# U.S. Spec A3 Dealer Education PDF



## unclubbedvdub (Jul 19, 2002)

So I managed to get my hands on the PDF that is given to dealers at A3 training to help educate them on some of the specifics that go into this car. Thought I would share it with this forum. It has some decent info on some of the tech in this car. Plus it is a fun read while we wait for this car to hit the store fronts.:banghead:

Here it is shared from my Google Drive. Enjoy!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9BegyM4J1bJZGxJVkxqQkNYekk/edit?usp=sharing

-RS


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## .:Ru4dubn¿ (Mar 14, 2012)

Thanks for posting!


Found this interesting:

"Both the 1.8L TFSI and 2.0L TFSI engines for the North American market will only have the FSI injection system. The dual injection may be introduced at a later date."


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## Feligula (Feb 22, 2014)

"May" be introduced. My 100% S3 purchase is now a "may" be purchased. Your move Audi.


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## DaLeadBull (Feb 15, 2011)

.:Ru4dubn¿ said:


> Thanks for posting!
> 
> 
> Found this interesting:
> ...


Well, there we go. Further evidence that we won't get it. I don't see them introducing it at a later date unless the buyers make a big fuss about it.

No point in sitting around waiting for it, the car is already late as it is.


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## VWNCC (Jan 12, 2010)

Thanks for posting.

It's great that the SD card slot is SDHC compatible.


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## nickjs1984 (Jul 30, 2009)

Does anyone know what the story is for sure with MMI in the Premium Plus model? There's an upgrade available to 2D traditional MMI navigation in the Premium model but there's no such upgrade available to the system for the P+. I'm either assuming that it's standard non-nav MMI vs. Connect or maybe it's the upgrade from the Premium model's MMI vs. Connect. Can't actually tell still. Anybody?


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## Pommerening (Jan 17, 2014)

nickjs1984 said:


> Does anyone know what the story is for sure with MMI in the Premium Plus model? There's an upgrade available to 2D traditional MMI navigation in the Premium model but there's no such upgrade available to the system for the P+. I'm either assuming that it's standard non-nav MMI vs. Connect or maybe it's the upgrade from the Premium model's MMI vs. Connect. Can't actually tell still. Anybody?


The brochure contradicts itself regarding what MMI has what. The table on page 50 makes it sound like the Premium model with Navigation Plus gets the small screen and 2D Nav. That would = Standard MIB, navigation system version, which is not available in the US. So I think page 50 is wrong with a mistitled MMI Nav Plus option. There will be no small screen 2D Nav option if pages 51-53 are to be believed. Premium w/ Nav gets everything the Prestige will have except Audi connect. Premium Plus without Nav gets jipped with the small screen MMI. Gotta get the Nav to get the nice system basically, for any of the trim lines.


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## unclubbedvdub (Jul 19, 2002)

Pommerening said:


> The brochure contradicts itself regarding what MMI has what. The table on page 50 makes it sound like the Premium model with Navigation Plus gets the small screen and 2D Nav. That would = Standard MIB, navigation system version, which is not available in the US. So I think page 50 is wrong with a mistitled MMI Nav Plus option. There will be no small screen 2D Nav option if pages 51-53 are to be believed. Premium w/ Nav gets everything the Prestige will have except Audi connect. Premium Plus without Nav gets jipped with the small screen MMI. Gotta get the Nav to get the nice system basically, for any of the trim lines.


This is exactly how it was explained to me by the audi rep. Nav upgrade gets you the nice system on all three trims. Prestige gets you audi connect and google maps standard and is an option for premium plus.


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## Chimera (Jul 6, 2002)

Pg44 indicates Drive Select will not impact dampening at "vehicle introduction". Pg45 then indicates it is affected. Which is it?

Also, can someone simplify and tell me what option gets the 7" screen? I'm not interested in mapping or Facebook in the car but, at the same time, don't want a small screen surrounded by a big bezel (it cheapens the feature). Are there 2 Nav+ options, one with and one without Connect, or is it the same 3 options: mmi, mmi+nav, mmi+nav+connect?


