Audi has finally put a price to their baby diesel: $29K. And the rest. So how will a thirty-thousand dollar oil-burning compact car fare in the American market? For Johann De Nysschen’s sake, better than the Chevy Volt. Of course, the 230 mpg (snigger) Volt isn’t on sale yet, while the 42 mpg (highway) A3 TDI will soon hit Audi showrooms across the length and breadth of this great, oil-importing nation. Which reminds me—as Audi constantly does—“the EPA calculated that if only one-third of the vehicles on American roads ran on clean diesel, the U.S. would use 1.5 million fewer barrels of oil each day.” So, let’s see . . . Wikipedia says there are 135,399,945 automobiles registered in the US. That means Audi would like to replace roughly 45,133,315 vehicles with clean diesels. With a little help from other automakers, presumably. Right?
Not bad! And hopefully not to be plagued by the electrical and reliability concerns VW oil burners seem to have taken on in recent years.
It’s at least a good looker. In fact, I’m liking it much better than the Jetta TDI.
Are we getting the five-door wagon/hatch thing? Or is this, like most cars that are awesome with a hatch, going to be “sedanized” for America, with no hatch alternative?
Nice wagon but “starts from $30K” sound a lot like “drive away with essential options for $35K” – which maybe a stretch for a Golf derivative.
S-tronic. Is that German for CVT? Uh oh…..
What happened to the DSG and Quattro?
An all wheel drive diesel A3 would be great, but if all I can get is FWD I’ll wait until the Golf GTD shows up.
It won’t ever be mainstream, but it will do OK since it is already within the Audi market price range.
Since RF mentioned the Volt, the Volt isn’t in the Chevy market price range. That, combined with VW/Audi’s well-earned good reputation for TDI – and the single-fuel requirement of diesel vs the Volt scheme – means the A3 TDI will succeed.
I drive by the Audi dealer on my way to work.
I must be careful of the long lines.
$30,000 for a diesel Golf?
What’s the “car for idiots” again?
Audi constantly reminds us, ”the EPA calculated that if only one-third of the vehicles on American roads ran on clean diesel, the U.S. would use 1.5 million fewer barrels of oil each day.”
————————————–
Diesel and gasoline are different types of fuel. No way to compare the mpg, period. The only fair way of comparison is the cost of the fuel, e.g. $/mile.
If one-third of the vehicles on American roads ran on clean diesel, the price of diesel will at least triple, thus making diesel cars consume 200% more fuel (in dollar amount) than gasoline cars.
At $29k, I would choose a TSX or LGT over this.
They will sell 5.
They only sold 10 gas A3’s.
Audi cannot sell these at anywhere near the right price/value point. Their problem is that the right price point for the A3 is occupied.. by the Jetta!
Don’t get me wrong, I love diesels, but VW has a cult thing going with theirs. The “luxury” market doesn’t like them much. MB sells very few, BMW’s experiment flopped.
If this is $30 to start, the Quattro with DSG will be pushing $40k. That’s A4/328 territory. Hell, with the rebate the BMW 335d is only a tick above 40….
what is the use of an audi that isnt quattro?? and where is the 3 door version?
and at that price point i’d rather get a golf gtd/tdi fully loaded
@mike
i believe s-tronic is what they call their dsg
S-Tronic is Audi-speak for a DSG, not a CVT.
This or other diesels won’t sell well enough, that’s for sure!
carguy :
September 3rd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
“Nice wagon but “starts from $30K” sound a lot like “drive away with essential options for $35K” – which maybe a stretch for a Golf derivative.”
Exactly!
If you want an example of what a really fuel efficient diesel is like take a look at the European Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion – up to 75mpg Highway. Or check out some of the figures for the 1.4 Ford Fiesta Diesel – up to 80mpg highway. Now if car firms want to convince people in North America to drive diesels – introducing models like this is the way to do it.
