I'm sorry if this has already been addressed. I'm trying to find an article about the A3 3.2 that has as much information as this article about the 2006 VW R32 and the possible R36 we might get here maybe next year. Are there any test drives out there perhaps featuring a European A3 with 3.2, DSG, and Sport package? This featured R32 has 250hp from a 3.2 VR6 and DSG so I'm hoping the A3 with Audi's 3.2 and similar hp will be as good. I bet the A3 won't have an exhaust as good as this, but when the R36 arrives, it will come with at least 276hp- 300hp and is already being used in 276hp form in the Passat.<ul><li><a href="http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/article_1569.shtml">http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/publish/article_1569.shtml</a</li></ul>

Hope this helps...<ul><li><a href="http://www.rac.co.uk/web/carbuying/car_reviews/search_cartype;jsessionid=43881176AAB20EB50BF33CA6 A5354410?page=3&amp;reviewID=1003926">uk RAC review</a></li></ul>

Yes, the V6 A3 is fast, but it is not the ultimate expression of the A3. For an apples to apples comparo, you need to run the R36 and next S3 back to back.

The R36 provides the basis for the S3. We should see the S3 in Sportback form, while the R36 is expected to come as a 3 door. Something to keep the brands seperated a bit in the North America.

Thanks for this. I admit I have been spoiled by Audi's warranty, maintenance program, and free service loaner cars. Although I really didn't need or want another 5-door vehicle, my longish commute to work makes those luxuries more like necessities. Believe me, after enjoying those service features, you miss them very much when they are gone. I only wish we could get the beautiful steering wheel and DSG shift knob from the VW versus the totally boring Audi versions. Is it possible they might come close in the Sport packages and S-Line? Or, anyone care to predict when we might get the S3?

I did find a review of the A3 S-Line options. It appears they will address the vanilla steering wheel and shift knob. For those of you who want the sportiest A3 you can get short of an S3 and without the wait, the VW components are amazingly nicer looking and feeling than Audi's. I hope the S-Line will bring us closer to that.<ul><li><a href="http://www.rac.co.uk/web/carbuying/car_reviews/search_manufacturer?page=3&amp;reviewID=1004067">http://www.rac.co.uk/web/carbuying/car_reviews/search_manufacturer?page=3&amp;reviewID=1004067</a</li></ul>

What I really want is the sportiest DSG Quattro I can get with the best warranty and maintenance program. But I want it to look and feel as sporty inside as out. I don't want it to look like just another A3 and I want it from the factory. It appearts from the 2006 R32 article that VW may give us the R36 at a fair price (around $30,000) compared to some of the $39,000 A3 3.2s I've been reading about. If this is true, how will a $30,000 R36 compare to an S3 costing about $49,000 when it finally gets here?

isn't that approaching S4 territory?

top out in the low $40K range. The last R32 had a base MSRP of around $30K, and I can't see the the R36 costing the same with the extra stuff and horsepower, with the exchange rate as it is now.

The S3 should start in the very low $40K range, and top out in the mid-$40K range. That leaves room for the S4.

My info may change, since pricing is a closely held secret and can change at the last moment due to unforseen market pressures.

Of course the R36 will be missing some features of the Audi, as VW's always do. That just makes sense when it comes to model hierarchy and pricing.

Which one floats your boat? That's up to you to say. In any case, with the S-Line package available on the V6 A3 and not the 4 cylinder, it is distinctive. Sportiest? No. But then we may not get the S3 if things go badly, so the regular V6 could be the top dog. Too many things undecided just yet to count chickens.

