Audi wants to take the lead in the compact segment with the new A3. Not in terms of sales, but in terms of quality, dynamics and design. The first photos show that the Ingolstadt-based company has never been so sporty.
The new Audi A3
The new A3 is in the starting blocks. The finer sister model of the VW Golf and Seat Leon will start in spring at prices starting at around 27.000 euros. The engine starts with a 110 kW / 150 hp 1,5-liter petrol engine and a two-liter diesel. The latter has either 85 kW / 116 PS or 110 kW / 150 PS. The engine is essentially the same as in the Golf 8 and so the A3 will also have the new 1,5-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 48-volt hybrid technology and the 1.0 TFSI three-cylinder (81 kW / 110 PS) as an entry-level model. A plug-in variant will be added later in the year. With it you will probably be able to drive around 60 kilometers electrically. A completely battery-electric version of the A3, on the other hand, will not exist, nor will there be a convertible or a three-door model. In addition to the five-door Sportback, Audi continues to offer the A3 as a four-door sedan.
Color: Atoll blue
Audi places great emphasis on a dynamic exterior in its compact model. This can be clearly seen, for example, in the fenders, which are widely flared compared to the predecessor. According to design chief Mark Lichte, they should emphasize exactly what Audi stood for in its early days: the Quattro drive. All-wheel drive technology is part of the brand's DNA.
The new A3 not only looks wider than ever, it is, even if only a few centimeters. Together with the large 19-inch wheels and the newly developed 235 Bridgestone tires, it is solid and solid on the road. The top model S3 with an output of 228 kW / 310 hp is the preliminary top model of the A3 series and is expected to come onto the market in autumn this year. In 2021, the RS3 with five cylinders and well over 400 hp will mark the top end.
In order to get the high performance of the S3 as good as possible on the road, a 7-speed S-Tronic (dual clutch transmission) and Quattro drive are standard. In addition, the engineers installed intelligent and super-fast electronics in the car, which take care of the optimal control of drive, ESP, steering and damper. Everything takes place in the millisecond range. When and how is regulated essentially depends on the driving style and the nature of the road, but also on the choice of the "Drive-Select" switch. It can be used to select the five different modes "comfort", "dynamic", "auto", "efficient" and "individual" beforehand.
Overall, the A3 remains compact in the new generation, even if it is 4,34 meters a hand longer than the Golf. It sits well in the front, and it tweaks in the rear for taller people. The A3 has never been a space miracle. As before, the rear seat bench can be folded down in a 40:20:40 ratio. The cargo space values should be slightly above that of the predecessor.
The A3 made a huge leap in the cockpit. Instead of the usual round air vents, the now rather angular fan nozzles like satellites sit on the left and right of the instrument panel behind the steering wheel. Everything looks edgier, right down to the doors. You won't find any flowing lines. Most of the operation is via the touchscreen in the middle. There are still physical switches for the air conditioning and seat heating. Instead of the well-known shift lever for the S-Tronic, the Audi A3 now has a mini shifter like the Golf. And so that the passenger can intervene if the volume is too high, the designers placed a small round touch-sensitive button next to it, about the size of a two-euro coin.
