# New Audi A3 TDI



## Rmart (Feb 20, 2002)

Kind of tempting to me.

http://www.audiusa.com/us/brand/en/exp/innovation/audi_tdi/audi_a3_tdi_2_0.html


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## ToyDriver (Jun 6, 2008)

G/f's brother has an 09 a3 gas model and it has a good amount of room in it. I have a love affair with hatchbacks and diesel cars so this is a fantasy car for me lol


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## jkp1187 (Jul 2, 2008)

It is tempting. Makes me wish the 123d hatchback was sold here even more, though. Audi reliability has been below average for a while, unfortunately. 

Oh well, won't have to buy a new car for several years now. We'll see how this one plays out.


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## Chris90 (Apr 7, 2003)

Cool, but it seems to be front drive and automatic only?


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## milobloom242 (Dec 28, 2004)

I'd just get a Jetta SportWagen TDI w/ 6MT and skip this

Incidentally, just read an article where 50% of the JSW sales in the US are TDIs


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## F1Crazy (Dec 11, 2002)

I would wait for a Golf GTD: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=150687


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## milobloom242 (Dec 28, 2004)

F1Crazy said:


> I would wait for a Golf GTD: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=150687


Oh hells yeah that looks sweet :thumbup:


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## Moderato (Nov 24, 2003)

Chris90 said:


> Cool, but it seems to be front drive and automatic only?


If that's true, then it makes me want to :snooze:


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## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

I would buy one if it was offered with a manual gearbox in the US. I don't care how good the DSG is, I want 3 pedals.


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

milobloom242 said:


> I'd just get a Jetta SportWagen TDI w/ 6MT and skip this
> 
> Incidentally, just read an article where 50% of the JSW sales in the US are TDIs


"Jetta SportWagen TDI sales lead the pack with 1,982 units sold in June. Clean-diesel TDI models, according to Volkswagen, accounted for 81% of Jetta SportWagen sales..."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/uptospeed/2009/07/vws-diesel-blockbuster.html


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

Wife has an A3. She likes it. It reinforces my view that Audi/VW use cheap parts, rarely honor warranties and do no stand by their products.


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## jkp1187 (Jul 2, 2008)

blueguydotcom said:


> Wife has an A3. She likes it. It reinforces my view that Audi/VW use cheap parts, rarely honor warranties and do no stand by their products.


Huh?


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## Elias (Jun 26, 2005)

blueguydotcom said:


> Wife has an A3. She likes it. It reinforces my view that Audi/VW use cheap parts, rarely honor warranties and do no stand by their products.


Just affirms what i've been told, that plus no manual I think I will pass.


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

I wish BMW would offer a entry level, high MPG diesel. The 335d is a great car... but I can't help but imagine how cool a 3-series with a smaller diesel that got much better mileage would be. And it wouldn't suffer from the huge price premium that the 335d does.


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## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

SARAFIL said:


> I wish BMW would offer a entry level, high MPG diesel. The 335d is a great car... but I can't help but imagine how cool a 3-series with a smaller diesel that got much better mileage would be. And it wouldn't suffer from the huge price premium that the 335d does.


BMW NA is not interested in selling such a model.


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## TeamM3 (Dec 24, 2002)

SARAFIL said:


> I wish BMW would offer a entry level, high MPG diesel. The 335d is a great car... but I can't help but imagine how cool a 3-series with a smaller diesel that got much better mileage would be. And it wouldn't suffer from the huge price premium that the 335d does.


35 mpg on the highway from a 3900 lb car that does 0-60 mph in 6 seconds isn't good enough for you? 

