Can't decide: GTi or A3 3.2l v6

[muff1991]

GTI

[Dogma]

Strange question to ask on a GTI forum :) GTI of course! 

[pudding]

Only thing the A3 3.2 has over the GTI is sound. Apart from that I don't really see any benefit. GTI also easily tuneable to be quicker than the 3.2 lump. To improve performance on the A3 you would have to look at Turbo/Supercharger options which will cost an arm and leg.

Yep.  I spent about £2.5K on my old R32 trying to squeeze more juice out of it.  Shrick cams, headers, tuning etc etc.   The net result was about 280bhp    It's the intake manifold - too much of a bottle neck.  Great for low down grunt, but super restrictive up top.  285-290 is the absolute max n'asp with everything thrown at it.

To be fair, keep an R32/A3 above 4500rpm and a tuned GTI will stuggle to get past it.  It's the midrange turbo thump that R32s can't compete with....and 200Kg less baggage!

[AJP]

There’s a particular appeal to the AWD V6 cars to me - more a scenario if you like...

Forced induction.

We all know that the standard cars (and even those tweaked and tuned down the N/A route like Kev did) never quite match our boosted four-pots for easy, affordable power and fun. But I’ve always had a thing for those HGP twin turbo R32s. Grip, sound, and proper power. There’s no FWD Golf that’d live with one of those day to day. It’s just a matter of £££.

So they do have a place. Point is, I’d love an R32, but only as part of a plan that involved boost. We can all dream 

[amanda]

I own 5 audi’s All are 4x4 and Quattro’s .......4 are standard and 1 modified 
Gti is works bitch but would I swop to using the Audi’s for work??????? NO as some are too iconic to do that and the other is highly modified (at her lowest I get 3mpg)
So happy medium for me as she is fast, light and fuel efficient enough to have fun on the way to work 

[pudding]

There’s a particular appeal to the AWD V6 cars to me - more a scenario if you like...

Forced induction.

We all know that the standard cars (and even those tweaked and tuned down the N/A route like Kev did) never quite match our boosted four-pots for easy, affordable power and fun. But I’ve always had a thing for those HGP twin turbo R32s. Grip, sound, and proper power. There’s no FWD Golf that’d live with one of those day to day. It’s just a matter of £££.

So they do have a place. Point is, I’d love an R32, but only as part of a plan that involved boost. We can all dream 

Completely agree mate.  A 3.2 with a GT35R strapped to the back of it is something else.  BMW M5 (F90) performance, for less than a third of the price!   £25K should bag you a tidy MK5 R32 and a GOOD turbo kit (there are plenty of cr@p ones out there), with maybe some change for decent coilovers and brakes.

Or if you want to be completely under the Radar, a black or silver A3 3.2 would be a superb stealth bomber.

Another option would be the newest TTRS engine, which is all alloy, so would improve the handling of an A3/R32 quite a lot.  And you still get a ton of tuneful noise and power 

I think it's the way to go these days.  Buying a Golf R, Audi RS badged anything, M3 or M5 is a massive theft risk.