Any idea when we'll get brochures/details for the new A3?
- Thread starter Vertigo1
- Start date
James.Asbri
Vorsprung Durch Technik
Just been reading the press release and the new 2.0TDI 150PS engine looks interesting. A bit slower than the 170PS I currently have but, critically, it's only 106g/km of CO2. This matters to me massively as it's a company car and the scales are sliding quite a bit over the next few years so every little helps. I'm prepared to take a bit of a performance hit if it saves me a shedload of tax.
What I need now is brochures so I can start speccing it up as I do like my toys.
What I need now is brochures so I can start speccing it up as I do like my toys.
check my last thread
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-sportback-8p-chassis/154669-new-a3-delivery-dates.html
might be of interest
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-sportback-8p-chassis/154669-new-a3-delivery-dates.html
might be of interest
Ta for that. The lease on my current car is up at the end of November but there's not usually a problem holding on to it for a few extra months if necessary so the timings for the new model look just about right, providing the model I want is available from the launch.
There are no brochures available as yet on the Audi Germany website. One assumes there will be some available before the dealers start taking orders in May. I have registered my interest on the Audi UK site so hopefully I will get an email when more details are available.
Registered my interest on the website too. Just popped into the dealer on my travels and they were useless. Said they'd probably have brochures in around three months. I said the official press release said they'd be taking orders in the spring and they sounded surprised. Useless - they're supposed to know this stuff!
PS. To the mods - is it time to create a new sub-forum for the new A3? Keep all the discussion and conjecture in one place and will obviously be needed soon anyway when orders and deliveries start.
The Governor
Registered User
That's not really surprising to be honest and par for the course with any dealer. Considering how little they have to learn about the cars they sell I am often astonished how little of it they do. If I go into a dealer to talk about a car they should feel embarrassed that I know more about their product range than they do.
It would be really easy to be a better dealer than any of them out there to be honest.
Depends on the dealer. I've been dealing with the same guy at the same dealers since I bought my first A3 in 1998 and he really knows his Audis. But I agree that some salesmen seem to know very little about the cars they are selling and are often quite amazed that I know a lot more about them then they do.
I have a quick rule of thumb in connection with car salesmen. I look at their shoes. If they are clean and nicely polished they generally turn out to be quite good and knowledgeable whereas if their shoes are scruffy they are mostly pretty useless.
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The Governor
Registered User
brilliant, everyone's got to have a system, I'm going to try that theory out next time lol.
I'm dying to see the brochures so I can see what they've done with models and options this time round.
As I've said elsewhere, the problem with lease companies in this country is they attach no residual value to options, you just pay for them outright over the duration of the term. With expensive and desirable options like nav or xenons, this is farcical as they obviously increase the value and saleability of the car at the end of the term.
What I've noticed is that the standard A3 models seem far less well specced than the larger models. This has improved with each iteration of the 8P but is still some way short. If you want all the toys then you invariably end up adding most of them as expensive options whereas on a larger model, many of them would be standard, albeit on the higher-end trim levels like S-Line, S-Line SE or Black Editions.
I'm hoping they address this with the new model, preferably with a top-end S-Line or S-Line SE trim which includes things like Xenons etc as standard and reduces the need for options. Failing this, more 'packs' would be nice where you can get combinations of options for a reduced price, such as the technology or comfort packs.
With the amazing tech they seem to have crammed into the new A3, something tells me I'm looking at £30k+ for a small three door hatchback this time round!
As I've said elsewhere, the problem with lease companies in this country is they attach no residual value to options, you just pay for them outright over the duration of the term. With expensive and desirable options like nav or xenons, this is farcical as they obviously increase the value and saleability of the car at the end of the term.
What I've noticed is that the standard A3 models seem far less well specced than the larger models. This has improved with each iteration of the 8P but is still some way short. If you want all the toys then you invariably end up adding most of them as expensive options whereas on a larger model, many of them would be standard, albeit on the higher-end trim levels like S-Line, S-Line SE or Black Editions.
I'm hoping they address this with the new model, preferably with a top-end S-Line or S-Line SE trim which includes things like Xenons etc as standard and reduces the need for options. Failing this, more 'packs' would be nice where you can get combinations of options for a reduced price, such as the technology or comfort packs.
With the amazing tech they seem to have crammed into the new A3, something tells me I'm looking at £30k+ for a small three door hatchback this time round!
The Governor
Registered User
It's pretty standard pracice that as a car ages it gets more kit, so I'd imagine the new shape will have hardly anything as standard at first...
audicruiser
Audi Heaven
The A3 spec list will probably be along the lines of the A1 I would thought...
The current A3 actually got a worse spec as it got older... Climate was standard on an SE in 2006, that changed when the facelift came out and was standard from Sport upwards...
The current A3 actually got a worse spec as it got older... Climate was standard on an SE in 2006, that changed when the facelift came out and was standard from Sport upwards...
It's true that climate control was removed from the SE spec but the price also went down from £2000 to £650. I remember when I purchased my SE in 2009 the price of the options that had been taken out of the spec was about the same as adding them back as options. The changes actually happened in June 2008.
