2015 Audi A3

2015 Audi A3

Episode 3341
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Entry-level German sports luxury cars are a tricky proposition here. Most Americans still tend to look at the big-3 German cars as premium items, and then they’re disappointed when they sample the more meat and potatoes compacts and subcompacts from the brand. Well that could be why the Audi A3 has never been a huge seller here. Or, it’s more likely that up to this point the A3 has only been available as a 5-door hatchback. Either way, there’s an all-new A3 sedan in town, and it’s arrives with the U.S.A. as its bull’s-eye. 

The 2015 Audi A3 marks an important step for Audi. Proof that they are now taking the American and, perhaps more importantly, the world’s upscale small car market more seriously, spurred along by the recent success of the Mercedes-Benz CLA250. 

After all, nothing says conventional like a subcompact sedan, but the A3 4-door is far from mainstream. And while making premium attainable is not a simple undertaking, it’s one that must be completed effectively in order for the A3 to be a success here. And it should be doable as Americans have long embraced the A4 sedan. 

Let’s get things started in the powertrain department, with a choice of 2 corporate Turbo I4s. A 1.8-liter with 170-horsepower and 200 lb-ft. of torque is found in front wheel drive models; and a 2.0-liter with 220-horsepower and 258 lb-ft. provides motivation to all 4 wheels in quattro models. Both come with a 6-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic; no manual is available. 

Our sample sports the 2.0, which performed admirably at our test track. Quattro makes for a grippy, if a little sluggish, launch off the line; but adequately quick, as we hit 60 in 6.0– seconds flat. We very much welcomed the true dual-clutch transmission over a CVT; still shifts weren’t as quick as expected helping us complete the ¼-mile in 14.6–seconds at 96 miles-per-hour. 

While Audi’s sporty DNA shines through, this is clearly not an S model as steering is stone dead. Still there’s a solid and stable feel with just enough of an enjoyable, light weight presence that encourages pushing hard; and the A3 behaves itself well.

An all-aluminum sub-frame with MacPherson struts handles suspension duties up front, with a 4-link setup in the rear with a steel cross member. Brakes are the same for either front or all-wheel-drive A3, with our quattro stopping in a good 124–feet from 60. 

 This all-new sedan body is built on Volkswagen’s fledgling MQB architecture. Just about every exterior dimension is increased over the previous hatchback. Wheelbase is up more than 2-inches to 103.8. Length and width also see meaningful gains. 

There’s nothing ground breaking with exterior design elements, however, as all recent Audi trademarks are in place, including the large Singleframe grille and LED daytime running lights. Both A3s ride on nice looking 17-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels.

Inside, is a whole new look for the brand. There’s still a premium feel with leather seating and panoramic sunroof standard; but it’s a clear step down from the lavish landscapes of A6 and A8. The wide and flat, simplistic dash design features large circular air vents giving it a sporting, if retro, feel; until you see the very thin navigation screen rise out of the dash. In front of the driver is a 3-spoke steering wheel and plenty of info on the gauge screens.

All controls are driver oriented, and there’s an updated version of Audi’s MMI central control, which we like even more thanks to the new toggle switches and write on feature. Front seats are roomy and comfortable, and while the stretch in wheelbase does allow for more rear seat room, it’s still barely adequate. Trunk space is more than adequate, however, at 10.0 cubic-ft. Convenience features include available Audi connect with 4G LTE connectivity and navigation. But, you’ll have to add the $1,400 Driver Assist Package if you want a back-up camera.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for our quattro tester are 23-City, 33-Highway, and 27-Combined, and our average of 29.2 miles-per-gallon of Premium was a good one. The Energy Impact Score comes in good also, at 12.2-barrels of annual oil use with 5.4-tons of CO2 emitted. 

Base pricing at $30,795 for the 1.8 and $33,795 for the 2.0 quattro seems right on the money.  Though throwing in a back-up camera for that price would really make us happy.

The Mercedes-Benz CLA250 has proven that an entry-level German sports luxury sedan can indeed have big success in the U.S. if tailored properly. The 2015 Audi A3, with its premium but attainable feel, clearly delivers just as well. So, if you like your steak well-done, but not overdone, order up!

