2009 Audi A3 "review thread"
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2009 Audi A3 "review thread"
<center><img src="http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.nationalpost.com/cars/535169.bin?size=404x272"></center><p>I'd like to get a thread going with as many reviews of the new model as possible. I'll kick it off with this one, from a CA writer (National Post).
Preview: 2009 Audi A3
Turbo/quattro setup good as gold
Gabriel Gelinas, National Post
Published: Friday, May 23, 2008
MUNICH -Audi finally got it right. At last the A3 will be available in Canada with the drivetrain best suited to this car and to our market -- the 2009 model will offer the combination of the four-cylinder turbocharged engine and quattro all-wheel drive when it lands on our shores in September. Up until now, the turbo engine was only available on the front-wheel-drive A3 and the all-wheel-drive system could only be matched with the 3.2-litre V6 engine. This meant the price of a quattro-equipped A3 was jacked up by a considerable margin. On top of that, the increased weight of the car was to the point where its balance never felt quite right.
But, now, the combination of the 200-horsepower turbocharged engine and the quattro system means the Audi A3 finally hits that sweet spot where everything is in harmony. On the wet country roads around Munich, the turbo A3 quattro delivered near-flawless performance, especially when matched with the six-speed S-tronic sequential gearbox, which has been improved to provide even faster upshifts and which will still blip the throttle to perfectly match revs on downshifts. With this gearbox, driving the car at speed and exploiting its performance potential is within reach of just about any driver.
Also, the combination of the turbo engine and quattro pays dividends in the ride and handling department. As the four-cylinder turbocharged engine is lighter than the V6, there is much less tendency toward understeer in the corners. This means the newest A3 feels lighter, more agile and more willing to go out and play on back roads. The chassis is stiff, the steering is precise and the driving dynamics of the car are very good.
At speed on the autobahn, the A3 still has a solid and planted feeling. Cabin noise is relatively muted between 100 and 140 kilometres an hour but becomes more intrusive at the speeds that are possible on the high-speed stretches.
A front-wheel-drive version of the A3 will still be offered in the fall, but why anyone would buy an Audi without quattro -- which has become synonymous with the marque--is beyond me. The front-drive A3 simply does not fully share the excellent driving dynamics of the all-wheel-drive models.
As September is still several months away, Audi Canada has not yet finalized prices or option packages. Still, I estimate the cost of the A3 with the turbo engine and quattro in the $36,000 range, while the V6-equipped models should run between $40,000 and $50,000. One option that will be worth parting with your hard-earned cash is the Magnetic Ride suspension, which uses a magnetorheological fluid controlled by an electric current to vary the damping forces. This enables the shock absorbers to instantly stiffen up before the A3 begins to roll in a corner while giving the car a compliant ride on uneven surfaces. Having driven cars equipped with both the optional Magnetic Ride and the standard conventional suspension, there is no question as to the superiority of the former, which I would recommend to any A3 buyer.
Another of the A3's neat party tricks is its Park Assist system. This enables the car to parallel park itself a la Lexus LS. The system uses ultrasonic sensors that measure parking spaces and then invites the driver to select reverse gear. The car does the rest as the steering wheel swings to the right and then to the left, positioning the car perfectly in the parking space as the driver modulates the brakes to come to a complete stop. As of now, Audi Canada is not sure if this system will be offered as an option on the new A3.
Styling-wise, the 2009 A3 showcases a larger and more expressive single-frame grille, as well as the now-signature LED daytime running lights that were first seen on the R8 supercar. Other highlights include new bumpers and tail lights as well as turn indicators, which have been relocated to the side mirrors. These are relatively minor tweaks and, apart from those LED daytime running lights, one will be hard pressed to tell the difference between the existing A3 and the 2009 model.
There are other variants to the A3 lineup that are on sale in Europe but are not being offered in Canada. These include the 265-hp S3 sports model, which might eventually come to Canada at a later date, as well as diesel-powered variants that could also follow later after Audi introduces the diesel-powered Q7 SUV to our market. The A3 Cabriolet will not make it to Canada in the near future, but may arrive after 2011 with the introduction of the next-generation A3.
