I took delivery of my new 2006 B7 A4 2.0t quattro one week ago last saturday. Two days later, it was in the shop with a fluid leak in the rear differential. Parts are on backorder and in the mean time, I'm driving a 2006 A3 AT loaner. While I'm P.O.'d at only having my new ride for two days, the A3 has really taken the sting out of the whole experience. I'm having a blast with the A3. It's tight, solid, and handles like a go-kart with a jet engine. The 2.0t is an amazing engine. (but you all already know that...)Why aren't there more of these cars on the road?

I think too many blow this car off because of pricing they feel is too high..which I don't agree with. Lots of people become interested in the A4 because they seem to think the price differential is too small between the two cars.

As you now have found out with actual "driving" experience in the A3, it's a helluva lot of fun to drive! :-)

Btw, does your loaner have DSG with paddles? If not, you're missing even more fun.

2.0TQ would be a big hit.

weather elements. Like many have stated already, the Quattro and larger engine is adding a lot of additional weight. It's not going to be as quick and nimble as the 2.0T.

Then again, I'm not interested in the 3.2. The only A3 I would buy would have to be 2.0T and quattro combined. Just a chip and it's quicker than the 3.2, and lighter to boot as you mention.

It's the old 2.8 vs 1.8T discussion.

I'm an A#1 power junkie and I love my A3 in it's stock form. I wish that it had quattro, but it works so well as a FWD car I really can't complain that much.

If they had quattro I would have bought it, and still will. But it's such a magnificent car otherwise It made the B7 A4 2.0tqmsAvant we were considering feel quite lethargic in comparison... for about the same money!

A4 Avant = lethargic
A3 2.0T = quick & nimble

It's like saying do you want an A4 in FWD or Quattro?

;-) :-p

Thus the A3 2.0Q is the car we want, but since Audi doesn't make it, we'll likely look elsewhere to replace our 2000 A4.

but sometimes people make blanket statements about cars sometimes, not necessarily saying that you are. Warm climates like where I live allows more flexibility if you know what I mean ;-)

pioneers of mass market FWD cars, as you probably know.<ul><li><a href="http://www.seriouswheels.com/art-four-rings-1.htm">history</a></li></ul>

570hp just isn't cutting it... Maybe I'll start running race-gas for a while :P