Over the river and through the woods, in an Audi A3 we go...

First, we're off to Europe to pit the normally-aspirated A3 2.0 against Euro-rival the BMW 120i and Volkswagen's new GTI. First read an in-depth look at the A3 2.0 here on Fourtitude. Then follow the series to Mwerks.com for a full review of the little Bimmer and on to VWvortex for further insight into Volkswagen's 5-door GTI that cannibalistically eyes the A3 as it prepares for a Spring launch. Finally, TheCarLounge.net compares the three in some of Europe's most abusive conditions.

How will the A3 fare against these tough competitors in European-only normally-aspirated form as the cars slice and dice through Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, France and Monaco and down the venerable Napoleon Pass?

After we pit the A3 against these two strong German rivals, it's back to the States where we'll team up with sister site Swedespeed to stack a US-spec A3 2.0T up against an unlikely rival in the minds of marketing people in Ingolstadt and Gothenburg: the Volvo V50 T-5 AWD. Volvo's littlest wagon packs a punch. Will the A3 stand up?

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