Now I’m really confused. You buy an Audi because of its superior handling and driving, and looks… but it’s a diesel, so you’re already compromising on the performance. Plus, it’s only FWD, which throws away the other reason to get an Audi. Which means literally the only reason you’d ever buy this car is because it has an Audi badge on it, or because you’re really really fond of the styling.
If you were concerned about the environment, then why not just go for a Prius or some other Japanese hybrid? It’s making the same concessions as this A3, but with more room and at a lower price point.
Here’s an idea. Some people like cars, yet don’t want to burn a lot of fuel (either because of cost, concern for the environment or to make the most of a finite resource). So yes, I would like an Audi A3 diesel.
The world does not have to be divided into people who like vehicles and burn as much gas as possible vs. people who hate cars and live in a sod hut.
People buy Audi because
a) It is a “luxury brand”
b) It always has the best interior in its price range.
c) AWD is good, but these days plenty of other cars with AWD as an option.
Now not the best time but once gas prices go up, diesels will become more popular.
“At $29k, I would choose a TSX or LGT over this.”
Or even an A4 with quattro and a nice stick shift.
The problem with A3 is, I want to drive my car, not have it sitting in the shop. When Toyota makes a diesel Lexus, let me know.
$29k isn’t a bad price for an A3 diesel. I paid almost $27k for my 08 GTI. A diesel, DSG, and Quattro for $29k would be a steal.
I doubt you’ll be able to get all that for less than $35k though.
-ted
Using the Top Gear and 5th Gear Comparisons similar models of a BMW 5 and VW Golf preform within 5% of each other on a road course.
IIRC the 535D set a course record for best track fuel economy.
@zerofoo :
$29k isn’t a bad price for an A3 diesel. I paid almost $27k for my 08 GTI. A diesel, DSG, and Quattro for $29k would be a steal.
A fool and his money would be soon separated.
I don’t understand all the hate for the A3. We don’t have quite 10,000 miles on ours yet, but so far it’s been 100% problem (and even glitch) free. Not a squeak, not a rattle … zero issues. Even the dealer’s behaviour has been exemplary.
Although I’d love a quattro, I got such an incredible deal that I picked up a FWD (premium version with DSG, bi-xenons and the dual sunroof). This is a city car, after all, and quattro would be overkill for its mission. The A3’s got a great driver’s seat (and interior in general), a good stereo and lots of toys. Two adults can sit in the back when necessary and the rest of the time there’s plenty of usable storage via the hatch. In a crowded city this is a very easy and convenient car to live with on a daily basis. And unlike a TSX or a 3-series, you won’t see yourself at every traffic light.
Considering the acceleration of the 2.0T gas, operating economy is terrific … it’s such a good compromise that for me the diesel has no appeal. Maybe if I had a long commute …
Hating might be a bit strong, but the issue with the A3 is it’s price. It’s a pretty small car, smaller than the jetta, and a lot of people (like me) are offended when we find the “stripper” price Is $7500 below the “real” price.
Audi and BMW are both desperate to get a car at $30k but the truth is neither one can deliver. Audi has the additional problem that their cars are VW’s in many ways. (and VW’s have their own pricing problems. See the $27k golf above ) and getting 40k for an AWD VW is a stretch.
I don’t “hate” this car. I’m sure it’s very nice. I once went to try one out, but my eight year old kid had to sit cross-legged to fit in the back seat.
Oh, and yeah…they wanted 30 grand for it. How do you say “No Sale” in German?
Does a rational case exist for this car versus, say, a Honda Fit that costs at least ten grand less and probably gets similar mileage?
ZekeToronto :
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:55 pm
The A3’s got a great driver’s seat (and interior in general), a good stereo and lots of toys. Two adults can sit in the back when necessary…
Two adult members of the species homo sapiens, or are we talking Jawas here? :)
Seriously, that car is TINY on the inside.
