This morning, we told you about the debut of the 2007 Audi S3 performance hatchback. According to Automotive News, Audi won’t sell the S3 in the United States any time soon, as Americans aren’t too keen on three-door hatches. However, a five-door S3 could eventually be offered stateside, according to the trade publication. However, no timeframe was given.
Zero obligation price quote from a trusted local dealer.
08/01, 6:03 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
oh really? so nobody likes the R32? Or Mini Coopers, or the Volvo C30?
08/01, 6:04 PM
posted by:
al
yep no one
08/01, 6:20 PM
posted by:
mike
Some European car companies are really stupid. I would rather have the 3 door then the 5 door. Both would be great to sell out here.
08/01, 6:22 PM
posted by:
Sweaty Bollocks
When BMW introduces the 3 door 1 series in the US AUdi will follow
08/01, 6:32 PM
posted by:
Mr Kite
VW doesn’t want to take away sales from their next RXX. Since the S3 shares platforms and some driving dynamics, VW can sell an RXX for a lower price than a S3 but higher volume. Plus it is just too expensive to certify a car for the US and not have a signifigant market that will buy the car.
08/01, 6:37 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Too bad, nice combo with AWD.
08/01, 7:02 PM
posted by:
Ahk-Med
35,150 Euros = 44,851 U.S. dollars
It’s a very nice package, but there is no market for $45k hot hatches in the US. Bummer.
08/01, 7:05 PM
posted by:
GM number1-4ever
Dear everyone, I am sorry I was such a narrow minded fool, I finally got my learners permit today, and my uncle let me drive his honda civic, compared to my moms sunfire, my mind has been changed about GM, you wont see another post about me shamelessly saluting GM. If I do, or my alter alias GMrules, Just ignore it
08/01, 8:59 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
Anybody who likes European cars knows you cannot go directly from Euros to Dollars and come up with anything close to a correct price. A regular A3 sportback with V6 and DSG starts at 34,350 Euros which converts to $43,827. But in the USA, an A3 sportback V6 with DSG really starts at $33,980. That artifically creates a $9847.00 disconnect when you attempt to apply a conversion based on European prices. Try it with any European car that’s currently sold both in USA and Europe and you’ll see that Dollar to Euro conversons give you figures that are routinely 25% different from actual prices.
08/01, 9:32 PM
posted by:
dorag
Getting a car manufacturer to import a car isn’t the same as shouting “Freebird!” at your local bar band.
Audi gets it. All you guys arew definitely absolutely going to seriously think about test driving one if they bring it over.
08/01, 10:02 PM
posted by:
Renton
#9 -correct. You can’t just use the conversion factor. All of these companies know that they can not sell their produtcs for Euro money. They have to sell at a loss.
We actually get these cars at a bargain. The same with motorcycles. Price out a Triumph in lbs convert to $$$ and chesk the US MSRPs. We get them cheaper than the Brits.
It is awesome.
The problem comes with limited production cars like the S3, the R32. Unless they need to sell a Halo car here. They will sell all they can in Europe first.
Honda loses money on the S2000, but they need to sell here b/c of the reputation of the car.
It is just good business, both parts of it. Halo car….. profit car. Which is it going to be.
VAG loses $$ on GTIs. Get em while you still can.
08/02, 2:19 AM
posted by:
Carl
#9 you’re right. It’s even worse if you buy an american car in europe. A Chrysler 300C 5.7 Hemi for instance has an american MSRP sticker of $34,730 and costs a mere € 46,400 in Germany. So, if you just convert the $ to Euros (about €27,400) you get a gap of almost €20,000! WTF? Just the price of €27k given, the 300C would compete against a Mercedes A-Class here in Germany. By the way: we’re not talking about a fully loaded A-Class. Just a nicely equipped A170 four-banger with 116bhp. What are we doing wrong over here?
08/02, 4:54 AM
posted by:
Alex
I agree with number 10. While many of us would love for it to come here, how many people would honestly go buy one and not jsut like one and drive something else
08/02, 8:03 AM
posted by:
Eion
“What are we doing wrong over here?”
Do those prices in € include VAT? (MSRPs in the US certainly don’t)
If so, that’s a 20% or so difference in price straight away. There are also probably the additional costs of doing business in Europe (extra regulations and such).
Europeans don’t even get such a bad deal compared to some places in the far east – ever priced an Audi in Korea?
As to the car – I don’t think I’d buy one anyway, but I still think it’s a shame that it doesn’t have DSG and more power (just a pipedream I’m sure, but I’d really love to see the 2.7l biturbo from the old RS4 shoehorned into this car).