Here are some R36 concept impressions thanks to BTF digital:

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3127/r36-1.jpg">

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/3127/r36-2.jpg">

I agree $49K would be too much to pay. But we have seen there are loaded A3 3.2s out there for about $39K so I bet the S3 similarly equipped will be about $49K. How much more is an S4 over a fully loaded A4? If the S4 is still only available with 6-sp manual or slush box Tiptronic, the A3 DSG could be more fun than a S4 w/Tip. Since most of the fully loaded S4s around here are in the mid 50s, $49K for a fully loaded S3 with DSG is painful but in-line. If you can do without the panoramic glass roof, that will save money and weight. I'm just sad that the only way we can get a DSG/Quattro option now is with A3 3.2 5-doors. Doesn't Audi have enough faith in its brand to believe they won't lose too much business if they allow VW to have a VR6/DSG/4-motion equipped GTI soon? They have enough confidence to offer 5 and 3-door A3s in Europe. I already have a 5-door vehicle in my driveway. Audi used to have a GREAT 3-door coupe with Quattro for those of you old enough to remember. I thought that was great and it offered several worlds in one car.

I appreciate your reply. I am fortunate to be part of a car family where my wife and two teenage sons look forward to our next cars as much as I. We are VERY active and buy our cars in fleet-mode to satisfy all needs. These include attending sporting events, boating, snow boarding, Home Depots, taxiing, commuting, etc... We have a Hemi Durango as the much-used workhorse so the other car can and must be more fun and a diversion, but still be responsible enough to carry the entire family to a restaurant, for example. If it can also perform occassional track-duty for "driver education", that would be icing on the cake. It must also be exciting to the other half of the brain so it is fun just seeing it in the driveway or walking up to it after a long day at the office. It must also have a "gotta-have-it" and "hot" factor. Is that too much to ask? When visiting one of our favorite restaurants recently we came upon a silver A3 from a similar rear quarter angle as your picture of the R36 (which looks great). When I remarked to them that here was possibly our next fun car, they all replied, "Where? All we see is that small wagon. Boring!" My older son told me the old librarian drives one just like it. When we looked inside and saw the BORING old shift knob that looked just like Tiptronic, it was tough to defend it. We will look very hard at the A3 with 3.2, Quattro, DSG, Sport Package, and S-Line when available. If we approach it from the front, it may have a chance. I have had many Audis over the years. The last one was a 2002 Silver A6 2.7T with the "good" sport package which lowered the car. It was nice but had the same boring steering wheel and dull Tiptronic shift knob as the librarian's A6. My family liked it but it was only "OK". Even Car and Driver said the VW GLI comes with "the steering wheel of the Gods", and their DSG shifter gate and knob is so much nicer in every sense. It brags about DSG versus the Audi hiding it. Years ago Audi had a great 3-door coupe with Quattro and livable back seats. Car and Driver loved it and so did I. If I only had one car, 5-doors would be good. BMW has a coupe. Audi NEEDS a coupe with Quattro and DSG and so do we.

have a car that lights my fires when I drive it. It's always easy enough to swap the shifter handle and steering wheel with something else in the MK V chassis series that you like. What's underneath is what counts iMHO.

If it's a Q-ship, all the better for actually going fast IMHO, since the police don't notice small wagons much more than your boys;-) In Europe, a hatch or wagon is considered the sporty young person's car, and the sedans and mid to large sized coupes are for older people. It makes sense - surfboards, snowboards, and bikes, all fit better in hatches and wagons.

So go and find either an A3 3.2 to drive, or a TT 3.2 (same basic driveline), and see if the driving dynamics do it for you. Unless of course it's the appearance that is more important, in which case buy the 2.0T and slap on some wheels and body kit. There are tuner programs, suspensions, and soon no doubt, brake upgrades.

Audi is looking hard at making the A5 coupe. It will compete with the C-class Mercedes and 3 series BMW.

<img src="http://www.bilnorge.no/export/bb_35823.jpeg">

<img src="http://www.bilnorge.no/export/bb_35824.jpeg">

Oh, and if your teenage boys are driving age, I would start them off with something slow with huge brakes (learn to look down the road and plan so as to retain momentum) and send them to a couple of driving schools before I'd turn the loose with something of the potential of the A3.

http://www.audidrivingexperience.com/programs.lasso<ul><li><a href="http://www.channel4.com/4car/future-models/2007.html">http://www.channel4.com/4car/future-models/2007.html</a</li></ul>

just wanted to say hi.