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## mike3141 (Feb 16, 1999)

VWNCC said:


> Thanks for posting.
> 
> It's great that the SD card slot is SDHC compatible.


The SD slots on the RNS-E have been SDHC compatible since the 2010+ RNS-E (-193) units.


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## VWNCC (Jan 12, 2010)

mike3141 said:


> The SD slots on the RNS-E have been SDHC compatible since the 2010+ RNS-E (-193) units.


lol....great...I never paid attention lol


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Chimera said:


> Pg44 indicates Drive Select will not impact dampening at "vehicle introduction". Pg45 then indicates it is affected. Which is it?


Well hell... if suspension adjustment won't be included, that makes magride about pointless. Maybe the “not available at introduction" is because the S3 isn't available at introduction (April)?


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## Pommerening (Jan 17, 2014)

Chimera said:


> Pg44 indicates Drive Select will not impact dampening at "vehicle introduction". Pg45 then indicates it is affected. Which is it?
> 
> Also, can someone simplify and tell me what option gets the 7" screen? I'm not interested in mapping or Facebook in the car but, at the same time, don't want a small screen surrounded by a big bezel (it cheapens the feature). Are there 2 Nav+ options, one with and one without Connect, or is it the same 3 options: mmi, mmi+nav, mmi+nav+connect?


I'm the same way with the MMI. I don't need Nav and I really don't need Facebook. The small screen does look cheap. Audi knows it does too. Another way to get you to spend more. To get the 7" screen you'll have to buy:

Premium, and add AMI (+$350) and Navigation (+$1900). 
Premium Plus, and add Navigation & Connect (+$2600).
Prestige, comes standard.


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## jrwamp (Mar 25, 2011)

Dan Halen said:


> Well hell... if suspension adjustment won't be included, that makes magride about pointless. Maybe the “not available at introduction" is because the S3 isn't available at introduction (April)?


I think you're right, "introduction" is the key. I can't imagine they'd have a magride option where drive select wouldn't influence it. That's the whole point isn't it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Pommerening said:


> I'm the same way with the MMI. I don't need Nav and I really don't need Facebook. The small screen does look cheap. Audi knows it does too. Another way to get you to spend more. To get the 7" screen you'll have to buy:
> 
> Premium, and add AMI (+$350) and Navigation (+$1900).
> Premium Plus, and add Navigation & Connect (+$2600).
> Prestige, comes standard.


i need nav for sure (i have limited shared data on my smartphone plan) and i dont care for Facebook. The upgraded MMI looks like a veritable treat though


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

What's interesting in talking with both product planners and sales managers is the sales options mix. Navigation alone is not enough to get people to pony up $2,600, especially any longer when people have navigation options on their phones already. So the up-sell has moved to integrated internet connectivity, larger screens and apps. 

It seems pretty much universal in everyone that I talk with that if they purchased a car with navigation once, they usually are ambivalent about it the next time around: "I hardly ever used it" seems to be the common refrain, and judging by how most dealers stock their cars, when navigation is an option the take rate is still fairly low. The idea behind internet connectivity and applications is simply to add value to the traditional 'navigation system' package to help justify the $2,600 upsell. 

I'm curious as to how the application integration goes. My gut tells me that it will not be anywhere as widely used as the marketing folks think, especially once the feds get involved and start mandating restrictions on the use of in-car apps. I guarantee that in the very near future the mandate will be that connectivity apps, outside of navigation, will only be useable when the car is in park. 

From a logistics standpoint it makes a lot more sense to me for Audi to sell every A3 with the same display and hardware and then activate features through software and hardware keys at the dealership. The marginal cost of fitting the 800x screen and MMI controls standard is minimal compared to the logistics costs. Plus, you now get the added benefit of saying to customers "you can activate at the time of purchase for $1500 or you can activate later in ownership for $2600". 

