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2006 Audi A3 First Drive
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A sedan, wagon, and SUV, rolled into one premium package
by Sue Mead
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TO THE POINT
Selling Points: Hatchback utility, handsome design, terrific powertrain, optional Direct Shift Gearbox
Deal Breakers: No quattro AWD at launch, seats might prove uncomfortable for some, low-rent interior materials
Our Advice: Though a premium hatchback is a relatively new concept, given the price and the list of possible competitors, Audi is jumping into an established marketplace with the stylish and fun-to-drive A3.
MEET THE COMPETITION
Saab 9-2X
Volvo V50
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WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – Serving as a hub for contemporary design where architects, engineers, and designers showcase their newest, trend-setting work, the Pacific Design Center is where Audi handed over the keys to the new 2006 Audi A3. It seemed a fitting place for the A3’s designer, Gary Telaak, to sketch the evolution of this premium five-door hatchback, and for this German automaker’s engineers and marketers to talk about the A3’s positioning as a dynamic and versatile sports car with the attributes of a sedan, a wagon, and an SUV.
Made for buyers with an active lifestyle, the 2006 Audi A3 is a fresh and exciting new offering in North America. But then, we’ve heard the same rhetoric used to describe many new and upgraded models of late. We came to West Hollywood to find out if Audi can deliver on that promise.
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