-Antony

I'll see you later to look at the 3.2 DSG...

Thanks for the coupe teaser. Please don't get me wrong. I like the A3, especially from the front. I may be looking for the missing link and would greatly prefer a coupe. I will most likely get the A3 3.2 because I also want the Quattro. Perhaps with the 18" wheels and S-Line and the right color it will look better. I found a local dealer who has one and we'll take a look. I am not looking for bling. I am looking for the best technology with the best look and feel. I'm sorry but the A3 DSG shift knob should not look exactly like the Tiptronic knob. They blew a chance to showcase their technology that only they have. Maybe they were a little afraid of drawing attention to it for potential buyers who were choosing the A3 mainly to save money versus an A4. Have you actually seen and felt the VW wheel and DSG shifter? They really do the technology justice. We are looking forward to test driving a fully loaded car today and really looking it over from every angle. We understand stealth and Q-ships. We were just hoping for a little more excitement from every perspective. And regarding my teenage boys driving, I already have plans for driving school and big brother technology to protect them.

the cars share major components.

All you can do is drive it and see.

Good plan for the boys. Start them in something slow. If there is one thing I realized in many test drives, it was that most people never look far enough down the road. Performance driving instructors say the same thing. A car that gains speed slowly will make them look and think ahead.

Oh man, that car rocks. I'd trade my GTI for it.....well, maybe not.

What a coincidence. My local dealer called because he knew I would be interested in a Bright Red, 3.2, DSG, Black Leather, Quattro, S-Line, Panoramic Roof, w/18" wheels which I will drive and take pics of for everyone. I will make sure to approach it from the front ;-) hopefully Friday.

I have an A3 S-line with the the 2.0T engine. The interior is far sportier than a friend's A3 3.2 V6 that is now about 2 years old

If you tell me how, I will post pics of the beautiful Brilliant Red A3 3.2 DSG S-Line with 18" wheel option including window sticker. The EPA listed it as 21 city, 27 highway. The dealer did not have a manual trans of one with lighter 17" wheels to compare MPG.

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/23341/100_0200.jpg"></center><p>Here you go... We were able to spend some quality time with a very nice Brilliant Red, Black Leather, panoramic roof, winter package, S-line, 18" wheels, no Nav. This is probably how I would option my car since my portable Nav has has more route planning features. The $38.7K price is a bit high until you compare it to a fully loaded A4 that will not come with these great seats or DSG. The A4 will cost more and be slower with boring tiptronic. We could not drive it due to a flat tire, but the owner of this brand new beautiful dealership gave us the keys and as much time by ourselves with it as we wanted. A very nice car which got a solid thumbs up from the entire family. Now we wait to see how much the R36 will cost. Although we also liked the idea of have 4 years of full coverage maintenance and service with free loaner cars, if the R36 comes in $5K less with a 3.6 engine that already exists in the Passat with 276hp, it may be a great bargain. So far, this car is leading. It was also easier for my two 6ft tall teenagers to get in the back. The S-line steering wheel and DSG knob were very nice. The quality of the air vent bezels was superb. This package in this color was great compared to a vanilla A3 in silver parked nearby which may have been a rental or service loaner. The engine had a great rumble. My other concern is that the window sticker said "Market Intro". I hope this S-line package will be available in the future. If the R36 will come with 300hp with no turbos necessary, how will Audi combat that and still keep the price down? This A3 at this price is my pricing limit. If the R36 comes through with 300hp and is less money with comparable options as this 3.2 at $38.7K, we'll have to weigh if the maintenance plan wins out. It will also come down to which car has the better lease offer. If the Audi costs more, but has a better lease plan as they have done in the past, that may factor in also.