Can it Get any Faster than This?
Yes, it most certainly can. Nobody makes wagons like Audi, and no one comes close to the sophistication of a four-door
hatch-wagon with 200-horsepower. You would have to be almost deranged to want another 50-horsepower, but if you want it, Audi will give it to you in the same A3 packaging. The German brand has just released the A3 3.2 S-Line, with 250-horsepower and 237 lb-ft of torque routed through one of the world's best auto-manual transmissions this side of Monza: the DSG. All told, the 3.2 S-line can shave about a second off the 2.0T's impressive sub-7 second time to 100km/h. But I don't want to give away all the goods on the S-line, there's more to come on that model tomorrow.
The Avantino
We
here at our Toronto and West Coast editorial offices love nothing better than getting into pointless, irrelevant debates that amount to "Is it a hatchback or a wagon?" [Ed. It's a hatchback.] You see, by not calling it an A3 Avant (rather a 'sportback'), Audi has thrown all of us automotive categorizers into bedlam; however, Audi should be careful because if the confusion persists, we may just toss it into crossover (CUV) purgatory until the matter is clarified beyond the shadow of a doubt. For now they seem to be happy preening over their entry into compact class, as they should be since this is easily one of the top three performers in the C-segment. Sadly, the price of entry is over $30,000, so many shoppers will automatically skip it on their way to an A4.
Yes, it most certainly can. Nobody makes wagons like Audi, and no one comes close to the sophistication of a four-door
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| The A3 2.0T manages an impressive sub-7 second time to 100km/h. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
The Avantino
We
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| With Audi not willing to classify the A3 as a hatchback or wagon we may just toss it into crossover (CUV) purgatory until the matter is clarified beyond the shadow of a doubt. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |