Our Top Recommended Big Brake Upgrade Kits For Your Audi A3
The Audi A3 on this page covers two different generations: the 8L, built from 1996 to 2003, and the 8P that replaced it. HiSpec do not split their kits by generation at all. Every HiSpec listing here just says “Audi A3”, and the same Billet 4 or Monster kit bolts to either car. Tarox go the other way. They list the 8L and 8P separately, then split the 8L again by engine, 1.8T Quattro or 1.9 TDI, because the mounting brackets differ between them.
One thing worth being upfront about: our Tarox catalogue for the A3 was built against an older version of Tarox’s own range, and most of the kit codes no longer match a live page on tarox.co.uk. Only the 345mm Super Sport still resolves to a current listing with a published minimum wheel size. For the rest we would check with Tarox before quoting a figure, so several of the Tarox wheel sizes below are marked ask us instead of a number. The full A3 range is on the site if you want to see everything in one place.
- Every kit here converts the front axle: calipers, two-piece discs, brackets and fitting hardware sized for the A3
- HiSpec make no distinction between the 8L and 8P, the same kit fits either generation
- Tarox split the A3 by generation, and split the 8L again by engine, 1.8T Quattro or 1.9 TDI
- Nothing on this page needs more than an 18 inch wheel
Two brands, two ways of building a brake kit
Both companies machine their own calipers from billet aluminium and build each kit for the specific car. The difference comes down to what is in the box and how each brand handles fitment.
Tarox
Made at the Tarox factory in northern Italy. Calipers CNC machined from European billet alloy and hand assembled, every one individually tested. Discs are heat treated, CNC faced and hand balanced to 0.05mm. Every A3 kit arrives with vehicle-specific braided hoses and Corsa pads already fitted, and states full ABS and ESP compatibility.
HiSpec Motorsport
Machined in Dartford from aerospace grade billet aluminium. Every kit is made to order in up to 28 working days, with calipers finished in your choice of black, red, blue, gold or silver. Pads and braided hoses are priced separately so you choose the compound for how the car is used.
One external link worth bookmarking for Tarox: their wheel clearance template is the definitive check for spoke depth once you have the minimum diameter sorted.
The number that decides it: your wheel size
A bigger disc means a bigger minimum wheel, and on the A3 the confirmed range runs from 17 inch at the smallest to 18 inch at the top. There is no 15 or 16 inch entry point on this page: the smallest HiSpec kit here already needs a 17 inch wheel, and the smallest Tarox kit is priced for the same territory. HiSpec publish the wheel size for every kit from their own catalogue. The Tarox figures are looked up per kit on tarox.co.uk, and where a kit code no longer resolves to a current listing, the honest answer is ask us, not a guessed number.
| Kit | Disc | Smallest wheel |
|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 325mm Billet 4 (also listed for the S3) | 325 x 28mm | 17 inch |
| Tarox 312mm Sport (8P and both 8L engines) | 312 x 25mm | Ask us |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 4 | 335 x 28mm | 17 inch |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 6 | 335 x 28mm | 17 inch |
| Tarox 330mm Super Sport (8P) | 330 x 26mm | Ask us |
| Tarox 345mm Super Sport (8P) | 345 x 30mm | 17 inch |
| Tarox 350mm Super Sport (8L, both engines) | 350 x 26mm | Ask us |
| HiSpec 360mm Monster 4 | 360 x 32mm | 18 inch |
| HiSpec 360mm Monster 6 | 360 x 32mm | 18 inch |
| HiSpec 360mm Mega Monster | 360 x 32mm | 18 inch |
HiSpec 325mm Billet 4: the only entry point on this page
This is the smallest kit HiSpec offer for the A3, and it is also listed against the S3, so if you run the hot version this is the same Billet 4 kit. The Billet 4 is HiSpec’s most popular caliper: four pistons machined from aerospace grade billet aluminium with integral dust seals to keep road grit out. On a 325mm two-piece floating disc it is a proper step over the standard setup.
There is no smaller HiSpec option for this car. Most vehicles in this series have a 15 or 16 inch starting point; the A3 does not, because HiSpec’s own range for this fitment begins at 325mm. If your A3 is still on 16 inch wheels, this is the point to have the clearance conversation with Cameron before ordering.
- £1,470.00 inc VAT
- Clears 17 inch wheels
- 325 x 28mm two-piece floating disc
- Pads and hoses priced separately; five caliper colours
- Made to order in up to 28 working days in Dartford
Tarox 312mm Sport: the complete kit, once the fitment is confirmed
The entry Tarox for the A3, and the easiest buy on this page if you want the whole job in one delivery: six-piston billet caliper on a 312mm two-piece disc, Corsa pads already fitted and braided hoses in the box. It is listed three times, once for the 8P (all models excluding 1.6) and once for each 8L engine, 1.8T Quattro or 1.9 TDI, all at the same price.