08/03, 10:45 PM
posted by:
Northeasterner
I’d love one of these things in the US. Except they should have given the new S3 the tail light treatment from the new A3, not the old one. The old S3 looked exactly like this new one from behind.
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08/01, 6:03 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
oh really? so nobody likes the R32? Or Mini Coopers, or the Volvo C30?
08/01, 6:04 PM
posted by:
al
yep no one
08/01, 6:20 PM
posted by:
mike
Some European car companies are really stupid. I would rather have the 3 door then the 5 door. Both would be great to sell out here.
08/01, 6:22 PM
posted by:
Sweaty Bollocks
When BMW introduces the 3 door 1 series in the US AUdi will follow
08/01, 6:32 PM
posted by:
Mr Kite
VW doesn’t want to take away sales from their next RXX. Since the S3 shares platforms and some driving dynamics, VW can sell an RXX for a lower price than a S3 but higher volume. Plus it is just too expensive to certify a car for the US and not have a signifigant market that will buy the car.
08/01, 6:37 PM
posted by:
The Stig
Too bad, nice combo with AWD.
08/01, 7:02 PM
posted by:
Ahk-Med
35,150 Euros = 44,851 U.S. dollars
It’s a very nice package, but there is no market for $45k hot hatches in the US. Bummer.
08/01, 7:05 PM
posted by:
GM number1-4ever
Dear everyone, I am sorry I was such a narrow minded fool, I finally got my learners permit today, and my uncle let me drive his honda civic, compared to my moms sunfire, my mind has been changed about GM, you wont see another post about me shamelessly saluting GM. If I do, or my alter alias GMrules, Just ignore it
08/01, 8:59 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
Anybody who likes European cars knows you cannot go directly from Euros to Dollars and come up with anything close to a correct price. A regular A3 sportback with V6 and DSG starts at 34,350 Euros which converts to $43,827. But in the USA, an A3 sportback V6 with DSG really starts at $33,980. That artifically creates a $9847.00 disconnect when you attempt to apply a conversion based on European prices. Try it with any European car that’s currently sold both in USA and Europe and you’ll see that Dollar to Euro conversons give you figures that are routinely 25% different from actual prices.
08/01, 9:32 PM
posted by:
dorag
Getting a car manufacturer to import a car isn’t the same as shouting “Freebird!” at your local bar band.
Audi gets it. All you guys arew definitely absolutely going to seriously think about test driving one if they bring it over.
08/01, 10:02 PM
posted by:
Renton
#9 -correct. You can’t just use the conversion factor. All of these companies know that they can not sell their produtcs for Euro money. They have to sell at a loss.
We actually get these cars at a bargain. The same with motorcycles. Price out a Triumph in lbs convert to $$$ and chesk the US MSRPs. We get them cheaper than the Brits.
It is awesome.
The problem comes with limited production cars like the S3, the R32. Unless they need to sell a Halo car here. They will sell all they can in Europe first.
Honda loses money on the S2000, but they need to sell here b/c of the reputation of the car.
It is just good business, both parts of it. Halo car….. profit car. Which is it going to be.
VAG loses $$ on GTIs. Get em while you still can.
08/02, 2:19 AM
posted by:
Carl
#9 you’re right. It’s even worse if you buy an american car in europe. A Chrysler 300C 5.7 Hemi for instance has an american MSRP sticker of $34,730 and costs a mere € 46,400 in Germany. So, if you just convert the $ to Euros (about €27,400) you get a gap of almost €20,000! WTF? Just the price of €27k given, the 300C would compete against a Mercedes A-Class here in Germany. By the way: we’re not talking about a fully loaded A-Class. Just a nicely equipped A170 four-banger with 116bhp. What are we doing wrong over here?
08/02, 4:54 AM
posted by:
Alex
I agree with number 10. While many of us would love for it to come here, how many people would honestly go buy one and not jsut like one and drive something else
08/02, 8:03 AM
posted by:
Eion
“What are we doing wrong over here?”
Do those prices in € include VAT? (MSRPs in the US certainly don’t)
If so, that’s a 20% or so difference in price straight away. There are also probably the additional costs of doing business in Europe (extra regulations and such).
Europeans don’t even get such a bad deal compared to some places in the far east – ever priced an Audi in Korea?
As to the car – I don’t think I’d buy one anyway, but I still think it’s a shame that it doesn’t have DSG and more power (just a pipedream I’m sure, but I’d really love to see the 2.7l biturbo from the old RS4 shoehorned into this car).
08/03, 10:45 PM
posted by:
Northeasterner
I’d love one of these things in the US. Except they should have given the new S3 the tail light treatment from the new A3, not the old one. The old S3 looked exactly like this new one from behind.