Specifications

  • Engine: 2.0-liter
  • Horsepower: 220
  • Torque: 258 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 6.0 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 14.6 seconds @ 96 mph
  • EPA: 23 mpg city/ 33 mpg highway
  • CO2 Emissions: 5.4 tons/yr
  • Energy Impact: 12.2 barrels of oil/yr
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance 1

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance

Up For Grand Touring Around A Racetrack

Episode 4329
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

In recent years, Audi has done an increasingly better job at merging luxury, high tech and sportiness equally into all of their vehicles, but that doesn’t mean they all have the same priorities. So, if you’re wondering what this car is all about… well, it’s right there in the name, the Audi RS 7 Performance!

First and foremost, the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance is absolutely fantastic looking. A gorgeous car from all angles. But this posh performer is a lot more than just a visual treat. Under its silky skin lies a menacing sounding V8 that delivers insane amounts of power and, as we discovered, a gloriously intoxicating driving experience.

RS elements added to Audi’s S7 five-door coupe include new aero treatments with a matte gray finish and silver 21-inch Audi Sport wheels. Those silver wheels are wrapped with 275 Continental summer performance tires and allow for seeing plenty of the enormous brake rotors with black-painted calipers. Up front, there’s a wide grille inhaling all kinds of air and headlights with uniqueness that’s pure Audi. This five-door coupe with frameless door windows speaks a true hardtop design.

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Now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, time to hit the corners of Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway, and it’s been quite some time since we’ve had anything here or on any road course that exhibited this much body roll. It didn’t matter what drive mode we had dialed in, it just liked to roll. You could sense that soft suspension in our acceleration runs too. Bystanders got a clear view of a lot of its hardware, thanks to major rear-end squatting as it exploded off the line. Those explosions resulted in a quick 3.7-second trip to 60 miles-per-hour and full quarter-mile runs of 11.9 seconds at 118 miles-per-hour. Fast indeed, though we’re sure both times would improve in warmer temps than our 40-degree test day.

Drive modes have been recalibrated and shifts by the eight-speed Tiptronic in Dynamic Mode are quick. Indeed, noticeably quicker and firmer than in the RS6 wagon we tested just a few months ago without the “performance” treatment. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard.

We’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners.

The driving force for that acceleration is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 cranking out an additional 30 horsepower from the standard RS 7 thanks to installing bigger turbos. That makes for a 621-horsepower rating, with an even more impressive boost in torque from 590 to 627 lb-ft. And Audi was kind enough to remove a little sound deadening material so we can appreciate it even more through the optional RS sport exhaust system.

For what is really a Grand Tourer built for blasting you away on luxurious adventures, the RS 7 performance is amazingly track capable. Steering is very direct with great feel, and all four wheels are engaged in the process. They’re connected to a new mechanical self-locking center differential that is not only capable of handling the additional power but is lighter and quicker to respond. Chassis software has been recalibrated to make it all work together seamlessly. There must be some serious engineering wizardry happening in the RS-tuned air suspension as we’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners. Brakes were truly phenomenal too; there was some significant nosedive happening, but no wandering or fading no matter how hard we worked them.

And yes, it’s hard to call this actual work, considering this work environment is far from hostile. Absolutely nothing has been compromised when it comes to delivering the luxury car experience you expect from a six-figure Audi. Whether it’s the fabulous real metal, leather, and detailed woven carbon-fiber materials or the fine stitch-work and the always impressive comprehensive digital gauge display, the RS 7 performance feels truly special inside.

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine

The front seats were supremely comfortable and were only mildly bolstered yet held us in place just fine out on the track. Plenty of room for rear seat passengers too, and there’s even a great 24.6 cubic-feet of cargo space with hatchback versatility. Less practical is all touchscreen all the time for just about every cockpit control.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14 City, 22 Highway, and 17 Combined. That’s a below average Energy Impact Score of 17.5 barrels of yearly oil use with 8.8 tons of CO2 emissions.

Pricing starts at $129,490, and Audi knows they have a good thing going with the RS 7 performance; so much so, it’s now the only RS 7.

So, could they have just made the RS 7 better instead of tacking “performance” onto the name? Sure, but there’s just something about adding performance to a car name that draws people in. And when it backs it up by delivering more actual performance, well, that’s what we call a win-win. We’d be happy to run some victory laps in the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance anytime.

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
  • Horsepower: 621
  • 0-60 mph: 3.7 seconds
  • EPA: 14 City | 22 Highway | 17 Combined
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 627 lb-ft.
  • 1/4 Mile: 11.9 seconds at 118 mph
  • Starting Price: $129,490