I suspect you'd generate a lot more revenue on the front end of the deal, plus give the dealers some more margin to play with - keeping them happy.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Travis Grundke said:


> What's interesting in talking with both product planners and sales managers is the sales options mix. Navigation alone is not enough to get people to pony up $2,600, especially any longer when people have navigation options on their phones already. So the up-sell has moved to integrated internet connectivity, larger screens and apps.
> 
> It seems pretty much universal in everyone that I talk with that if they purchased a car with navigation once, they usually are ambivalent about it the next time around: "I hardly ever used it" seems to be the common refrain, and judging by how most dealers stock their cars, when navigation is an option the take rate is still fairly low. The idea behind internet connectivity and applications is simply to add value to the traditional 'navigation system' package to help justify the $2,600 upsell.
> 
> ...


actually my family loves navigation and every car we have bought recently has had navigation. I know we could use our smartphones but we have limited data and we don't have phone mounts in any of our cars. All our cars right now have a navi system. I am really interested in what Audi is going to do with apps and stuff. I'm happy they are switching to google maps for the navi software though.


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## Cyncris (Aug 12, 2012)

Travis Grundke said:


> What's interesting in talking with both product planners and sales managers is the sales options mix. Navigation alone is not enough to get people to pony up $2,600, especially any longer when people have navigation options on their phones already. So the up-sell has moved to integrated internet connectivity, larger screens and apps.
> 
> It seems pretty much universal in everyone that I talk with that if they purchased a car with navigation once, they usually are ambivalent about it the next time around: "I hardly ever used it" seems to be the common refrain, and judging by how most dealers stock their cars, when navigation is an option the take rate is still fairly low. The idea behind internet connectivity and applications is simply to add value to the traditional 'navigation system' package to help justify the $2,600 upsell.
> 
> ...


I couldn't imagine having a car without nav. My last 3 cars have all had nav. While the initial cost seems high, your phone doesn't turn the music down when nav directions come on, your phone will not keep the nav directions going when you have a phone call active, and while the nav on my phone works well, I won't have some plastic something attached to my windshield, blocking my view, leaving big nasty suction cup marks on the windshield, having a cord that is flopping all over in the way and potentially marking up the dash.....but then again, my cars always look and smell as though I drove it out of the showroom yesterday. NOTHING stays in the car overnight, no trash, no drink bottles, no papers except service receipts, insurance card and registration and all of those are in the glove box with the manual and nothing else.
I have had a few friends mention that I am a bit OCD though


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Cyncris said:


> I couldn't imagine having a car without nav. My last 3 cars have all had nav. While the initial cost seems high, your phone doesn't turn the music down when nav directions come on, your phone will not keep the nav directions going when you have a phone call active, and while the nav on my phone works well, I won't have some plastic something attached to my windshield, blocking my view, leaving big nasty suction cup marks on the windshield, having a cord that is flopping all over in the way and potentially marking up the dash.....but then again, my cars always look and smell as though I drove it out of the showroom yesterday. NOTHING stays in the car overnight, no trash, no drink bottles, no papers except service receipts, insurance card and registration and all of those are in the glove box with the manual and nothing else.
> I have had a few friends mention that I am a bit OCD though


yup same here . Now that i've had navigation, i don't want to go back. It was fun in the old days navigating by paper map though..but i'm sure the kids these days don't even what those are haha :laugh:


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

caliatenza said:


> yup same here . Now that i've had navigation, i don't want to go back. It was fun in the old days navigating by paper map though..but i'm sure the kids these days don't even what those are haha :laugh:


Map folding is a lost art. :thumbup:


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

caliatenza said:


> yup same here . Now that i've had navigation, i don't want to go back. It was fun in the old days navigating by paper map though..but i'm sure the kids these days don't even what those are haha :laugh:


Hey, I don't disagree with any of it - but my point is that according to the dealers and product planners the take rate for these items is minimal. I read a study about a year ago that showed the take rate for Navigation when priced at $1500 was nearly three times that when priced between $2500-$3000, regardless of features.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

Travis Grundke said:


> Hey, I don't disagree with any of it - but my point is that according to the dealers and product planners the take rate for these items is minimal. I read a study about a year ago that showed the take rate for Navigation when priced at $1500 was nearly three times that when priced between $2500-$3000, regardless of features.


In other news, water is wet.









































Sorry...


