Audi A3 - Hit or Miss?

[kach22i]

I saw an Audi A3 for the first time last night. It has the proportions of a scaled down SUV, does not look like a mini wagon or hatchback.

The nose profile of an Audi TT, it's really sporty. A turbo 2.0L - add an AWD option (the sample I saw was not AWD) and Subaru might have to worry about this $25,000 European import.

Is America ready for it's smaller sibling the A2?



EDIT: I took the pictures out, had the wrong year shown - sorry folks.

[RallyJon]

Saw a bunch of those--and the S3, which is very nice--in Greece last summer. A very attractive hatchback.

But are they bringing the three door here? I heard only the ugly five door was coming to the US. Also, it got the new Audi vertical nose. The pictures you posted are a couple of years old.

As for performance, all I know is what I read in EVO. They say the S3 is moderately fast, too heavy, but very luxurious for a hatchback. They're not bringing the S3, are they?

So, look for 1) "new" Audi styling, 2) good power, but lousy power to weight ratio, 3) a really nice interior, 4) a price well north of $25k.

Not really in the same class as the more minimalist, hard core STI and EVO. Kind of like the Golf R32, which was "reviewed" here recently.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by RallyJon
But are they bringing the three door here? I heard only the ugly five door was coming to the US. Also, it got the new Audi vertical nose. The pictures you posted are a couple of years old.

Opps.........you are right, the car I saw last night was a 4-door with a hatchback. Still it was not bad looking at all.

I recall the nose/profile being very blunt like the Audi TT, the picture I posted is not that look - close but no cigar.

I'll get pictures soon.

I'm thinking this car is the spiritual successor to the VW Scirocco in a removed kind of way.

[kach22i]

Here is the 2005 A3.................in real life it does no look so wagon like (my opinion).

[kjb]

Think of the A3 as a Golf with a much nicer interior.

My girlfriend is of the opinion that the A2 would be all the rage among college girls who currently drive Jettas.

/ J

[kach22i]

A guy on another board had this to say:

The A2 has absolutely zero chance of being sold in the US. It's been a spectacular failure in Europe, and is being discontinued in the next year or so. It was a well-done, economical car, but it was priced out of the market. The all-aluminum construction simply forced it into too high of a price point.

I don't have all the facts on the A2 - just passing it on for now - must verify later.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC


If this is the car Audi intends to sell in the US for $25,000, it will CERTAINLY be a flop.

I'll try correting this one more time.

1. The silver car is a 2004, not even a US model.

2. The blue car is the 2005 at $25,000.

3. Looking at the A4 at $34,000 and the A6 at $51,000 the A3 at $25,000 looks to be a bargin. Well not really.

[kach22i]

I figured out why the A-3 was so hard to catch on the dealer lot, seems to be popular to give it a test ride. See the link below: Test drive an Audi A3, get 33 free iTunes

http://dealnews.com/articles/Test+drive+an+Audi+A3+get+33+free+iTunes/84773.html