1.5 million Audi A3 Cars Jubileum

Press Release

Jubilee car presented at Audi Forum Ingolstadt

• Jubilee car destined for customer in the USA
• Premium quality in the compact class
• A3 continues on the road to success

Audi has sold 1.5 million units of its successful A3 model since market launch in 1996. The jubilee car of the compact model built in Ingolstadt is destined for the US market. It is an A3 Sportback open sky in Misano Red, with a 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine generating an output of 250 bhp and 320 Nm of torque.

“The Audi A3 can boast outstanding quality in its class and has hallmarked the market by being the first real premium car in the compact class”, says Frank Dreves, Audi Plant Manager in Ingolstadt. Along with the A3, Audi also builds the A4, the A4 Avant and the body of the new Audi TT at its Ingolstadt plant. Further future-oriented models, in the guise of the A5 midsize coupé and the Audi Q5 SUV, are designated to be built at the Ingolstadt plant.

Production of the Audi A3 began at the Ingolstadt plant in 1996. The second generation of the A3 followed in 2003, and June 2004 saw the launch of the five-door A3 Sportback. At the moment, more than 800 units of the A3 leave the production halls each day and are sent out to customers all over the world. Almost 127,000 units of the Audi A3 were sold worldwide in the first half of 2006 alone. This represents a growth rate of 16.3 percent compared with the same period of last year.

The Audi A3 is available with three different diesel engines and five different petrol engines, with output ranging from 75 to 184 kW. The entry-level model is the A3 Attraction with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and a power output of 75 kW (102 bhp), and its price of 19,100 euros already includes an extensive range of standard equipment. The best-selling model is the A3 Ambition, with a 2.0-litre TDI engine and a power output of 103 kW. The top model in the A3 line is the A3 Ambition quattro, with a 3.2-litre petrol engine and a power output of 184 kW (250 bhp).

The Audi A3 has made a very significant contribution to the overall success of the brand. “The outstanding way in which the A3 has progressed is thanks to its highly motivated and well-qualified team of workers”, Peter Mosch, Chairman of the General Works Council at AUDI AG points out. With just under 463,500 vehicles sold in the first half of 2006, Audi has achieved a growth rate up 9.8 percent compared with the same period of last year.