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

Dan Halen said:


> In other news, water is wet.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


:laugh:


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

caliatenza said:


> yup same here . Now that i've had navigation, i don't want to go back. It was fun in the old days navigating by paper map though..but i'm sure the kids these days don't even what those are haha :laugh:


+1. My kids, thanks to scouts, know how to fold a map.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

I :heart: SSPs. I'll have to print this thing out and bind it.

Don't laugh. :screwy:


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## BrutusA3 (Jul 10, 2013)

Travis you make complete sense to me. I have always said Nav is too expensive, I recall when it came out you would drop $2G to get Nav in an Accord. I love the nav on my phone and for those of you say it does not turn off the music actually if you run the phone through the sound system it comes over the speakers in turn by turn, reducing music as voice comes on. I can totally see the need for nav for those people who travel a lot and need that, makes so much sense, but for someone like me I have better ways to spend the money and don't travel enough to areas I don't know, or could throw that money into actually traveling somewhere outside the U.S. and enjoy a sweet vaca on the beach in Aruba or something. Basically someone texts me the address, I click on it and voila leave house jump in car and done or google it in the few times I need it. I have a 10GB data plan and it is dirt cheap so no worries on that side.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

davewg said:


> +1. My kids, thanks to scouts, know how to fold a map.


i'm 28..i still used maps in the 2000s when our cars didn't have navigation and smartphones weren't around yet.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Travis Grundke said:


> Hey, I don't disagree with any of it - but my point is that according to the dealers and product planners the take rate for these items is minimal. I read a study about a year ago that showed the take rate for Navigation when priced at $1500 was nearly three times that when priced between $2500-$3000, regardless of features.


if the take rate is minimal, then why don't they price them lower? Surely these systems are all mass produced...they aren't worth 2500-3000.


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## Hajduk (Jan 24, 2000)

Travis Grundke said:


> From a logistics standpoint it makes a lot more sense to me for Audi to sell every A3 with the same display and hardware and then activate features through software and hardware keys at the dealership. The marginal cost of fitting the 800x screen and MMI controls standard is minimal compared to the logistics costs. Plus, you now get the added benefit of saying to customers "you can activate at the time of purchase for $1500 or you can activate later in ownership for $2600".


This is what VW Canada is doing with the Golf 7. The 5.8-inch display is standard on all models with Nav a $700 option (you get some other stuff bundled in as well). The downside is that the 8-inch display available in Europe is not offered.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

caliatenza said:


> if the take rate is minimal, then why don't they price them lower? Surely these systems are all mass produced...they aren't worth 2500-3000.


Probably two reasons, one marketing and one financial: by pricing at a premium they build the image of exclusivity. If they hold the line on pricing they also have the ability to add features to the navigation system/technology package over time and to enhance the value of it. The financial side is probably that the number critters have done their work and found that the profit margin to Audi selling fewer units at a higher price outweighs cutting the margin to sell more units.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Travis Grundke said:


> Probably two reasons, one marketing and one financial: by pricing at a premium they build the image of exclusivity. If they hold the line on pricing they also have the ability to add features to the navigation system/technology package over time and to enhance the value of it. The financial side is probably that the number critters have done their work and found that the profit margin to Audi selling fewer units at a higher price outweighs cutting the margin to sell more units.


yeah i figured that was the reason. Anyways i'd pay for it, you will end up negotiating on the MSRP in the end.


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## jrwamp (Mar 25, 2011)

Talking to my local dealer finally about the S3, he said he'd put me on the list for updates on the S3 and in the meantime here's a e-brochure on the A3...not sure if I've seen this exact one in here so I figured I'd post it up in case. 

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/1fbdc32d#/1fbdc32d/72


Basically not the response I was looking for, but I get that he's got info on the A3, so that's what he's pushing. I may need to reiterate how serious I am about the S3...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

That's an interesting brochure. Much of it seems to be what's available in the Audi Library app.


