[s-cars] A4 3.2

[Steve Marinello]

After getting a freakin' Corolla the last tie the S6 was in, I bypassed the Service Dept. and arranged with a salesman to try an A4 3.2 quattro for the day so that I could see if I could tolerate a Tip.  Still sucks, to me.  So far, the only automatic that shifts quickly enough in manual or auto modes and does so without annoying bad habits is on the Infiniti's...not talking about the DSG's and such.  

On the other hand, the 3.2 is a fantastic engine, hindered by Audi's typical lousy tip-in at low throttle and a really annoying tendency for compression braking magnification with the automatic.  But it's fat with torque almost everywhere.  Driving in the Sport auto mode, it feels like it's always on power.  I was griping to the wife that Audi was really missing it without offering a 6 speed stick or DSG with the car.  To my surprise, although possibily old news to listers who read everything out there on Audi's, after repeating the gripe to the salesman, he said he had good news and that, even though it's not on the website yet, the six-speed stick is now available on the A4 3.2 and there is a strong possibility that it will be available in 2007 on the A6.  Don't believe the A6 yet, but the stick will make for one hell of a performance car in the A4.  Except for the lack of rear seat room for a son growing four inches in the last four months, that torque would almost make it an acceptable replacement for the S6 avant.  Should get about the same mileage, too, which is why, all things considered, I'll go with the 2.0T if I get one soon.

Steve