The saga continues.
Popped into Audi Tunbridge on the way back from the meet and sat in a A3 S-line (no S3 avaiable) and my head was touching the roof.
Now I know I need a haircut and this one had a sunroof but it did get thinking.
They also had an A5 sportback in there too and back to back with the A3 it looks so much MORE car and very stylish.
Interior is very much the same as my A4 and a very nice place.
What I do like on the A5 are the frameless windows, so very scoob like.
Also test drove a manual SEAT Cupra straight after getting back into Hastings. I know the dealer well and he just chucked me the keys. So had a good drive out of town and on some of my favourite Twisties.
What this highlighted is that a 290ps Cupra isn't a patch on my Scooby for grunt and feel. It was very linear with 2nd gear feeling like it had a torque limiter. 3rd was better but not like the scoob. The artificial noise generator could also end up quite wearing in Cupra mode.
It was good to drive it back-2-back with the scoob. What it has done is prove that the scoob is pretty untouchable in its current guise and I shouldn't be seeking the same thrill it gives, from alternative marque.
If respectable road testers and writers really rate the Cupra and put it very high on the Hot/Mega hatch pedestal when compared to Golf R, RS3, 308 GTI etc then I need to listen to them and accept that any current Hot/Mega hatch it's going to ring my bell.
So that brings me back to the A5 230ps TFSI.
230ps stock is likely to be more then my TDi is with the remap. It's quoted as 240ps but I expect an Audi claimed 230ps will return more on the dyno than a tuners claimed 240ps.
The TFSI can be tuned to 290-310ps easy enough.
For the 10% of time I will be able to use full power I expect it will be plenty. It also won't be competing with the Subaru for power glory, which keeps my interest and heart in the scoob.
We will see what happens next week with the loaner S3. A lot of me wants to come to the same conclusion as with the Cupra. It's trying to compete with the scoob and not only will it fail but that's not my goal.
My goal is comfortable driving but with nice smooth power delivery when I need it.
My original white A4 120ps done the first bit fine and was ok around town. But when out of town you soon realised it only had 120ps. I'm sure another 100+ horsepowers will sort me out.........
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