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## BrutusA3 (Jul 10, 2013)

It still is completely unclear to me about the pop-up screen. I would love to see a picture and with better understanding what comes with what, since there are multiple packages and options. I have yet to see in any of the interior shots of the Audi A3 a different screen (not counting U.K. units). I guess March 10th we might know more from the press, albeit I bet most of them will be shown prestige packs completely loaded.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

BrutusA3 said:


> It still is completely unclear to me about the pop-up screen. I would love to see a picture and with better understanding what comes with what, since there are multiple packages and options. I have yet to see in any of the interior shots of the Audi A3 a different screen (not counting U.K. units). I guess March 10th we might know more from the press, albeit I bet most of them will be shown prestige packs completely loaded.


You may be surprised. Most, if not all, of the listings showing up on cars.com and autotrader.com are for Premium and Premium Plus cars, much of them in 1.8T trim. I suspect we'll know very soon what a non-NAV screen looks like.

... but those listings still don't account for Audi's 563 "sold" units in February.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Dan Halen said:


> You may be surprised. Most, if not all, of the listings showing up on cars.com and autotrader.com are for Premium and Premium Plus cars, much of them in 1.8T trim. I suspect we'll know very soon what a non-NAV screen looks like.
> 
> ... but those listings still don't account for Audi's 563 "sold" units in February.


i see no prestige cars in transit .


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## outshined (Jul 30, 2011)

The screen size does appear to change on the AUDIUSA configurator. Unfortunately, it doesn't change until you add the Navigation Plus to Premium Plus trim. That being said, the tailpipes shown in the configurator are incorrect. It's possible the screen could be too.


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## BrutusA3 (Jul 10, 2013)

outshined said:


> The screen size does appear to change on the AUDIUSA configurator. Unfortunately, it doesn't change until you add the Navigation Plus to Premium Plus trim. That being said, the tailpipes shown in the configurator are incorrect. It's possible the screen could be too.


Well I played around with it. There is not enough contrast to see what the screen looks like without choosing a nav option, but here is what I found:

I took screen captures and what I am going to take as an educated guess. The base Premium gets you the smaller screen, the Premium Plus gets you the bigger screen. Then add on whatever nav option you want. I do not think it makes sense that the nav changes the screen size I think the levels you choose change that, just makes more sense to simplify packages. I think the below screen shots simply allow us to see the size difference since lack of contrast on blank screen. If I am wrong and actually choosing nav changes screen size that will piss me off, and likely write off this car, I have 0 interest in Nav, and not going to spend over $2 grand to take it up the a$$.

*Premium Plus+ adding in $2600 Nav option (only difference I see is that Audi connect for 6 months between other Nav option):*











*Premium adding in $1900 Nav option, and lets be honest it really is $2250 since you are forced to add Ipod, stuff like this bugs me, just call it a Nav+Ipod for $2250:*


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## outshined (Jul 30, 2011)

I can see the contrast on my computer screen in the images without Navigation. It's the smaller screen. The larger screen only appears in the configurator once the Navigation Plus option is added to Premium Plus trim, as your screen shots show. I don't need Navigation either, but I would prefer the larger screen. I hope the configurator is wrong but I having a feeling it's not.


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## Pommerening (Jan 17, 2014)

Brutus, I’ve tried brightening that picture as well to see what size screen the Premium Plus had, lol. I wish you were right about the Premium Plus getting the big screen, but I’m 99% sure that it won’t. No version of MMI exists that has the large screen without navigation. North America gets these:

*Standard (MMI)* – 5.8” screen. 400 x 240 resolution. Plays CD’s. Has Bluetooth. MMI Navigation Plus is NOT available on this model. AMI optional.
*High Spec (MMI Navigation Plus)* – 7.0” screen. 800 x 480 resolution. 3D Navigation. Dual core processor. DVD drive. 64GB SSD drive. 11GB Jukebox.
*High Spec w/ Connect (MMI Navigation Plus w/ Connect)* – Adds Audi Connect (LTE antenna, Wifi, Google Earth, Facebook, Twitter)

The Premium w/ MMI Navigation Plus will almost certainly have the large screen. But a small screen Nav version does exist, just not in North America, and not with the “MMI Navigation Plus” name. That is what’s shown in the configurator. It’s probly not correct. The Premium Plus will have the Standard MMI radio. No international version even gets the big screen with no Nav. Premium Plus is a poor value IMO. Premium w/ Nav or a Prestige is what I’m considering.


