First, welcome to post in the forum and for your new car. We are a great community and feel you'll find even more stuff about your Q3 while giving us some keen info too. I think we'll find the exhaust the same as our 2015 model. That's the normal route for the 2.0 TFSI, with the dual exhausts for the TDI which we won't get yet. Most of the pics (and cars at shows) have been of the TDI, but they may make another "distinction" for our market. We thought we'd be getting a 20 hp bump and the DSG too, but that did not come to pass either - yet.
As for break-in, don't fret - these days all engines are run at speed on the bench and in the car for a short period at the factory to consider breaking in - and even compared to engines just 10 years ago, newer bearings, rings and seals just don't need it. You'll be fine - I'd only offer a recommendation to change speeds for the first 2-300 miles a bit, say 60 - 70 - 80 mph for 15-20 minutes between changes or so, but if that's not practical, a little variability would help ... I wouldn't be concerned to run this engine up to say 5K rpm for 15-20 minutes either (e.g. put it in 5th for that period at say 70 mph) - Germans do it all the time and I've run these engines (the CCTA 2.0) at 6400 for hours (BOZ to Frankfurt and back) with NO issues - any German will tell you the same -
As for break-in, don't fret - these days all engines are run at speed on the bench and in the car for a short period at the factory to consider breaking in - and even compared to engines just 10 years ago, newer bearings, rings and seals just don't need it. You'll be fine - I'd only offer a recommendation to change speeds for the first 2-300 miles a bit, say 60 - 70 - 80 mph for 15-20 minutes between changes or so, but if that's not practical, a little variability would help ... I wouldn't be concerned to run this engine up to say 5K rpm for 15-20 minutes either (e.g. put it in 5th for that period at say 70 mph) - Germans do it all the time and I've run these engines (the CCTA 2.0) at 6400 for hours (BOZ to Frankfurt and back) with NO issues - any German will tell you the same -
