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If it weren’t for the ‘T’ in its model designation, you’d never know that the 1.8-litre four in this A3 breathes through a turbocharger. Performance is delivered in such a linear fashion from peak torque way down at 1500rpm to peak power right up at 6200rpm that there is no increase in urgency as revs rise nor any sense of anticipation that the engine is about to ‘come on to the cam’.

Our tests showed a more-than-respectable 0-60mph time of just 7.7sec and, to prove the efficacy of it...Read the full article

quote: This must be one of the most refined and smooth four-cylinder motors ever invented. i totally agree with that. the 1.8 tfsi offered in the a3, a4 and a5 is one of the finest engines around!

I disagree with the reviewers comparisons to the VW Eos. The two cars are unrelated as the eos uses a combination of golf and passat platform parts and size-wise is on par with an audi a4 cab or bmw 3-series. An audi A3 cab is based merely on the golf MK5 platform and goes head to head with  a 1-series cab and will compete with the forthcomming VW Golf cabriolet (which will be sold alongside the eos).