Re A3 pricing: maybe its value proposition vis-a-vis the competition is different in Canada. The base MSRP here is around CDN$32k (about US$29k) for a FWD, 6-speed manual, including leather, dual climate control, cruise and the major power options. About what you’d pay for a well-equipped, slightly-larger Japanese car (Accord/Camry, etc). But the MSRP does not tell the story. I got a premium model–which adds power driver’s seat with 4-way lumbar, Bluetooth, nicer rims, paddle shifters, as well as a host of little convenience items like rain-sensing wipers (that actually work) and so on–as well as the stand alone options DSG, Xenon/LED lights and the OpenSky roof, all for a transaction price the same as the base MSRP mentioned above. No 1-series (or even TSX) could have touched that deal. It’s an extremely well-equipped car for US$29k.
Re the comparison to a Honda Fit: you’re kidding right? I drove a 2009 Fit for a couple of days recently (rental) and it’s a sluggish, tippy-feeling tin can with a cheap, plasticky interior and horrid ergonomics, compared to an A3. What’s odd is that I doubt that you’d compare a Fit to a GTI … which is just an A3 without the tux.
Having no kids (and only occasional rear seat occupants) and living where outside space is a real premium, the A3’s size is an advantage for us, not a deal breaker. And btw, I’m only 5’10’ and 175#, but with the driver’s seat set for me, I have tons of leg room in the seat directly behind. My knees are a full 3″ from the driver’s seatback (FreedMike must have one ginormous 8-year old!). Other than a slightly lower roofline, it’s no tinier than the Jetta that is based on the same platform. Have you actually sat back there … or just judged it by looking through the window?
Keep in mind that this is coming from a guy who loves small cars. I’ve owned at least two cars whose combined weight was less than the A3’s … and many that were much, much smaller in size. Exactly what attracted me to this car was that I could get all the features I wanted without having to buy a larger vehicle than I needed.
Let’s see, 29K USD is about 32K CDN. Now add the typical Audi screw you because you’re the Canadian market premium of 25% and I expect this car will run about 40K CDN up here. I don’t love diesel that much.
Besides, especially given it’s a car built by Teutons, I simply can’t figure out who is supposed to fit in this car. I’m 6’1″ and I’d have to run the top of my head through my table saw to fit in the A3. There are a lot of guys out there taller than me. I think if you could get it without a sunroof, it might be passable, but still.
Edit: In comparison, I can easily wear a mariachi hat in a Golf/GTI equipped with a sunroof. It’s easy to toss the term ergonomics around if you sit in the middle of the normal distribution, but it’s testing against taller and shorter people that makes a stronger case.
+1 with what ZekeToronto said.
I’ve got an ’07 A3(3.2 quattro) with over 55,000 mi. and aside from a loose trim panel fastener, the car has been trouble free.
For those who claim that an A3 is basically just a Golf, I’d disagree. My wife owns an ’08 VW R32; which aside from a stiffer suspension and bigger brakes, is machanically identical to my A3. That said, I can’t stand to drive the R32. It doesn’t feels as solid as the A3. The interior is god-awful(look/feel/ergonomics). The seats aren’t as supportive. At slow speeds, the brakes are way too “grabby”.
Having experienced both cars, I’d rather pay the $3000-$4000 premium for the A3. I just wish Audi of America would offer an A3 with manual+quattro.
Love my 2007 A3. I paid just a smidge over $30k which is on the lower side of many other models I looked at. I drove the GTI, sorry, not the same car as the A3. Regarding dinging it for the size, some us who live in urban areas don’t want a huge honking car that we have to parallel park. Our small car is the Mini.
ZekeToronto :
September 3rd, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Re the comparison to a Honda Fit: you’re kidding right? I drove a 2009 Fit for a couple of days recently (rental) and it’s a sluggish, tippy-feeling tin can with a cheap, plasticky interior and horrid ergonomics, compared to an A3. What’s odd is that I doubt that you’d compare a Fit to a GTI … which is just an A3 without the tux.