Audi UK's idea was to given a price difference between the SE and Sport models. Up until then they had both been the same price but with different 'goodies'.
Personally I prefer a car to have quite a basic spec and then I can add the options I want and not pay for those I don't.
Audi UK's idea was to given a price difference between the SE and Sport models. Up until then they had both been the same price but with different 'goodies'.
Personally I prefer a car to have quite a basic spec and then I can add the options I want and not pay for those I don't.
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The thing with the SE is that it was re-positioned.
When the car was launched, there was the base trim level, then SE and Sport sat above that but at the same price level. If you preferred comfort you went for SE, if you preferred sportiness, you went for the Sport. Each had options the other lacked. My first A3 was actually an SE but with a lot of options which were standard on the Sport, like the seats and DIS etc.
They later reorganised everything so it was a straight progression from Base -> SE -> Sport -> S-Line, with each model having everything the previous ones did plus a few more bits.
When the car was launched, there was the base trim level, then SE and Sport sat above that but at the same price level. If you preferred comfort you went for SE, if you preferred sportiness, you went for the Sport. Each had options the other lacked. My first A3 was actually an SE but with a lot of options which were standard on the Sport, like the seats and DIS etc.
They later reorganised everything so it was a straight progression from Base -> SE -> Sport -> S-Line, with each model having everything the previous ones did plus a few more bits.
Yeah that makes sense if you're paying for it yourself, and providing they don't 'milk' the option prices too much, but it's a nightmare when leasing as it jacks the cost up massively.
The Governor
Registered User
Whereas conversely I like the packages because as someone who very rarely buys brand new, you're less at the mercy of the whims of someone elses choices.
Of course it can work in your favour is someone has stacked the car, but a lot of the time people are pretty critical about whetehr they need costed options, I know my approach is usually "Do I REALLY need that?"
Of course it can work in your favour is someone has stacked the car, but a lot of the time people are pretty critical about whetehr they need costed options, I know my approach is usually "Do I REALLY need that?"
I went with "oooh look, shiny" and ticked every box I got near. I'm not sure I should be allowed near option lists in future. Of the things I didn't add - panoramic roof, electric seats, lumbar support, heated rear seats and front parking sensors - I only regret not getting the front sensors, but I wouldn't have minded the electric seats and heated rears now I've had the heated fronts.
I think the new one will be spec'd about the same as the current sport model, as the new A3 will have more toys than the old one, it makes sense to have a few more at lower levels. More importantly, it needs to slot in above the A1 which comes with a few toys as standard. My thinking is that if the base A3 doesn't have any kit, people will just drop to the A1 unless they need the size.
I think the new one will be spec'd about the same as the current sport model, as the new A3 will have more toys than the old one, it makes sense to have a few more at lower levels. More importantly, it needs to slot in above the A1 which comes with a few toys as standard. My thinking is that if the base A3 doesn't have any kit, people will just drop to the A1 unless they need the size.
One thing I still can't seem to find a straight answer to is the new high-end mobile phone connectivity, as featured on the A1 and some other models.
The brochures say that this system uses the Remote SIM Access Profile (RSAP) to connect to the phone. This system basically means the car itself has all the electronics and model of a mobile phone and simply connects to the SIM in your phone via Bluetooth. This connection can then be used for calls, texts or data and your handset is pretty much put to sleep, conserving the battery.
Great! Except the iPhone doesn't support RSAP and probably never will at this rate. So what options are there?
It does say that this prep also has a SIM slot where you can insert a dedicated SIM card to provide data connectivity for Google Maps, traffic, points of interest and the internal WiFi hotspot features. That's great, but the big question is, can I use such a dedicated SIM for data connectivity but STILL connect my iPhone for calls via Bluetooth AT THE SAME TIME?
This is critical. If this isn't possible then the system is useless. I can't use my phone with it at all or, if I can, I'd have to forego the data connectivity and miss out on all those goodies, rendering the system pointless. I therefore may as well go with the lower "old style" bluetooth connectivity.
I can't seem to find any answers on this yet.
The brochures say that this system uses the Remote SIM Access Profile (RSAP) to connect to the phone. This system basically means the car itself has all the electronics and model of a mobile phone and simply connects to the SIM in your phone via Bluetooth. This connection can then be used for calls, texts or data and your handset is pretty much put to sleep, conserving the battery.
Great! Except the iPhone doesn't support RSAP and probably never will at this rate. So what options are there?
It does say that this prep also has a SIM slot where you can insert a dedicated SIM card to provide data connectivity for Google Maps, traffic, points of interest and the internal WiFi hotspot features. That's great, but the big question is, can I use such a dedicated SIM for data connectivity but STILL connect my iPhone for calls via Bluetooth AT THE SAME TIME?
This is critical. If this isn't possible then the system is useless. I can't use my phone with it at all or, if I can, I'd have to forego the data connectivity and miss out on all those goodies, rendering the system pointless. I therefore may as well go with the lower "old style" bluetooth connectivity.
I can't seem to find any answers on this yet.
