[LJP]

Have recently placed my order for an A3 SE sportback 140hp TDI with DSG hopefully arriving in October 2007.

However after a recent test drive of a 170hp manual S line on 18" alloys I am not sure that I have got the right spec and would be grateful for your advice / thoughts.

I do 30K motorway miles per year and so choose the 140hp 2.0TDI on economy grounds and the SE spec for comfort. I had even planned to de-spec to 16" alloys with their higher profile 205 width tyres to give even more economy and less tyre noise at motorway speeds. However it seems you can no longer do this and the SE can only be bought with 17" alloys.

The dealer where I placed my order kindly let me drive two back to back and this is where my doubts started. It's the usual problem of what looks right on paper isnt necessarily so.

The 170hp manual S line on 18's was a great car to drive with some real grunt and taut well controlled handling which never felt over firm. However even on a short test drive it was apparent that the front tyres were never going to have an easy life coping with the power pulling out of junctions, joining roundabouts, etc. Also, probably due to me changing up to early the engine felt very dead and off boost at about 1200-1400RPM but had real go as soon as the turbo kicked in. For an indicated 80mph on the motorway (remembering that most speedos over read by 10%) the engine was at 2200RPM.

The 140hp car I drove next was a used model but with DSG and and 16" alloys, on paper the best spec for my preferences. First of all the gearbox, phenominal no doubts about that. Next, the engine, 140hp felt neither slow nor fast, in fact if felt just right for car with fairly equal pulling power from tickover to mid range. Perhaps the DSG gearbox may be better at masking any flaws but after driving the 170 there was no point where the car felt 'on boost'. For an indicated 80mph the engine was at 2400RPM.

Also the standard suspension and 16" alloys had a disappointing jittery ride that would drive me crazy in town traffic and the car pitched about quite badly with very little body control in corners.

Therefore in choosing the right new car i have two questions, which engine and which suspension/wheels setup.

If I could get hold of torque curves and gear ratios for the two engines I could probably make the right choice but Audi does not seem to make these available.

Also the dealers reckons that 17" alloys on standard suspension cure the jittery ride.

Short of asking the dealer to provide a 170hp DSG SE on 17" alloys for a test drive back to back with a sport version, I would be grateful for your advice.