I don't think the small engine would be that much cheaper :dunno: and the performance would take a serious hit relative to the mileage increase due to the excessive chassis weight


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## brkf (May 26, 2003)

TeamM3 said:


> 35 mpg on the highway from a 3900 lb car that does 0-60 mph in 6 seconds isn't good enough for you?
> 
> I don't think the small engine would be that much cheaper :dunno: and the performance would take a serious hit relative to the mileage increase due to the excessive chassis weight


The 330d is a better car, imho - lighter, better mileage and nearly as much power/torque. Even if it's a second slower to 60 than say a 328 0-60 is not where BMWs shine. My 335i isn't at its most entertaining going straight ...it's only when the road curves that the car becomes interesting.

If offered in the USA I'd take the 320d or 330d over my car.


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

TeamM3 said:


> 35 mpg on the highway from a 3900 lb car that does 0-60 mph in 6 seconds isn't good enough for you?
> 
> I don't think the small engine would be that much cheaper :dunno: and the performance would take a serious hit relative to the mileage increase due to the excessive chassis weight


There are obvious challenges trying to sell a diesel in this market... with the price premium, BMW is going to have a very hard time selling the 335d in any significant volume. A lower entry point would help them get some more interest... and so would being able to offer a manual transmission. Probably wouldn't make it an instant sales hit, but I bet a base price <$40k would make it easier to swallow than the current $44k base on the 335d. With the current structure, the diesel is 2nd only to the M3 in the 3-series sedan price hierarchy. :yikes:

We know that BMW was limited in what they could offer, since they wanted to certify one diesel engine that could be used in both the X5 and 3 series. Also, this engine is auto only due to the torque. But... they also could have put this engine in the 5-series, where they could make the price more in line for what you get.

Maybe it is not "realistic" in terms of BMWNA being able to justify the cost to do it... but take the 325d offered in other markets as an example. Based on how it is priced in other countries, they could get the price under $40k, even more so by having the ability to offer it with a manual. It would probably offer 3-4mpg more than a 335d with the auto, but based on what the Euro cars show as a difference in auto/manual, you could potentially get 45mpg on a manual 325d vs. 35mpg on an auto-only 335d. It still has plenty of power (197hp and same amount of torque as the 335i) and does 0-60 in around 7.5 instead of 6 seconds.

It also opens up a whole new series of possibilities if they can drop it in a 1-series. Or perhaps the next generation X3??

Just throwing it out there. I think the 335d is a fantastic car for someone that wants a performance diesel. Its just that alot of people looking for a diesel want performance but don't necessarily want a "high performance diesel" that carries a very high price. Just thinking out loud on how they could sell a few more diesels.


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## SARAFIL (Feb 19, 2003)

blueguydotcom said:


> The 330d is a better car, imho - lighter, better mileage and nearly as much power/torque. Even if it's a second slower to 60 than say a 328 0-60 is not where BMWs shine. My 335i isn't at its most entertaining going straight ...it's only when the road curves that the car becomes interesting.
> 
> If offered in the USA I'd take the 320d or 330d over my car.


I agree... but they don't even have to do a 4cyl, they could drop in one of the smaller 6cyl engines if they are concerned that the 4cyl is not prestigious enough.

3 series & X3 --> 325d and X3 25d

5 series & X5 --> 535d and X5 35d

It would cost more money to get going... but it would certainly help them sell more diesels, and they can spread out some of the development cost over 4 models instead of 2 (since I believe the "25d" and "35d" powertrains share many features). It would also do alot to help the CAFE fleet average MPG.


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## AzNMpower32 (Oct 23, 2005)

I think a clever way to prevent damaging the luxury brand is to offer a 325d alongside the 325i. Price it a little bit higher than the petrol. Consumers will be able to choose between the two models without thinking "Oh, of course I want a 6 cylinder petrol..........a 4-cyl diesel is simply too slow.". The high-end diesel works for the X5 but not for the 3er, which is already considered pricey. Perhaps a 535d and X5 3.0sd would have been the better choice, and offer the 325i, 325d, and 335i.

Note that the X3 does not come with a mid-range diesel motor. It is a 1,8i, 2,0i, 2,0d, 2,5i, 3,0si, and 3,0sd.

The marketing folks always get it wrong, trust me.


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