Audi Announce New A3 for launch in UK this summer

If you want all the details then VWVortex have the full story, pictures etc. The exterior looks nothing special, think I prefer the old one to be honest. But the interior is very TT, it shares similar air-vents, the same climate system, the rounded instrument pod, and even the fake strut braces on the console are there. All looks pretty nice. 8)

So if the the current A3 shares it's base with the Octavia, how long before the new Octavia shares it's base with the new A3 ?

Any ideas ?

According to Autocar a few weeks back the new Octavia is due for release towards the later half of 2004.

Apparently..... :roll:

Cheers.

Adrian.

My very recent off-topic post elsewhere suddenly seems very ON-topic here!

[start earlier post]

Final negotiations are apparently underway in Spain with Sean Connery to star as James Bond in European-wide commercials for the company's new Octavia model.

[/quote:6edd8060b3]

The [i:6edd8060b3]new[/i:6edd8060b3] Octavia model? So the mid-2004 launch is a definite go-ahead, along with the new Golf and Seat Leon.

This is what I read somewhere:

Skoda Octavia is in for a facelift. The new-look Octavia, more aerodynamic and technologically-advanced, is slated for launch in early 2004. The design cues will remain the same, though it will be a bigger car.

[/quote:6edd8060b3]

I bet with more legroom in the back! :lol:

More aerodynamic? Having seen the new A3, they will probably axe the rugged looks I like the Octavia for.

Soon we'll be driving out-of-date cars. And I'm not even driving mine yet! Ah well...

[end earlier post]

P.S. The mid-2004 date is given by the Top Gear site:

http://www.topgear.com/content/news/cars_coming_soon/03/

Is that mid 2004 in the Uk or on mainland Europe? We seem to have to wait for RHD versions of cars after their launch so will it be 2005 before the RHD Octavia reaches the UK? Oh and seen the pix of the new A3 , seems to have a hint of the new Seat Ibiza in there...not too sure about it at the mo , if I wanted a TT interior id rather buy a TT!...maybe the new A3 will be a 'grower' on me , but i dont fancy a V6 powered S3 and theres no mention of 1.8T powered variants , is our coil pack eating friend nearing the end of its 20 valved life??

I saw an artists impression some while back of the 2004 Octavia - not much different - a bit chunkier - a bit more 'vw'.

you mean this one?

(original on left, RS'ified on right)

[img:5060775965]http://www.geocities.com/ian_cooke/skoda/octavia2004_new.txt[/img:5060775965]

Chunkier? Is that Czech for "more aerodynamic"? :lol:

Oh well, if that's the case, I'll like it - roll on the new car. In three years time I could use the extra legroom in the back!

Oh, Duncan: I've heard tell that the new A3's lack of high-end turbo engines is only temporary. Audi is planning a forced-induction version of their new 2.0 FSI (with direct fuel injection), which will become available to all VAG marques. The current unit already produces a whopping 150bhp and is [i:aa1d213b96]very[/i:aa1d213b96] fuel-efficient. Imagine what a decent turbo (>200bhp) and then some clever programming (>250bhp?) could do, not to mention the results of even more tweaking. So you needn't worry about having to buy the V6, which indeed will be very costly to upgrade. Do like the sound of it, though.

And yes, the 1.8T will be ditched when the 2.0T FSI is ready. A bit drastic, I think - dump the entire engine instead of just the coilpack supplier - but when you have something lined up that's even better...

Duncan,

the head of Audi Design is Walter De Silva the man responsible for the Seat Ibiza (and in a previous life the Alfa 156).

Funny about the similarities .

If you check-out the pipcs for the Audi Peaks Pike concept SUV, note the rear lamp clusters....very Seat/Alfa..

Heard also the head of Merc design is now head of VW/Skoda/Bentley design. De Silva heads up Audi/Seat/Lambo/Bugatti.

Just thought I'd share that snippet with everyone.

Cheers.

Adrian.

I saw the engine line up and proposed high end ones as well - the V6 wiill be the initial top of the range (around 250bhp I think), but then there will be an S3 and RS3 later - bhp figures were pretty large.......ouch!!

Dutch

Thanx for the tip RE the 2.0 FSI turbo , sounds like it could be worth the wait!...as it took the 1.8T a few years to trickle down from Audi to Skoda , will the new motor be the same? I'm not really a fan of V6 engines , despite owning and lusting after several capri 2.8is in my life! If I wanted a big heavy engine over the nose of my car now I'd go the whole hog and get myself a Mustang or Camaro Z28 , at least a V8 makes a decent noise!

SkodiRS

Cheers for that , I take it thats why i 'see' Ibiza cues in the A3 , especially the headlamp shape!

Talking of the new Octavia for a mo...I wonder whether we will get a sporty version this time around? I hope so , id love to see a 4x4 RS powered by the new FSI turbo engine!