Having no kids (and only occasional rear seat occupants) and living where outside space is a real premium, the A3’s size is an advantage for us…
I’m sure the Fit feels cheaper…it’s about half the cost of the A3, so it should. But my point is that Audi is introducing this diesel as an eco-mobile, and its mileage figures are going to be very similar to far less expensive cars, like the Fit. I don’t see the logic of buying eco-mobiles when they get more expensive than a Prius, unless there’s some new technology that really makes it worth your while.
As far as the size is concerned…when you do have kids, you’ll learn there’s a HUGE difference between being “able” to carry a couple of your buds to a movie and back, and the ability to carry two kids for 4-500 mile sprints to Grandma’s house without their feet being constantly shoved in your backside.
The A3 is not family-sized.
FreedMike, I may have to go with Zeke on this one.
Our family driver has been a Honda Civic Hybrid for the past year. Space wise it’s been a perfectly fine vehicle for us. We have plenty of space as do our two kids.
When my mom comes to town we can fit everyone in without a problem. The wife sits in between the two child seats and everyone has enough room. Really. It may ‘seem’ a bit snug compared to most other cars. But space wise in the real world of everyday driving it’s absolutely fine.
Our average for 15,000+ miles? 42.3 mpg. Just like the Audi. I think Audi would need to offer a Hyundai-esque warranty to get their models some attention… including the A3. I know of at least one dealer in my neck of the woods who still has over two dozen 2008 A4’s sitting on his lot.
The A3 would definitely pass as an upscale family car in certain parts of the country. The price is stiff. But I think they would move if Audi was willing to defray some of the costs of ownership.
Well, I don’t think people hate the A3 as much as feel it just isn’t worth the price. I’m sure it’s a fantastic little car, and it certainly looks better than just about any other car in its class. But damn, is it expensive…
FreedMike: Apologies for missing your point about the Fit versus the A3 diesel. They definitely both appeal to folks concerned with operating cost (unlike the 2.0T), but they’re still targeting two different market segments. In the real world I can’t see an A3 TDI getting cross-shopped against a Fit very often.
As for the space thing, I guess it’s culturally and economically relative. Specifically, wherever fuel costs are high (i.e. most everywhere else in the world), the A3 is definitely “family-sized”. I’d also point out that even in the North American market, against three of the most frequently cross-shopped vehicles (the BMW 1-Series, the Mini and the Volvo C30), the A3’s backseat is the roomiest. Granted the others are two-door models, but that just means the A3 wins for ease of ingress/egress as well.
:-)
In terms of height accessibility, the Mini, Smart car, Golf, C30 and even the Civic (I think) would seat a 6’3″ driver. The A3 will not.
Sorry, but a group of 5’10” drivers makes for a circular argument.
Love the A3 to be honest, but I think it’s the combination of lower greenhouse, power seating and sunroof that rob precious inches. The A4 is similar – when I drive my wife’s A4, I need to recline the seat like a gangsta to keep from getting a concussion when I hit a bump.
Audis only open up at the A6 which I find very comfortable and roomy. The new Q5 has incredible head room. Unfortunately, those are out of my price league.
Back on the topic of the new TDI: Despite my own fondness for A3s, I think this model is a mistake for Audi North America. I realize that because of the VW TDIs, the horizontally-mounted version of this drivetrain was already certified, but I think if Audi really wanted to measure their potential for shifting diesels on this side of the Atlantic, they’d have incurred the expense to certify and introduce a diesel A4. Too many people will discount the A3 TDI because it’s an A3 … and already perceived as a poor value. Put a TDI drivetrain (mit quattro) in a line that’s doing some volume and we’ll learn a lot more about whether Americans can be persuaded to choose compression ignition over hybrids.