This is one of the kits where our catalogue has run ahead of tarox.co.uk. The current Tarox kit code for this fitment no longer resolves on their site, so we cannot pull a fresh published wheel size for it the way we can for the 345mm Super Sport below. Ring us with the engine and current wheel size and we will confirm clearance with Tarox before anything is ordered.
- £1,408.00 inc VAT, complete with pads and braided hoses fitted
- Wheel size: ask us, kit code does not currently resolve on tarox.co.uk
- 312 x 25mm two-piece disc, balanced to 0.05mm
- Six-piston B32 billet caliper, hand assembled in Italy
- Listed for 8P and both 8L engines at the same price
HiSpec 335mm Monster 4 and Monster 6: the step up
The Monster caliper uses a longer pad than the Billet 4 for a larger contact area, and both the Monster 4 and Monster 6 sit on a 335mm two-piece disc that clears a 17 inch wheel, the same as the entry Billet 4 kit. The choice between four pot and six pot is about how the car is used.
For a road A3 that sees the odd track day, the Monster 4 is what Cameron fits: strong pedal feel, easy pad sourcing, and a caliper that holds up to repeated heat cycles. The Monster 6 rewards a car making more power or seeing proper track use, and it is the caliper Garreth would put on an A3 running a bigger turbo.
- Monster 4 at £1,650.00 inc VAT; Monster 6 at £1,773.00 inc VAT
- Both clear 17 inch wheels
- 335 x 28mm two-piece floating discs
- Pads and hoses priced separately; five caliper colours
- Made to order in up to 28 working days
HiSpec 360mm Monster 4 and Monster 6: the 18 inch build, and a price worth flagging
Move up to 360mm and the Monster 4 and Monster 6 both need an 18 inch wheel, a genuine step up in leverage and heat dissipation over the 335mm kits. Worth saying plainly: the 360mm Monster 4 is currently priced at £1,635.00 inc VAT, which undercuts the smaller 335mm Monster 4 above it at £1,650.00. That is not a typo on our part or a special offer, it is how the two kits are currently priced on the catalogue, and we are not going to pretend the smaller kit is the better buy when it costs more.
If your A3 is already on 18 inch wheels, the 360mm Monster 4 is the one we would point you at over the 335mm on price alone as well as spec. The Monster 6 at £1,863.00 follows the expected pattern and costs more than its 335mm sibling, for a car that genuinely needs the extra pistons.
- Monster 4 at £1,635.00 inc VAT; Monster 6 at £1,863.00 inc VAT
- Both clear 18 inch wheels
- 360 x 32mm two-piece floating discs
- Pads and hoses priced separately; five caliper colours
- The 360mm Monster 4 currently undercuts the smaller 335mm Monster 4
Tarox 345mm Super Sport: the confirmed flagship
The biggest Tarox kit for the A3, and the one kit in the Tarox range where we can give you a genuinely current, published wheel size: 17 inch, confirmed on tarox.co.uk against this exact kit code. Eight-piston caliper on a 345mm two-piece disc balanced to 0.05mm, Corsa pads fitted at the factory and braided hoses in the box. Listed for the 8P, all models excluding 1.6.
Worth a straight note on the title: this kit is listed as “10pot” like the other Tarox Super Sport kits on this page, but the caliper code is B34GT/B360, and both Tarox’s own spec sheet and the caliper name confirm it is an 8-piston design, not 10. We would rather tell you that now than have you order it expecting ten pistons per side.
- £2,525.00 inc VAT, complete with pads and braided hoses fitted
- Clears 17 inch wheels, confirmed on tarox.co.uk
- 345mm two-piece disc, balanced to 0.05mm
- 8-piston B34GT/B360 caliper (titled 10pot; the spec sheet says 8)
- Listed for the 8P, all models excluding 1.6
More options if the car is already on 18 inch wheels
Three more kits worth knowing about beyond the five picks above, all of them needing an 18 inch wheel or bigger and none with a confirmed Tarox wheel figure below. The HiSpec 360mm Mega Monster is the biggest caliper HiSpec make, a six-piston flagship with a 152mm pad, on the same 360mm disc as the Monster kits above. The Tarox 330mm Super Sport is the 8P’s other big option below the 345mm. The Tarox 350mm Super Sport is the 8L’s flagship, listed for the 1.8T Quattro shown here, with a 1.9 TDI version at very close to the same price.
