Audi A3 Turbo – A Sense of Deja vu
At the invitation of Euromobil Sdn Bhd, the local importers and distributors of the Audi brand, AW took the recently launched Audi A3 Turbo Sportback for an extremely short one-day test drive. We did not get to do a full test, but our short time with the car left us with some great impressions.
Firstly, it was a sense of déja vu, coming into contact with the 2.0 Turbo charged FSI engine from the Volkswagen/Audi Group; this is an engine which delivered a lot of fun when I was first introduced to it, courtesy of Wald Motorsport in the Golf GTi.
With 200 horses under the hood, and linked to the same six-speed DSG gearbox (read as Direct Shift Gearbox), the Audi A3 Turbo gets up to the boil real quick. The Sportback shape, (which in reality means ‘hatchback’) gives the car a sporty demeanor, and this type of shape will surely appeal to the young and the young at heart here.
In the looks department, the A3 Sportback is a little more refined; not so macho as the GTi; just as powerful, but in a subtle kind of way. The suspension is softer, giving the Audi a more comfortable ride; in the context of road usage, I would prefer the Audi A3 ride to the Golf. It is not as crisp, no doubt, but you will feel better riding in it because when you are not flying around at 200 km/hr, and if you sometimes have to do your duty and pick up your prospective mother in law, you will appreciate that no one in the car will make funny comments about how harsh your suspension is, or worse still, ask you if your shocks are dead.
The A3 Sportback comes in two versions; the other one, which I have not tested, comes with a standard 2.0 FSI engine without the turbo, and a six-speed Tiptronic Automatic transmission (not the DSG), and 50 horses short of the 200 horses in the turbo model.
To those who have tasted the fiery nature of the A3 Turbo, the non-turbo version will be relatively tame, but I suppose there are those who don’t really care how fast you can get from zero to 100, but just like to drive around in the Audi A3. Actually, 150 horses are more than enough for most people. Price, as posted by Euromobil, is RM225k for the standard model, and RM255k for the turbo charged version.
The A3 Sportback in an instant hit with me because its engine is one of the most technologically advanced two-litre engines in the world at the moment, featuring Fuel Stratified Injection. Output is 200 bhp at between 5,100 to 6,000 rpm, and maximum torque is at 280Nm, available from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. These are not mind-boggling numbers, but then the Audi engine runs at a relatively low boost for longevity, and you can get a semblance of fuel economy with it. This is a car for everyday use, smooth and economical (relatively speaking) to get one from home to office and back, but still powerful enough for one to have fun with when the horns start to poke out of the head.
Some of the credit for the car being so fun to drive goes to the DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox), essentially a manual gearbox that behaves, for all intents and purposes, like an automatic. In essence, it is the AMG (Automated Manual Gearbox) brought up about ten levels, with a very sophisticated electronic control system, and two sets of clutches in the gearbox, each one working on alternate gears. To the driver, gear changes are virtually seamless, and what I especially like about this gearbox, other than the smoothness, is that ‘brurb-brurb’ sound in the exhaust in between gear shifts as the engine retards the ever so slightly to allow the next gear to engage. All this comes with F1-type paddles located behind the steering wheel, at fingertip reach. For the record, top speed achieved by our testers was 245 km/hr before we ran out of safe road, and acceleration from zero to 100 km/hr was 7.7 seconds. The best results were achieved using the automatic shift, because the computer shifts better than the human can.
Users can opt for the auto mode when driving in town, and whenever you feel like it, you can invoke the paddles simply by using them, or switching to manual shift mode if you want them to stay in that mode permanently. Alternatively, you can use the gearshift lever, (+) plus to shift up and (-) minus to shift down.
Ride in the Audi A3 Turbo is firm, yet pliant enough to be classified as ‘comfortable’. On the road, the Audi is very refined when refinement is needed. It is comfortable to ride in, and I think that the majority of users would like it the way it is. More spirited types can go for slightly harder options, but the price one has to pay would be, other than the money, a bumpy ride. The seats are well contoured, and electrically controlled. Tyres are 225/45 ZR 17’s, mounted on 7.5J aluminium alloy rims.
Handling is great from the 4-wheel independent suspension, with just the right amount of damping and springs. Aluminium is deployed in some of the parts, although not as much as in the A4 and the higher models.
Just for the record, ESP and ABS are standard equipment, as are front and side airbags. Headlights are auto control, and a rain sensor turns on your wipers automatically when it rains. Bi xenon lights help you to see at night.
Everything else said and done, the Audi A3 Sportback is a great car. It does not have the sophistication of the higher placed brands, nor does it have the thoroughbred performance of the out and out race cum street machines. It will appeal to the individual who wants something decent to drive around in, but wants something extra on the side every once in a while.
