Audi A3 Sportback 2004 test drive - 2008 hatchback

The style justifies the means

Presentation: Audi A3 Sportback
2.0 Turbo FSI engine is a real technological masterpiece, comparable only with the famous 1.8 tons, which surprised the automobile world eight years ago.
2.0 Turbo FSI is a clear contender for the engine of the year. The world's first serial engine with direct injection and turbocharged is equipped with intermediate air cooling (boost pressure 1.0 atm), works on a mixture with a stichiometric ratio of air-benzine (14.7: 1).
The characteristics of the 2.0 TFSI result of a high compression degree of 10.5: 1, the use of original pistons, controlled shutters in the intake path and nozzles that provide the necessary shape of the spray torch.

Today, the most popular experts in any company marketers: their attention, impressive budgets, high salaries. Indeed, in order to present a new product, you need to plan an advertising campaign, rinse your brains well, enter the ideas implemented in the new model in the general strategy of the company.
But what about the technique? It is not necessary to understand it thoroughly. A long list of patented technologies and systems, spectacular demonstration characteristics will be listed to the consumer. Fortunately, not all firms share this approach. Are we going to meet with Audi A3 Sports?

We will be familiar!
Why a sportback, and not a traditional for Audi Avan, is understandable. Associations with a family station wagon should not be A3 Sports are positioned (how this word has been attached!) In the premium compact class segment. It is assumed that the owners are young, beautiful and wealthy managers (also from the marketing department?) Do not drive sales, they don’t carry seedlings in boxes, they prefer fashionable night clubs and extreme sports or prestigious golf.
External differences with a three -door machine not only in the design of the front, which resembles A6, and an extra pair of doors. Sportbek looks different from behind and even a silhouette does not look like a three-door hatchback. Despite the rear overhang increased by 68 mm, the car looks quite proportionally and does not resemble the car. True, the volume of the trunk compared to real station wagons is small: only 20 liters more than that of the three -door A3. The main thing here includes two bags with golf clubs.

No place paints
The mountain paths and narrow streets of miniature towns on the azure bank of France will arrange a merciless exam in the chassis and steering. In the legend, twisted serpentines and winding routes from Nice to Monte Carlo. A compact hatchback on the golf platform was introduced in the Monte Carlo Marine club, on a small piece of the coast, where the concentration of Bentley and Ferrari exceeds all reasonable values, and the most expensive yachts are moored in the berths. Show here a compact and not the most expensive car is a bold solution. However, it can be interpreted in a different way: even among the crazy luxury of Audi A3 Sports at ease.