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## ChrisFu (Jun 9, 2012)

The margin on these upgrades is absolutely ludicrous.

Consider the cost of the hardware in a 7-10" tablet with a full HD screen. Those can be had for around $250 retail price, quad core processors and all.

For Audi to upcharge these systems as much as they do is a real turnoff. The open source car media/nav paradigm cannot arrive soon enough.


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## nickjs1984 (Jul 30, 2009)

A-freaking-men. What Volvo and others are doing by adopting CarPlay is a major step in the right direction. $2600 buys an awful lot of smartphones, Audi.



ChrisFu said:


> The margin on these upgrades is absolutely ludicrous.
> 
> Consider the cost of the hardware in a 7-10" tablet with a full HD screen. Those can be had for around $250 retail price, quad core processors and all.
> 
> For Audi to upcharge these systems as much as they do is a real turnoff. The open source car media/nav paradigm cannot arrive soon enough.


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## BrutusA3 (Jul 10, 2013)

Interesting. If they are doing a smaller screen without the P+ and $2600 nav option then they are having more configurations when they build these things, which in my mind seems less cost effective. So now they have yet another configuration for the factory to figure out. Making 1 screen size and then adjusting the software on it is the simplest approach but if you want to further differentiate P and P+/Pres then I get it but to now have a 3rd different factor seems bizzare. I will have to see it in real life but right now I am turned off.


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## BrutusA3 (Jul 10, 2013)

yes Carplay looks like a great addition to the experience of tech in cars: https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/

I am sure there will be a host of people dismissing apple stuff, but I for one find them extremely user-friendly and they ushered in the usable smartphone as far as I am concerned. No doubt Audi is asking us to bend over on this ridiculous $2600 system.


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

BrutusA3 said:


> yes Carplay looks like a great addition to the experience of tech in cars: https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/
> 
> I am sure there will be a host of people dismissing apple stuff, but I for one find them extremely user-friendly and they ushered in the usable smartphone as far as I am concerned. No doubt Audi is asking us to bend over on this ridiculous $2600 system.


Audi should have gone with an Android system at least, for that $2600.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

ChrisFu said:


> The margin on these upgrades is absolutely ludicrous.
> 
> Consider the cost of the hardware in a 7-10" tablet with a full HD screen. Those can be had for around $250 retail price, quad core processors and all.
> 
> For Audi to upcharge these systems as much as they do is a real turnoff. The open source car media/nav paradigm cannot arrive soon enough.


Goes back to the point I made earlier about why the take rate on navigation systems is still relatively low. $2600 for 'nice integration into the dash' is _a lot_ of cash.

My theory on pricing and packaging is that you cannot position your product or service in such a way that people look at it and their first thought is, "well, I can live without it...." because as the old saying goes, there are millions of reasons why _not_ to do something.


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## ChrisFu (Jun 9, 2012)

Travis Grundke said:


> Goes back to the point I made earlier about why the take rate on navigation systems is still relatively low. $2600 for 'nice integration into the dash' is _a lot_ of cash.
> 
> My theory on pricing and packaging is that you cannot position your product or service in such a way that people look at it and their first thought is, "well, I can live without it...." because as the old saying goes, there are millions of reasons why _not_ to do something.


I'm sure there is a bell curve driving the price then.

If people werent buying them, naturally you would think they would be forced to drop the price to increase take rate.

However, it appears that the margin on each unit is SO high, that they can get away with selling fewer of them while still turning a healthy profit. The beancounter's dream.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

BrutusA3 said:


> yes Carplay looks like a great addition to the experience of tech in cars: https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/
> 
> I am sure there will be a host of people dismissing apple stuff, but I for one find them extremely user-friendly and they ushered in the usable smartphone as far as I am concerned. No doubt Audi is asking us to bend over on this ridiculous $2600 system.





caliatenza said:


> Audi should have gone with an Android system at least, for that $2600.