Despite being a huge Audi fan, the A3 just doesn’t do it for me. Quattro versions aren’t “real” Quattro, it’s just a Haldex system borrowed from VW. Same with both the 2.0T and the late 3.2 engines. The turbo four is VW’s, not Audi’s much superior 258ft.lb version used in the A4. The 3.2 wasn’t Audi’s, but just the old 250hp VR32 Volkswagen engine.
If I’m buying an Audi I want a real one. That means an engine mounted longways, the real torsen Quattro system, and a real Audi engine, like the magnificent new supercharged V6.
I’m still stunned that the diesel is $1200 more expensive than the 2.0T.
In Germany, the 140hp TDI is 2,250€ cheaper than the 200hp 2.0T.
Of course, in Germany the 2.0 TDI is the most popular drivetrain for the A3…
@maniceightball :
Now I’m really confused. You buy an Audi because of its superior handling and driving, and looks… but it’s a diesel, so you’re already compromising on the performance.
Audi brought diesel back into the minds of European luxury car buyers in the late 1980s. They made the first direct-injected diesel in a luxury car.
You don’t buy a gasser Audi in Europe unless you are filthy rich, want a gasser by all means and don’t give a damn on resale value. They are diesel innovators.
@ AlexD
…. I simply can’t figure out who is supposed to fit in this car. I’m 6′1″ and I’d have to run the top of my head through my table saw to fit in the A3.
…. In comparison, I can easily wear a mariachi hat in a Golf/GTI equipped with a sunroof.
I’m about ~5″11 and I fit in both the Golf and A3 no problems at all (both with sunroof). A 6-3 colleague owns the A3 here in Australia, and I drive a company Golf GT TDI when in Germany.
Maybe I haven’t noticed such internal differences, but they’re the SAME car so I find it hard to understand how it’s possible to fit fine in a Golf but struggle with the A3.
Audi’s and VW’s interior specs don’t shed any light on it as far as I can see; there’s less than a nats’ in it.
The A3 is a bit lower indeed. And has a bit more rear overhang in the 5-door version. They are not exactly the same.
The big complicated sunroof available as an option in the A3 makes things worse of course.
@maniceightball :
Now I’m really confused. You buy an Audi because of its superior handling and driving, and looks… but it’s a diesel, so you’re already compromising on the performance.
I don’t know where you get the idea that the diesel is a performance compromise? The 2 vehicles I know of that come in matching gas or diesel versions – the Jetta and BMW 335 – have gotten rave reviews for the performance of their diesels.
Perhaps just an old, anti-diesel bias?
Steven Lang :
September 4th, 2009 at 12:11 am
FreedMike, I may have to go with Zeke on this one.
Our family driver has been a Honda Civic Hybrid for the past year. Space wise it’s been a perfectly fine vehicle for us. We have plenty of space as do our two kids.
When my mom comes to town we can fit everyone in without a problem. The wife sits in between the two child seats and everyone has enough room. Really. It may ’seem’ a bit snug compared to most other cars. But space wise in the real world of everyday driving it’s absolutely fine.
That’s the thing – the Civic is one of the roomier compacts out there. The A3 isn’t.
I have what you’d call a key criteria in picking out a car: my oldest daughter, who’s 13, is 5’8″ and still growing, and she has long legs. Since I’m 5’10”, the test for back seat habiitability is simple: if I can adjust the seat the way I like it, and fit in the back seat without jamming my knees into the seatback, then so can she. If I can’t, it’s a no-sale. I can do that in the Civic; I tried it in the A3 and while I could get in and out, it was very tight back there.
Not beating a dead horse – the A3 is, by all accounts, a really nice drive, but it’s just not family-sized…at least not family-sized for me.
But that brings up a point: if I’m dropping 30 grand on a premium car, why should I have to compromise? For that money, I can find some darned nice iron out there that doesn’t require me to shoehorn my kids into the back seat.
Plenty of A3s here in Toronto, including my wife’s. If I were to guess, I’d say almost 2/3s as many A3s as A4s here.
