Christian Wardlaw’s 2006 Audi A3 3.2 S Line Driving Impressions:
Honestly, I didn’t feel much of a difference between this 2006 Audi A3 3.2 S Line and the 2.0T with Sport Package that we drove a few months ago. Like with the turbo four, the DSG transmission makes maximum use of the V6’s power, and is fun to shift using the paddles mounted to the steering wheel – for about three traffic lights. Audi’s DSG is definitely the best clutchless manual I’ve tried, but is difficult to use if you like to shuffle steer your way along a favorite back road. Plus, I didn’t hear the same bubbly rev-matching downshifts with this A3 3.2, but that could be due to a V6 engine’s naturally refined nature compared to a four-banger. Indeed, the 3.2 model supplies more verve, but not so much more as to justify the added markup on the window sticker.

Like the A3 2.0T with Sport Package that we drove previously, this new S Line version rides roughly on city pavement, but offers impressive grip in turns. I’m no fan of Audi’s funky brake pedal feel that offers delayed initial response and then grabs onto the binders to bring the car to a jerky halt in the city. Oddly, though, this same brake pedal becomes your best friend when hustling too hot into a series of hairpin turns. For city dwelling, the A3 has a nice, tight turning circle, and is quite easy to park.

Thom Blackett’s 2006 Audi A3 3.2 S Line Driving Impressions:
With its tight suspension, responsive steering, and powerful engine, enthusiast drivers will enjoy this sport wagon on curvy back roads, and a mash of the throttle makes for a quick getaway when there’s an opening in sluggish traffic. As the only transmission available on the 3.2 S Line, the six-speed DSG automatic provides precise shifts in regular mode, and allow you to stretch the V6’s legs a bit more in manual mode. I always prefer a manual transmission in a sporty car, but if it’s got to be an automatic, the DSG is possibly the best compromise. The paddles are well-placed on the steering wheel, and the rev-matching feature really smoothes things out as you click up and down through the gears on twisty back roads. The “poof” sound of the 2.0T engine is absent, but the 3.2 offers its own raspy exhaust note when revved.

Handling and steering were on par with the spirited powertrain. Thanks to the standard performance-tuned suspension, the 2006 Audi A3 3.2 S Line is a joy to toss hard into the corners, with 18-inch Continental 225/40 keeping this all-wheel-drive ride between the painted lines. There’s plenty of feedback through the small, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a generous amount of feel keeps the driver in tune with road conditions.

Ron Perry’s 2006 Audi A3 3.2 S Line Driving Impressions:
Sliding into the well-bolstered seats of the Audi A3 3.2 S Line, you are immediately aware of the quality of the materials that surround you. Fire up the engine – there’s no real drama here, just a quiet purr as expected. Engage the shifter, choosing the automatic or manual mode, and you are off. This is where the Audi A3 experience fell flat for me. The lag time between accelerator input and the engine actually doing anything is enough time to make a mental run through the day’s agenda. It is frustratingly slow to react, but once in the upper reaches of the rev range, the A3 pulls hard. The trick is to keep the revs up for a fun driving experience, but the reality is that we don’t always want to drive like this and more often than not, traffic doesn’t allow for this kind of enthusiastic motoring. Shifts are silky smooth. In fact, the DSG may be one of the best transmissions I have experienced in some time. The only downside on the manual mode is the automatic downshift to first gear at a stop and the inability to upshift for a second-gear start. The brakes on the Audi A3 were also a disappointment. They aren’t bad, but I found myself overshooting my anticipated stopping points due to what I feel is a bit of numbness in the pedal. Steering is crisp and the Audi A3 suspension allows it to corner like it’s on rails without beating you up on rough surfaces. Outward vision is also excellent and the overall impression the Audi A3 S Line left me with is one of being bigger and more expensive than it really is.