I sort of suspect the Android solution wasn't quite "ready" when Audi set out to design this generation of MMI. Remember, as Chris so kindly pointed out, the A3 is three years young today. :laugh:

I actually don't have a major issue with the price. There are a lot of car-level settings and functions buried in the MMI, and there's probably not a less-than clunky way to go Android and round that out at this point. $2,600 is a lot of coin, sure, but it's the larger screen, it's the hard drive, it's the Google Voice functionality...

I'm getting too old and tired to jack around with a bunch of stuff. I'll have the high-line MMI, and I'll have B&O. They'll work well together, and I'll be happy. Do I need nav? No. Do I have at least a _little_ less trouble paying what they ask, knowing that the "brain" of the thing is able to be upgraded down the road? You bet. There's also the idea that pay-required map updates are, in theory, a thing of the past. That's not necessarily a value add on Audi's part as much as Google's part, but Audi gets to reap the reward. I'm not going to sit here and act like I'd hate that position were I Audi.


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

Makes me wonder how many people will pony up simply to get the larger screen.

The smaller screen looks downright cheap to my eye

VW has this same problem, to a degree, in the MkVII where they aren't offering the larger screen even as an option. The "standard" screen looks cheap and dumpy and hardly a generational upgrade from the current RNS sytems.


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## Dan Halen (May 16, 2002)

davewg said:


> Makes me wonder how many people will pony up simply to get the larger screen.
> 
> The smaller screen looks downright cheap to my eye
> 
> VW has this same problem, to a degree, in the MkVII where they aren't offering the larger screen even as an option. The "standard" screen looks cheap and dumpy and hardly a generational upgrade from the current RNS sytems.


... and therein is the biggest reason I'm okay with the $2,600 premium. I went through four radio units in my GLI- the original "Premium 6" unit, followed by the period-correct MFD2 nav, then on to the first-gen RCD510, then to the second-gen RCD-510 (with the LED screen and phone button). Were I to buy a MkVII, I'd end up forking over the money for the top-end unit at some point after the purchase, anyway. Audi at least gives us the ability to not have to screw around with it.

And let's keep it in perspective. There's no way the base 5.8" screen in the A3 can possibly look as janky as the RNS-315 crap VW passed off as an "upgrade" in the MkVI.


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## davewg (Jul 30, 2001)

Dan Halen said:


> ... and therein is the biggest reason I'm okay with the $2,600 premium. I went through four radio units in my GLI- the original "Premium 6" unit, followed by the period-correct MFD2 nav, then on to the first-gen RCD510, then to the second-gen RCD-510 (with the LED screen and phone button). Were I to buy a MkVII, I'd end up forking over the money for the top-end unit at some point after the purchase, anyway. Audi at least gives us the ability to not have to screw around with it.
> 
> And let's keep it in perspective. There's no way the base 5.8" screen in the A3 can possibly look as janky as the RNS-315 crap VW passed off as an "upgrade" in the MkVI.


I don't know - the pictures in the AoA configuration tool don't make it look great.

I'm in agreement with you on paying the premium for the larger screen. The lack of the Pro unit in the MKVII GTI/R are definitely a big turn off, though doubtless I'll be giving them a look (because of pricing differences) along with the A3/S3. I odn't want the retro-fit hassles/cost either.

It's hard do go back to small screens after having the two large ones in the Dodge.


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## outshined (Jul 30, 2011)

BrutusA3 said:


> Interesting. If they are doing a smaller screen without the P+ and $2600 nav option then they are having more configurations when they build these things, which in my mind seems less cost effective. So now they have yet another configuration for the factory to figure out. Making 1 screen size and then adjusting the software on it is the simplest approach but if you want to further differentiate P and P+/Pres then I get it but to now have a 3rd different factor seems bizzare. I will have to see it in real life but right now I am turned off.


The smaller screen is the same screen used in the MK7 Golf.


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## outshined (Jul 30, 2011)

Car manufacturers shouldn't even be selling infotainment/navigation systems. They should be making a spot in the dash where a tablet can be seamlessly plugged in. This should be happening already. I certainly hope it is within the next five years.


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