The best motor
There are a lot of engines in the Audi A3 family: from a modest 1.6-liter gasoline, barely for 100 forces, up to a 250-horsepower six of 3.2 liters. There are also diesel engines with pumps: 1.9-liter, 105 liters. With. and 2-liter, 140 l. With. There is simply not enough time for everyone. I will choose the latest 2.0 TFSI gasoline engine and the most powerful turbodiesel with a mechanical DSG automatic machine. Full -wheel drive in the asphalt jungle cannot properly feel, and you can evaluate the convenience of traction control and the capabilities of automatic transmission even on narrow roads when limiting speed.
The two -liter diesel managed to prove himself from the best side. A minimum of vibration, a wide (for turbodiesel) working range, excellent torque and impressive economy. In combination with the DSG transmission (DirectSchaltgetriebe, a direct switching box), its character is revealed not as bright as with a simple mechanical gearbox. DSG (ZR, 2003, No. 2) has two clutches and switches without breaking in power flow.
Some traction control is compensated by the convenience of control on mountain serpentines and city streets, where in a car with six -speed mechanics, grate the corn on the gear lever for long. Of course, this diesel is very strong and perfectly goes behind the pedal, but it is not too nice to turn such a motor to stop, and the reaction to the discharge of gas from diesel engines is too sharp ESP systems in the corners of a disturbing yellow indicator. In general, it would be more pleasant to travel than to frolic on winding paths.
Recently, it seemed that gasoline engines have already given the championship to diesel engines not only in economy, but also in the pleasure of driving. Strangled by environmental requirements, gasoline react too sluggishly to the accelerator. Engines with direct injection of gasoline, of course, are more alive, but models with a small working volume have not yet boasted with impressive power. Crossing a turbocharger with fuel injection into the cylinder seemed to be too complicated to this fall. The 2.0 TFSI engine is the first to solve this problem. He develops 200 liters. With. Already at 5100 rpm, it has 280 N.M of torque in the widest range from 1800 to 5000 rpm and easily spins up to 7000 rpm.
How is it felt in a car? Confident touching with minimum revolutions and excellent acceleration from 2000 rpm to the cut -off of 7000 rpm. Especially impressive is the upper range from 5 to 7 thousand revolutions, where the engine practically does not wither! Subjective sensations have confirmed: a motor with such a characteristic really exists! And if you compare the accelerated dynamics (7 C to 100 km/h), the maximum speed is 236 km/h and the average fuel consumption of 7.7 l/100 km, then it is not easy for him to find rivals.
So, the portrait of the car can be drawn with just a few strokes. Firstly, this is one hundred percent Audi. The high quality of the decoration materials, the restrained interior style, comfortable seats, a spacious salon (subjectively it is hardly inferior to a more solid A4) features of the Major League. Secondly, an excellent chassis that allows you to confidently pass turns at those speeds when it is already time to worry. Thirdly, excellent comfort in terms of internal noise and vibrations, the work of the climatic installation, excellent equipment of the salon. Of course, test machines were packed to the maximum, but how not to praise the verified severity of the devices and an excellent multifunctional display, especially necessary when using the navigation system. Mining roads, the network of which is so dense that the turns shares only a few tens of meters, the most serious test for navigation. I will not say that she withstood him impeccably, but she made a little mistakes.

Pig a piggy bank of impressions
The DSG box is a really unique novelty, which allowed a new way to look at a modern car with sports makings. Only by abandoning the hydromechanical machine gun, it was possible to connect the wishes of an active driver with the capabilities of the machine. Its pluses are a powerful and confident start and instant reaction to gear shift, which allows you to feel like a pilot of a racing car, completely merged with the machine.
However, talking about the unconditional victory of this constructive scheme over others is too early. So far, there are many conditions in which a hydromechanical transmission is preferable. DSG does not like to touch the steep climb, maneuvering and driving with minimum speed on slopes, and just small engine speeds, especially during acceleration. It is not surprising to multiply the torque of the motor.
There is something to scold the steering with an electric amplifier. In the city and on high -speed highways, it is difficult to complain about it, but on mountain serpentines, where you have to shift the steering wheel 180 degrees and more, the reactive effect ceases to inform about the position of the wheels.
But with the suspension there was a complete understanding. Having traveled by car with conventional setting and 16-inch tires, I can confidently say: if you do not plan to warm up on the ring track on weekends, this is the best option that combines understandable controllability with decent comfort. Audi A3 Sports performed by Ambiente with a 17-inch rubber and a sports suspension, with a reduced road clearance, more rigid springs and shock absorbers a little wins the accuracy of control, but noticeably less comfortable. Even the nonsense, according to our concepts, the irregularities of the French roads suddenly sharply speak in the cabin. Yes, and on the arc of a turn, you will no longer relax the car requires accurate operation of the steering wheel and is sensitive to the profile of the road.

Not a reason for sorrow
Having got acquainted with the full set of engines, sometimes you are disappointed from the fact that not the most interesting modifications are supplied to Russia. This year, we will have a 1.6-liter gasoline engine with an automatic transmission, the most powerful VR6 and 1.9 TDI turbodiesel will be available. Perhaps the turn will come to a two -liter engine with a direct injection of gasoline. The most powerful two-liter turbodiesel and a gasoline engine of the same volume with direct injection and turbocharged will appear only in 2005. The price of the basic audi A3 Sports with an automatic transmission will be quite reasonable from $ 26,600. The main choice is, and over time it will only become wider.
Anatoly Fomin. Photo by the author and audi
 

A source: The magazine "Driving"