I’m 6′ 0″ and fit in nicely. My 6′ 3″ brother does not. Our 2 children (both in car seats) also fit in nicely. Of course, the hatch isn’t so roomy, so if we need the space we take our “big” car (a 2004 Impreza TS).
Great car to drive, and nicely appointed. Fits in well in our inner city neighborhood. Comes in a 4 door, unlike Minis (even the Clubman was not available when we making our decision), 1-series or c30s. We were also considering a B200 Turbo, but no Mercedes dealers had manuals in stock for us to test drive so no sale. (This might have changed over the past couple of years).
In the interest of full disclosure, we chose to lease it based upon Audi/VW’s reliability record. The next 2 years will determine whether we keep it or not.
RetardedSparks :
September 4th, 2009 at 9:09 am
@maniceightball :
Now I’m really confused. You buy an Audi because of its superior handling and driving, and looks… but it’s a diesel, so you’re already compromising on the performance.
I don’t know where you get the idea that the diesel is a performance compromise? The 2 vehicles I know of that come in matching gas or diesel versions – the Jetta and BMW 335 – have gotten rave reviews for the performance of their diesels.
Perhaps just an old, anti-diesel bias?
The reviews I’ve seen for the Jetta diesel seemed more respectful than raving. In absolute terms, the car isn’t very fast – it’ll jump off the line smartly due to all that torque, but power tails off quickly.
That’s the weakness of diesels from a performance standpoint – they have a very low redline, so their power band is necessarily limited. BMW gets around this by putting two turbos on its 335d motor – one for low end torque, the other for higher-end power – thus maximizing the narrow power band.
But even the mighty 335d – which is legitimately quick – is no match for the gas 335. Even though the gas 335 gives up (almost literally) hundreds of lb/ft of torque to the diesel, it has 2,000 rpm or so of usable power that the diesel doesn’t. Thus, I’d bet the 335d would spank the gas 335 off the line (I’ve driven one – all that torque almost throws you back in your seat), but the race will be over as soon as the diesel required its first upshift.
For this reason, I think the real future for high-tech diesels is in trucks and large SUVs, not sports sedans. Since these aren’t performance vehicles, there’s little compromise to be made, and the efficiency factor is compelling.
FreedMike:
I was talking more about everyday driving “performance” although I admittedly don’t know if the original poster was referring to that or dragstrip/track performance. For the driving one does everyday, even “sprited” driving, I doubt if the diesel would seem much of a sacrifice. I haven’t driven the 335d, but I’ve drive a BMW 520d and that does not lack for anything in normal conditions.
The comment seemed to represent a pre-existing bias, rather than an informed conclusion. That’s all.
Thus, I’d bet the 335d would spank the gas 335 off the line (I’ve driven one – all that torque almost throws you back in your seat), but the race will be over as soon as the diesel required its first upshift.
The 335d would also spank the 335i on a 6th gear 55mpg to 75mph highway sprint. For most of the actual driving you do torque is far more important than bhp.
As the former owner of an ’02 Golf TDI, I say don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Stunning economy and effortless performance. A zillion Europeans are rarely wrong.
A good modern European diesel is like an old American big block V8 – limitless shove and a low redline. Folks loved them back in the day, and would love it now given a chance to try it. And ridiculously good fuel mileage as a bonus.
I remember in the late 60’s and early 70’s when there were lots of Mercedes 190D cars around, and found that if you got in a “race” with a guy driving one, all you had to do was wait for any upgrade, even a slight one, and drive away from him. It wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of anti-diesel bias in people these days comes from having, or hearing about, experiences like this.
The comment about a third of the vehicles being diesels interested me, because I think that we may be there already if you count by weight given that all the heavy trucks and a good share of medium trucks are diesels.
