quattro digest, Vol 1 #4768 - No A3, why?

[TM]

Give me a S3, stripped out- no sunroof, no power windows,
no heated or power seats, two-speaker radio, simplified dash
and manual climate control, rear seat delete option, carpet
delete option and a 40/60 rear-biased Haldex program, modern-day
UrQ. Of course, no one would buy such a car. :-(

Hence the appeal of the Evo8.

Taka

-----Original Message-----
From: quattro-admin at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-admin at audifans.com] On
Behalf Of Larry C Leung
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 1:13 AM
To: quattro at audifans.com
Cc: brett at cloud9.net
Subject: Re: quattro digest, Vol 1 #4768 - No A3, why?


It was more of a marketing decision (no one wants a luxo hatchback that
is basically a tarted up Golf) that justified the "not bother to crash
test" issue. Crash testing is apparently VERY expensive and MUST be done
for every "new for the manufacturer" platform. Since the A3 (Audi, not
VAG) platform was new for Audi USA, it would've required a full
compliment of tests. Since Audi would not have expected Golf like sales
volumes, it would not have had the expected number of units to spread
the costs of testing. So, no tests, no importation. The car WOULD've
passed, it is, after all based entirely on an existing Golf platform
that has performed satisfactorily in US crash tests.

As for a Spartan Audi A3, spartan Audi's, Merc's, and BMWs,
as well as VW's exist in Europe. The only models that come
here are higher end (i.e. higher profit) units. A high end A3 would be
JUST as nice (if not nicer) than a high end Golf. We don't get the low
end units here because the Germans feel "why bother" compete totally on
volume when higher profit per unit models will sell just as well in cash
rich/low tax USA. The low end units in Europe are needed just for sales.
Prices of autos in Europe are SO much higher (and only some of it is
taxes, which are MUCH higher) than here. And we so often complain on the
west side of the Atlantic "how come we don't get the good stuff?"

LL - NY