Audi S3 front grille, US edition. Some help needed

[sonicblue83]

Hi there,

I hope there are some American S3 (8V) drivers here who can help me. I live in Switzerland and drive an S3 aswell. The "problem" is that the front grille has a huge unremovable plastic for the European licence plate. Since the Swiss licence plate is much smaller, this looks very ugly. Basically it looks like on these pictures:
http://www.patricklehmann.ch/de/galleries/2014-audi-s3

I found some pictures of the American S3 which has a slightly different front, like on this picture:


My question is, does anybody know if the plastic for the American licence plate is removable? Or if not, is there another version in the US without any licence plate (I thought I heared once that in some States there is no obligation to put a licence plate at the front of the car)?

I only found a picture of an S7 which shows the front without licence plate:


I really hope you can help me since the dealers in Switzerland have no idea about it.

If somebody of you has an S3 without licence plate at the front, I would appreciate it if you could post a picture. And if there is a possibility to ask your dealer about the part number and price tag I would appreciate it a lot (I need the silver S3 grille with park sensors but WITHOUT front camera and WITHOUT plastic for the licence plate).

 

[Blackwhite]

Hello Sonicblue

I got my new A3 quattro 2.0 saloon
in September. When I special ordered it they checked off the front
license plate holder because I live in a state that requires it. However, there are some states in the U.S.
that you do not have to have a front plate, and you can order the
car without the holder.


I would have liked to have kept it off but did not want to risk getting
pulled over.

 

[Bristle Hound]

Must admit the North American front grille does look nice without the licence plate

As opposed to the EU version -

 

[sonicblue83]

Thanks for your explanation and picture. That confirms my opinion, that there is the front grille I want in the USA. It's exactely the one in the first picture (silver with park sensors but no front camera). The only problem is how to get the part number and price. Does anybody in the USA have some connections to a dealer to ask about it?

 

[xssiiv]

Try ECS Tuning

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-8V_S3-Quattro-2.0T_Sedan/Exterior/Body/Grille/ES2732568/

 

[naughts4187]

Thanks for your explanation and picture. That confirms my opinion, that there is the front grille I want in the USA. It's exactely the one in the first picture (silver with park sensors but no front camera). The only problem is how to get the part number and price. Does anybody in the USA have some connections to a dealer to ask about it?

Yep I'm with you on this one, I have a small number plate that I use in the UK (legal) but really want this US grille. I'd happily go in on a group buy if others do too? Lets get that part number, and US friends care to help? ECS says it's V5853651D1RR.

 

[sonicblue83]

@xssiiv
Thank you for the link. Are you sure that this is exactely the grille on the first picture from Bristle Hound? I checked the part number in Google and it also shows up on European stores and therefore I'm not sure if it's exactely the one I want.

Does anybody know which US states don't require the front plate?

@naughts4187
The problem is that there is no picture of it on ECS. When I asked my dealer about the US grille the problem was that there were so many versions of it they didn't know which one is the one I want.

 

[xssiiv]

@xssiiv
Thank you for the link. Are you sure that this is exactely the grille on the first picture from Bristle Hound? I checked the part number in Google and it also shows up on European stores and therefore I'm not sure if it's exactely the one I want.

Does anybody know which US states don't require the front plate?

@naughts4187
The problem is that there is no picture of it on ECS. When I asked my dealer about the US grille the problem was that there were so many versions of it they didn't know which one is the one I want.

They are great to deal with, either email them or speak to them online. I'm based in Australia so can't confirm sorry.

 

[Blackwhite]

@xssiiv
Thank you for the link. Are you sure that this is exactely the grille on the first picture from Bristle Hound? I checked the part number in Google and it also shows up on European stores and therefore I'm not sure if it's exactely the one I want.

Does anybody know which US states don't require the front plate?

@naughts4187
The problem is that there is no picture of it on ECS. When I asked my dealer about the US grille the problem was that there were so many versions of it they didn't know which one is the one I want.

 

[Blackwhite]

@xssiiv
Thank you for the link. Are you sure that this is exactely the grille on the first picture from Bristle Hound? I checked the part number in Google and it also shows up on European stores and therefore I'm not sure if it's exactely the one I want.

Does anybody know which US states don't require the front plate?

@naughts4187
The problem is that there is no picture of it on ECS. When I asked my dealer about the US grille the problem was that there were so many versions of it they didn't know which one is the one I want.

The states that do not require license plates in the United States are:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
New Mexico
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
West Virginia

 

[Liam Siijah]

Im on the same boat as you are. But I might be considering the RS styled meshed grill instead.
http://www.jcsportline.net/en/product-detail-5029.html

 

[sonicblue83]

@Blackwhite
Thank you a lot. I will try to contact some Audi dealers. I also wrote the same question to a German forum and there was one Swiss user who was able to get the US grille. I don't know if I'm allowed to link to another forum? But the car looks just great with this new grille. I will also contact his dealer to see what I can find out.

 

[Q5 TRS]

So does that mean:

You register your car in a state that does not require front plates you can drive it in states needing front plates?

 

[Blackwhite]

@Blackwhite
Thank you a lot. I will try to contact some Audi dealers. I also wrote the same question to a German forum and there was one Swiss user who was able to get the US grille. I don't know if I'm allowed to link to another forum? But the car looks just great with this new grille. I will also contact his dealer to see what I can find out.

 

[Blackwhite]

Your Welcome Sonicblue.

It does look great. I hope you can get one.

Keep in touch.

 

[Blackwhite]

So does that mean:

You register your car in a state that does not require front plates you can drive it in states needing front plates?

Yes. As long as your car is registered in your home state, you
are allowed to drive through any
state that does require a front plate.

 

[Bristle Hound]

I don't know if I'm allowed to link to another forum?

Go for it

We all want to see the pics

 

[sonicblue83]

I saw the car by myself today and took some pictures of it. Unfortunately, it's not as perfect as I thought. The plastic behind the grille on the European modell is a bit different than the US modell. Therefore some details don't look perfect. Look for example at the left side of the front plate and you see a little part that looks like styrofoam.