What is actually in each box
The headline prices sit further apart than the finished builds do once you spec them level. Add pads and braided hoses to the HiSpec side and the gap with the Tarox kits narrows. Compare finished builds, not the headline numbers.
| In the box | HiSpec | Tarox |
|---|---|---|
| Calipers | Billet 4 or Monster, billet aluminium | Sport 6pot or Super Sport 8pot, billet alloy, hand assembled in Italy |
| Discs | Two-piece floating, with mounting bells | Two-piece floating, balanced to 0.05mm |
| Brackets and hardware | Included | Included |
| Braided hoses | Priced separately | Included |
| Pads | Priced separately, your choice of compound | Corsa pads, fitted |
| Caliper finish | Black, red, blue, gold or silver | Black, red, blue, green or gold anodised |
| Built in | Dartford, UK, up to 28 working days | Northern Italy |
Every kit on this page compared
| Kit | Disc | Caliper | Smallest wheel | Pads and hoses | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HiSpec 325mm Billet 4 | 325 x 28mm | 4 piston | 17in | Extra | £1,470.00 |
| Tarox 312mm Sport | 312 x 25mm | 6 piston | Ask us | Included | £1,408.00 |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 4 | 335 x 28mm | 4 piston | 17in | Extra | £1,650.00 |
| HiSpec 335mm Monster 6 | 335 x 28mm | 6 piston | 17in | Extra | £1,773.00 |
| Tarox 330mm Super Sport | 330 x 26mm | 8 piston | Ask us | Included | £2,425.30 |
| Tarox 345mm Super Sport | 345 x 30mm | 8 piston | 17in | Included | £2,525.00 |
| Tarox 350mm Super Sport | 350 x 26mm | 8 piston | Ask us | Included | £2,500.00 |
| HiSpec 360mm Monster 4 | 360 x 32mm | 4 piston | 18in | Extra | £1,635.00 |
| HiSpec 360mm Monster 6 | 360 x 32mm | 6 piston | 18in | Extra | £1,863.00 |
| HiSpec 360mm Mega Monster | 360 x 32mm | 6 piston | 18in | Extra | £2,196.85 |
Prices include VAT and were correct on 16 August 2026. Tarox wheel sizes marked ask us are kits whose current tarox.co.uk listing we could not match to our catalogue code; we will confirm those with Tarox directly before an order is placed.
Common questions
Does a HiSpec kit fit both the 8L and the 8P A3?
Yes. HiSpec do not split their A3 kits by generation at all, every listing here just says Audi A3, and the same Billet 4 or Monster kit bolts to either the 8L or the 8P. Tarox are different: their kits are listed separately for the 8L and the 8P, so check the generation before ordering a Tarox kit.
Which Tarox listing do I need for my A3?
If the car is an 8P, the "All Models (Excluding 1.6)" listings cover it, at 312mm, 330mm or 345mm. If it is an 8L, you need the engine as well as the generation: 1.8T Quattro or 1.9 TDI, at 312mm or 350mm. The 1.6 petrol 8P is specifically excluded from the Tarox range on this page, so if that is your engine, ring us and we will check what Tarox can offer separately.
Why do some Tarox kits say the wheel size is "ask us" instead of giving a number?
Our A3 Tarox catalogue was set up against an earlier version of Tarox's own range, and most of those kit codes no longer match a current page on tarox.co.uk. We say ask us on that kit and confirm the real number with Tarox before the order goes in, instead of guessing a figure from a similar-looking kit. The one exception is the 345mm Super Sport, whose kit code still resolves to a live listing with a published 17 inch minimum.
Why does the Tarox Super Sport say 10pot when the spec sheet says 8-piston?
The title follows Tarox's own naming for the range, but the caliper code on every Super Sport kit for the A3 is B34GT/B360, which both Tarox's spec sheet and the caliper name confirm is an 8-piston design. It is a genuinely strong caliper either way, we just would not want you ordering it expecting ten pistons per side.
Why are pads and hoses extra on the HiSpec kits but included on Tarox?
HiSpec price their kits without pads or hoses so you choose the compound, since a street pad and a track pad suit very different driving. Tarox fit Corsa pads and braided hoses as standard. Both routes can end up at a similar finished price once you spec the HiSpec side up, so ask us for a like-for-like comparison against the Tarox kit you are considering.
What we would actually fit
For a road A3 on 17s, the HiSpec 325mm Billet 4 is the sensible start, and it doubles up as the S3 kit if that is what you are running. Push on to a car that sees track days and Garreth’s money goes on the 335mm Monster 4: strong pedal feel, easy pads, and it fits the same 17 inch wheel as the Billet 4.
If your A3 is already on 18s, the 360mm Monster 4 is the one to look at first, not just for the bigger disc but because it currently costs less than the smaller 335mm Monster 4. For the complete Tarox package with pads and hoses fitted, the 312mm Sport is the entry point, though we will confirm wheel clearance with Tarox before it ships since that kit code needs checking. The 345mm Super Sport is the one Tarox kit on this page with a wheel size we can hand you with total confidence: 17 inch, straight from their current listing.
Ring us on 0115 9893488 with the generation, the engine if it is an 8L, and the current wheel size. Confirming 8L versus 8P is a thirty second question, and checking spoke clearance on a specific wheel is Cameron’s side of the business. Most calls like this are done inside five minutes.