2006 Audi A3 Front

Right in the middle of a big crowd of Volkswagens and Audis slots the all-new A3, taking the A4's spot as the beginner Audi. Borrowing its platform from the all-new Jetta/Golf/Passat, the A3 came to market with the company's new 200-horsepower turbo 4-cylinder engine (coupled with a 6-speed manual or Direct Shift Gearbox transmission), essentially making it a shorter-length, front-drive A4. Already, the A3 lineup is expanding to include the V6 and all-wheel-drive, the difference being that the A3 pairs them exclusively to Audi's Direct Shift Gearbox (an innovative double-clutch manual transmission than can shift automatically) instead of the A4's standard manual or automatic transmissions. Other differences come to the A3's front strut suspension and sideways-mounted engine. The A3 may be living on shared components, but for sure it's not getting shortchanged for hardware or interior elegance.