Audi gave up the niceties on the European-spec A3 past this year, but it took until today for it to unveil what changes will have over to the U.S. kind when the 2009 A3 goes on deal later this month. A rapid inspection of the exterior and glasses doesn't tell much, but dig a little deeper and the revisions become palpable. The fascia has been tweaked with a few cues from the lately revamped A4, plus new LED daytime running lamps, and redesigned rollers fill the swing wells, hitting Audi's possible Magnetic Ride suspension logic.
The five-door's powertrain choices linger, with both a 2.0-liter turbocharged four or a 3.2-liter V6, and all-veer-plunge is finally unfilled as an option on the 2.0T rank. Previously, Audi's mound-depart help was only open with the S-tronic dual-grasp transmission, but it's now standard on models fixed with the six-alacrity handbook. Pricing has been set at $26,920 for the front-wheel-drive, six-hurry manual kind equipped with the 2.0T, while the top of the line 3.2-liter Quattro variant comes in at $36,975.
A renewal of Flower Power's allowed vehicle seemed hopeless -- until now. The Sydney Morning Heralded rumor that VW's entertaining the possibility of a 21st-century Microbus built on the same platform as the new sedan that'll pe shaped at VW's Chattanooga, TN resource. An anonymous "boss Volkswagen officer" told the paper that European production's mainly a non-starter, and Volkswagen Group of America's Jill Bratina played it coy, adage only that a minute vehicle line out of Chattanooga is "conceivable in the foreseeable future." A locally-built, car-based Microbus is an idea that sure piques our benefit. How about yours?
In its transformation from athletic little vehicle to a bigger vessel's vessel, the roof, stalk and top are jetisoned in errand of a print layer with which to dodge the stage. On the inside, the routine guts are distant and replaced with teak lumber and rattan slim along with all new seats. As a concession to emissions, the gasoline powerplant is yanked in promote of sails a new electric motor and batteries that are supposedly able of powering the tender some 80 miles at speeds up to 86 miles per hour. No rowing mandatory.
Our sources say that this will also be the very first car to figure Ford's back generation SYNC technique. The theory definitely has an interesting originate, and we're anxious to see the wrecked result in November. Check out more photos and drawings in the gallery below.
Fine. We can understand the actuality that this engine isn't skilled for auction in the States and it would be steep to make ensuing. At slightest the Pentastar mark could suggest the J8's near 3,000-crush goods part via rear sheet springs and reinforced casing in its home advertise. Still no dice? Could we at slightest get the elevate bed as an option on the Unlimited framework? Not liable, would be our best suppose. Oh well, we can fancy.
