Since winning Le Mans with a diesel R10, Audi has been surprisingly shy about emphasizing diesel motorsports as part of its brand. That's starting to change; Audi's been showing versions of its R8 supercar with a 6.0-liter diesel V12 at auto shows. Und now… the A3 TDI Clubsport. This oil burning trackmeister is set to debut at the Lake Warther tour in Austria. Powered by an uprated version Audi's 2.0-liter TDI four-banger– making mit ze 224-hp and 332 lb-ft of torque– the hot hatch should scoot to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. Quattro all wheel drive, a six-speed transmission and six-piston ceramic brakes round out the formidable platform. The usual boy-racer accoutrements adorn the exterior, from giant bolt-on wheel arches to a DTM-style spoiler, to 20" rims and a custom paint scheme. You want to buy one? Dream on– although Audi is prepping a roofless TT Clubsport for sale in 2010. With a TDI TT on sale now in Europe, there's a chance the TT Clubsport will offer the breathed-on diesel as an option. Or better yet, Audi may actually build the A3 TDI Clubsport as part of a whole line of Clubsport models. Normal, S-line, S and Clubsport. You pays you money, you take your depreciation…
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I think a car with a paint scheme that gaudy should either put out better numbers or wear a Honda badge.
Oh, 2010, the year all the cars come out (or not).
Really need to see where this whole diesel thing goes these next 6 to 12 months.
What will diesel, and all fuel, cost next year.
The brands bringing in the diesels all sound exciting.
Dear god, can Audi make the fronts of their car look any worse? The grill alone is bad enough, but then you add those ginormous vents on either side.
So its a Diesel powered STI and EVO competitor.
Right now Diesel is $0.75/gal more than 87 Gas where I live. This is going to put up high psychological hurdle on any potential diesel buyer.
I’m waiting for the Subaru 2.0 Diesel in the Impreza or Legacy myself.
What is an “open-gate” transmission? A stick-shift without a sequential-shift interface?
Win on Sunday sell on 2010?
Looking like that they will certainly appeal to the “I have a ’96 Civic with a large exhaust” demographic.
Don’t get me wrong – I like Euro diesels but not when they look like this.
Open-gate transmission visible here.