November 14, 2006 - You’ve gleamed over the glossy brochures, endured the brown liquid the dealer claims is coffee, begged for a test drive (or three), and you’ve wined and dined the loan officer/spouse.

That’s it. You’re ready for your new Audi.

As you like to drive, nimble handling combined with a powerful motor is a definite priority. But you also have a purchase budget that can’t peak past $50 large. So now the decision is: which new Audi will it be?

Looking at the Ingolstadt-based company’s lineup, with its compact shape and big-for-its-class motor, the A3 3.2 S line immediately pops out.



The front-engine, all-wheel-drive, five-passenger, five-door hatchback comes with a 250 horsepower, 236 lb-ft of torque 3.2-litre vee-six and the exemplary dual-clutch manumatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters (formerly known as DSG, but now branded S tronic in Audis). But if you’re thinking the A3 3.2 S line is the result of the classic big engine/small car formula—a hot-rod—and must be a driver’s first choice, read on…

Because, to meet your fun-to-drive-Audi-for-under-$50k needs, may I also present the not-that-dissimilar A4 3.2 quattro sedan, a 2006 Straight-Goods Sports Sedan finalist and prerennial favourite. Similarities and surprises between these two Audis run deeper than the four rings in their respective grilles.

Firstly, they share a four-valve, 3.2-litre 90-degree vee-six, and the same number of seatbelts. Audi does rate the A4’s engine with five more horsepower and seven more foot-pounds of torque than the A3; negligible to say the least. The not-so-obvious similarities are curb weights that are within five kilograms of each other, and base prices that are only separated by $3,135.





Hmmm, so much for the perception that the A3 would be lighter or substantially less expensive than its big brother sedan. But the A3 3.2 S line must be the more fun-to-drive of the two, right?

One of the first A3 impressions when in motion is steering that seems overly light in parking manoeuvres. But the steering’s adjectives quickly turn to predictable, accurate and weighty once car and driver are at speed. When slippery, all four wheels drive the A3, but it’s a front-drive biased Haldex slip-then-grip system also found in Volkswagens and Volvos. Despite this, it takes big effort to induce understeer. And like any front driver, when you do start to plough, just back off the power and the A3’s nose easily tucks right in.

The junior Audi’s ride quality is well damped, but like most of the car’s feedback, the car’s handling doesn’t have the nimbleness the front-drive A3 2.0 T is blessed with. Most of the blame can be placed on all that extra engine and AWD gear; a A3 3.2 S line weighs 150 kilograms more than a A3 2.0 T. When attacking a series of twisty country back roads, all that weight up front is something that is felt in almost any corner taken with verve.

Subjectively, the bigger engine A3 didn’t feel all that quick. But in fact, the A3 3.2 S line is quicker from naught to 100 kilometres per hour than the A4 3.2 quattro by 0.6 at 5.9, according to Audi’s numbers.

Now into said A4 …



Right away, you can tell that these two compacts come from the same engineering gene pool.

Cockpit ergonomics are very similar, although you tend to sit higher in the more formal A4 sedan, and build quality and fit and finish are a micron nicer in the senior sedan. Initially, you may not realize that the A4—in traditional Audi fashion—hangs it’s engine way out there over the front axle. The assumption is that understeer would be even more pronounced than in the A3, which shares a VW Group platform (i.e. Volkswagen GTI) where the engine is mounted sideways between the front wheels. But the A4’s trump card is a rear-biased, full-time, all-wheel-drive system that permanently directs 60% of the engine’s torque to the two rear wheels. Et volia, understeer is well under control. Go into a corner too hot, ease off to get the nose to tuck in then hammer it, and the rear grabs like a pit-bull delivering delicious four wheel drifts. Great fun!

Due to suspension upgrades from the über-S4 from the A4’s ’05 midlife upgrade (revised track rods at the front end and links and wheel carriers from the S4 and shock absorbers from the Audi A6), the A4’s ride quality and steering better the junior Audi hatch as well. On our pockmarked roads, the A4’s long-travel suspension soaks up bad pavement in mid-corner that have the A3 skittering. And the A4’s steering is more delicate with additional feedback compared to the A3.





And finally, whereas the front-drive, A3 2.0 T (which made it our 2006 Straight-Goods Sports Compacts short list) comes with a choice of a six-speed manual, the A3 3.2 S line comes strictly with the S tronic gearbox. It’s good, arguably the best of the current manumatics, but if you want to shift on your own, the A4 3.2 quattro comes with a six-speed stick standard.

The A3 3.2 S line hatchback’s functionality and au currant styling may win you over the less accommodating and more conventional A4 sedan’s conventional truck. But when it comes to deciding an under-$50,000 Audi for those who like to drive, the A4 3.2 quattro wins by a well-balanced AWD system, superior steering and the ability use a clutch pedal.

Consider it a victory for age over beauty.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com

2007 Audi A3 3.2 S line
TYPE OF VEHICLE: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door hatchback
ENGINE: 3.2L vee-six
POWER: 250 hp @ 6,300 r.p.m.; 236 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,000 r.p.m.
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual with automated shifting and clutch
TIRES: 225/45 R17 all-season tires
CURB WEIGHT: 1,660 kg.
BRAKES: Four-wheel disc with ABS, EBD and ESP
0-96 km/h: 5.9 sec
BASE PRICE: $46,340

2007 Audi A4 3.2 quattro
TYPE OF VEHICLE: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
ENGINE: 3.2L vee-six
POWER: 255 hp @ 6,500 r.p.m.; 243 lb-ft of torque @ 3,200 r.p.m.
TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual
TIRES: 235/45 R17 all-season tires
CURB WEIGHT: 1,655 kg.
BRAKES: Four-wheel disc with ABS, EBD and ESP
0-96 km/h: 6.5.
BASE PRICE: $49,475