Gabriel.Gelinas@videotron.ca
Preview: 2009 Audi A3
Turbo/quattro setup good as gold
Gabriel Gelinas, National Post
Published: Friday, May 23, 2008
MUNICH -Audi finally got it right. At last the A3 will be available in Canada with the drivetrain best suited to this car and to our market -- the 2009 model will offer the combination of the four-cylinder turbocharged engine and quattro all-wheel drive when it lands on our shores in September. Up until now, the turbo engine was only available on the front-wheel-drive A3 and the all-wheel-drive system could only be matched with the 3.2-litre V6 engine. This meant the price of a quattro-equipped A3 was jacked up by a considerable margin. On top of that, the increased weight of the car was to the point where its balance never felt quite right.
But, now, the combination of the 200-horsepower turbocharged engine and the quattro system means the Audi A3 finally hits that sweet spot where everything is in harmony. On the wet country roads around Munich, the turbo A3 quattro delivered near-flawless performance, especially when matched with the six-speed S-tronic sequential gearbox, which has been improved to provide even faster upshifts and which will still blip the throttle to perfectly match revs on downshifts. With this gearbox, driving the car at speed and exploiting its performance potential is within reach of just about any driver.
Also, the combination of the turbo engine and quattro pays dividends in the ride and handling department. As the four-cylinder turbocharged engine is lighter than the V6, there is much less tendency toward understeer in the corners. This means the newest A3 feels lighter, more agile and more willing to go out and play on back roads. The chassis is stiff, the steering is precise and the driving dynamics of the car are very good.
At speed on the autobahn, the A3 still has a solid and planted feeling. Cabin noise is relatively muted between 100 and 140 kilometres an hour but becomes more intrusive at the speeds that are possible on the high-speed stretches.
A front-wheel-drive version of the A3 will still be offered in the fall, but why anyone would buy an Audi without quattro -- which has become synonymous with the marque--is beyond me. The front-drive A3 simply does not fully share the excellent driving dynamics of the all-wheel-drive models.
As September is still several months away, Audi Canada has not yet finalized prices or option packages. Still, I estimate the cost of the A3 with the turbo engine and quattro in the $36,000 range, while the V6-equipped models should run between $40,000 and $50,000. One option that will be worth parting with your hard-earned cash is the Magnetic Ride suspension, which uses a magnetorheological fluid controlled by an electric current to vary the damping forces. This enables the shock absorbers to instantly stiffen up before the A3 begins to roll in a corner while giving the car a compliant ride on uneven surfaces. Having driven cars equipped with both the optional Magnetic Ride and the standard conventional suspension, there is no question as to the superiority of the former, which I would recommend to any A3 buyer.
Another of the A3's neat party tricks is its Park Assist system. This enables the car to parallel park itself a la Lexus LS. The system uses ultrasonic sensors that measure parking spaces and then invites the driver to select reverse gear. The car does the rest as the steering wheel swings to the right and then to the left, positioning the car perfectly in the parking space as the driver modulates the brakes to come to a complete stop. As of now, Audi Canada is not sure if this system will be offered as an option on the new A3.
Styling-wise, the 2009 A3 showcases a larger and more expressive single-frame grille, as well as the now-signature LED daytime running lights that were first seen on the R8 supercar. Other highlights include new bumpers and tail lights as well as turn indicators, which have been relocated to the side mirrors. These are relatively minor tweaks and, apart from those LED daytime running lights, one will be hard pressed to tell the difference between the existing A3 and the 2009 model.
There are other variants to the A3 lineup that are on sale in Europe but are not being offered in Canada. These include the 265-hp S3 sports model, which might eventually come to Canada at a later date, as well as diesel-powered variants that could also follow later after Audi introduces the diesel-powered Q7 SUV to our market. The A3 Cabriolet will not make it to Canada in the near future, but may arrive after 2011 with the introduction of the next-generation A3.
Gabriel.Gelinas@videotron.ca
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