Okay here's the deal, I was really looking into the 08 R32, and i'm still considering it (limited production, great sound).But I started looking into the A3 and i'm really liking the styling of that car. Also... the A3 is more or less the same thing as the R32, just with four doors. Now I need an AWD vehicle, but I also want a good amount of performance which is why i'd love to get the A3 2.0T and chip it, but no AWD. I use my car a lot during the winter so it's a must. How about an A4 2.0T with quattro, how is it performance wise if it's chipped and has a few mods like exaust, CAI.. does it keep up with the A3 with same mods or no chance? Also, why are their no real mods for the A3 3.2.. is there any way to chip it and increase the performance? Thanks.

 

I'm sure the guys in the A4 forum would argue, but an A4 2.0T with quattro is a heavier car - so if all mods were equal, the A3 2.0T would be faster. And if you got the A3, you'd have the added benefit of driving a better looking car.

 

The USA doesn't get 2.0T with Quattro.

 

Where are you located? I took my A3 to CO last winter for a snowboarding trip. Car did fine. I didn't even have winter tires on it (just the Conti all seasons). Would I have liked Quattro? Yeah....but the FWD works fine. Go for the 2.0T, get a set of winter wheels/tires, get the car chipped, and you will prolly still have some money left over compared to the cost of the 3.2

 

I'm located in NY and the storms in the northeast get pretty nasty. I drive to vermont often and love having all four wheels in motion. My current SUV is my first vehicle and it has 4x4 and I love it, but never had a FWD to compare with. When I go with all my friends we take my car cuz none of them dare drive in the snow with FWD or RWD. Also, if I wanted FWD I would go for a GTI... very nice inside and out, and much cheaper than the Audi.

 

I totally understand where you are coming from. I'm originally from upstate ny. CRAZY cold shizat up there.
But i never owned a 4x4 or any kind of 4 wheel drive car. Only fwd. I remember when honda and toyota first started sending cars over and everyone was ga-ga over the fwd for it's superior handling in the snow compared to rwd.
Quattro is amazing but fwd isn't all that bad.

That said... I am now in Houston. No snow, obviously. But I had a Quattro A4 a couple years ago. OMG. Even on dry road it's nothing but grip. Going through puddles there is no pull towards the curb. Starting from a stop with two wheels on one side of the car on gravel and the other side on pavement takes off in a perfectly straight line. Incredible. So understand you wanting Quattro. Unfortunately you'll have to spend the big bucks and get a 3.2.

 

Technine's chip has been out for awhile, do a search and you will find a post by me on that chip. Revo will have theirs within the next 10 days. They are currently test fitting them in SoCal. Having said that, the increase will not be anywhere close to the 2.0T from a mere chip. Advantage of a turbo. You can always go HPA if you have the money and crave for more power. What other mods are you looking for? As the R32 MarkV is showing, there will be more and more mods available.

 

I'd go with the 2.0t with fwd. I was in Germany for a month last year during the middle of a record snowfall year. They almost all drive little fwd hatches where I was. We went through a ton of snow up to around 8 inches deep and never had any problems whatsoever. Take the money you save on the a3 and get some good snow tires, blow the rest on mods, you won't have any problem.

 

While the 2.0T is sufficient even up here in Toronto... the Quattro (even "just" haldex) is just that much better around snow.

 

I just moved to Colorado, and the entire reason I got an A3 was for the AWD. If I had been willing to settle for a FWD car, I would have stuck with my old car (RWD) or gotten a Prius or something.

Yeah yeah, I know that makes me not the typical car-enthusiast that trolls these forums!