Wednesday 15th October 2003

A3 3.2 Quattro Sport

250PS range topper. Where does that leave the next S3?

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The latest and most potent ever Audi A3 is set to go on sale in Britain from the beginning of November. The first ever V6 premium sports hatch from Audi, with ~250bhp on tap will be reaching its first UK customers within weeks, some equipped with the new DSG double clutch transmission.

The flagship 155mph, A3 3.2 quattro Sport is priced at £23,665 OTR for the 6-speed manual version, and at £25,065 OTR with DSG transmission. Both cars come with four wheel drive as standard. Performance is spritely rather than brutal with 60mph being reached in 6.4 seconds.

All new from the ground up, and first launched in the UK in May this year, the revised A3 range is roomier - 65 mm longer and 30 mm wider than the original, but also slightly lower.

The new flagship increases the UK A3 range to a total of six models, which incorporates two 1.6 litre models (102PS and 115PS FSI), a 2-litre petrol FSI version (150PS) and two Diesels, a 1.9 TDI (105PS) and the advanced new 2.0 TDI (140PS) at prices ranging from £15,190 to £23,665.

The question now remains what a new S3 model would have to do to top the revised range...

[s3am]

Aren't they skipping the S3 and making a 300-330bhp RS3 instead?

[jumjum]

Must be pretty heavy 250 bhp only 6.4 secs ? Still should be safe in a crash.

I imagine they might go for the S4 engine which is a pretty compact v8 ?

[BarryG]

s3am said:

Aren't they skipping the S3 and making a 300-330bhp RS3 instead?

That's what I've heard too.

BTW, has anyone here actually driven a DSG equipped car? Is it really the gearbox of the future?

[workshy fopp]

Ordered one last week. Didn't go for the DSG as I don't really need the auto mode, plus with dsg and a few options added it starts nudging £27k which is too much for a jumped up hatchback I think.
Got just over a grand off list price from a main dealer though!

[Plotloss]

RS3 - No one I have spoken to recently will confirm its existence...

[Big_Dan]

RS3 must be a goer with the new 5 door Avant style A3, but I've not heard any confirmations either ...

[Podie]

150PS for the 2-litre petrol FSI to the 250PS 3.2 V6 is one hell of a gap!

At least the outgoing range had a nice "step up" to it... 150, 180, 225 (nee 210).. do Audi expect existing 180 customers to jump up or down?

[plotloss]

Good lad Podie, still thinking in product terms, dont let the IT gits grind you down!

[Podie]

plotloss said:

Good lad Podie, still thinking in product terms, dont let the IT gits grind you down!

must have a or three at BTaP chap... have a about the whole thing!