And finally, on the narrow power band of diesel engines, the truckers manage that with transmissions that have a lot of gear ratios. One would think that a light car could, with a high final drive ratio and a wide-ratio 6-speed manual, make adequate use of this power. But again, I think someone would have to be a fan like Goolsbee to want to drive it.
@fincar1 :
And finally, on the narrow power band of diesel engines, the truckers manage that with transmissions that have a lot of gear ratios. One would think that a light car could, with a high final drive ratio and a wide-ratio 6-speed manual, make adequate use of this power. But again, I think someone would have to be a fan like Goolsbee to want to drive it.
I had a 2.0 150hp gasser Focus rental last year ago. Very good car overall, but when approaching the Kasseler Berge in it (ridicoulously long steep Autobahn grade, have a look at YouTube) I had to shift down to fourth and then third gear to keep it from slowing down.
I can just leave my diesel BMW in 6th gear there and it will happily climb the grade. Same with a 105hp Passat TDI rental. Same with a Mercedes A-Class diesel rental.
So for long distance driving, I can’t see a gasser ever being a viable alternative to a diesel.
fincar1 :
I remember in the late 60’s and early 70’s when there were lots of Mercedes 190D cars around
You DO know that those cars had barely 50hp, right? Even if you were driving a stock Beetle that wasn’t really a fair “race”!
krhodes1 :
September 4th, 2009 at 10:40 am
A zillion Europeans are rarely wrong.
Explain World Wars I and II, then.
jmo :
September 4th, 2009 at 10:40 am
The 335d would also spank the 335i on a 6th gear 55mpg to 75mph highway sprint. For most of the actual driving you do torque is far more important than bhp.
Depends on the transmission in the gas 335. C/D measured the 335d at 3.9 seconds for 50-70, but the 335d is an automatic, and will shift down under full throttle. The only comparision I could find to the gas version was a 2007 335i coupe with a six-speed; they measured the 50-70 time at 6.0 seconds, but with manuals, they perform this test in top gear, and do not downshift.
I’d bet the gas would be the diesel’s equal in this race, given the same transmission. Either way, though, the 335 is one damned quick car, whether it’s a gas or diesel. Personally, I’d prefer the gas, just to hear that engine sing at the redline – that’s about a seductive a sound as Jessica Biel whispering “more” in your ear.
Hopefully this is Audi’s plan to tempt BMW to bring its practical 5-door 120d or 116d or 118d or 123d. (This being the USA, I could see BMW bringing the super-sized 123d.) Offered with a stick, I’d find a way to get one of those.
“FreedMike :
September 4th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
krhodes1 :
September 4th, 2009 at 10:40 am
A zillion Europeans are rarely wrong.
Explain World Wars I and II, then.”
My dear American,
I do hope you have some more constructive contribution to this topic.
Until then, you may note that you are far off the topic.
@ zaitcev :
“The problem with A3 is, I want to drive my car, not have it sitting in the shop. When Toyota makes a diesel Lexus, let me know.”
Umm, Lexus started selling the IS220d (‘d’ for diesel) about 3 years ago. There probably will never be another one, but they realised that in Europe, you’re dead if you don’t have a diesel.
Toyota also have a fine 3.0D4D engine in Europe mated with the HiLux truck and the LandCruiser 4WD (badged as a Lexus in the US I believe). It was this engine that the guys from UK Top Gear programme used to be the very first ICE powered vehicles to drive to the South Pole.
@Tricky Dicky :
Umm, Lexus started selling the IS220d (’d’ for diesel) about 3 years ago. There probably will never be another one, but they realised that in Europe, you’re dead if you don’t have a diesel.
Generally they had a good idea – aim straight at the best-seller on the segment (BMW 320d) and try to match the specs.
The problem with the IS220d is that the execution is not that great. It doesn’t hold a candle to the competition (BMW 320d, Mercedes C220CDI) in terms of fuel economy, performance or comfort – and it’s pretty hard to find a Lexus dealer in Europe.
Also: No automatic transmission option and no resale value.