Germany where just about everything is an option, mostly because their is virtual no company car market to please, but I have never looked at any cars in France. Most of my experience of France is just passing through on the AutoRoutes on the way to Germany, Austria and Switzerland which I have to say are much better than UK motorways, apart from the cost. As most of the time now I only go as far as Germany I tend to use the free autoroutes through France and Belgium instead.
France is the thinking persons country ... Liberty, equality and friendship.. Good food good wine merde beer rubbish cars but hey you can't have everything at least they care about education and health and the roads are better than the Uk too. Just glad we don't pay their prices for S3 Audi!
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Not a typo I believe - same combo present in the new A6 ultra. It would only make sense for them to optimise drive-trains...
It would but engine is East to West in 8V and North to South in A4/5/6/7/8 and it is a different box.
