Audi A3 1.4 TFSI

Fizman

Popped into my local VAG dealers today to get an Audi brochure as im thinking of changing pretty soon. On the A3 list I noticed a 1.4 Tfsi model which I hadn't heard of before. Just had a quick google of it and its definately a car that interests me and will look into it more. Seems to have tasty enough stats outputting 125hp and a combined mpg of 43. Now there may or may not have been threads on this before (site articles date back to July) but i'd just like to get peoples opinions on this new model, especially if they have come across it themselves. Cheers

bazz26

Do a search on this forum for the VW Passat TFSi or Golf TFSi threads, there is plenty of information in them about this engine.

Just be careful though a heavily revised A3 is due in the next 12 months. The current model being around since 2003.

E92

The 1.4 TFSI should become a bit cheaper after July, because it's engine would put itself in the 20% VRT category then, compared to 22.5% now, and if bought in July will cost €290 to tax per annum.

The 1.6 with no FSI technology will find itself in the 28% VRT catregory and €600 to tax, so that won't be around for too much longer I would suspect, plus it's slower and less economical too than the 1.4. On the other hand the 1.9 TDI will fall from 25% VRT now and €560 road tax to 16% VRT and €150 road tax, and if the pricing in the UK is anything to go by, this may indeed be cheaper than the 1.6 to buy after July. And to reiterate what bazz26 said, the A3 is due an update soon anyway.

Fizman

When you say update do you mean a completely new Mark, or just some cosmetic/facelift changes? Would be strange for a new Mark seeing as this 1.4tfsi engine is literally only hitting our market now for the A3.

E92

It is commonplace for the manufactureres to put new engines etc during a cars' lifespan. They often do this to keep interest in a car alive. The days of a car getting one big rehash during it's lifespan are starting to disappear, instead a "continuous improvement" to a product throughout the cars' life span is favoured. In any even the current shape A3 has been with us since 2003, and it's sister car the VW Golf is being replaced in 2009, so theA3 will be getting the chop sooner rather than later.

bazz26

New body panels, new interior for the A3. It will still use the MkV Golf chassis though but like the forthcoming MKVI Golf it will use a cheaper to produce, more simplified suspension setup afaik.

As E92 said it is very common for car makers to add new features to existing models through out their product life span. This gives the existing model an extra lease of life when sales start to drop off.

For example VW are adding a MkV Golf estate to the range despite the arrival of the MkVI in the next 12 months.