Press Release
Exterior design
An expressive exterior design and lines which surge forwards – the athletic exterior of the Audi A3 and the A3 Sportback has been further streamlined. The new features at the front end are the most eye-catching. The single-frame radiator grille has been fitted with a new trim grille and a redeveloped chrome frame, further emphasizing its striking character. The bumper and the air inlets – with integrated fog lamps in the sporty Ambition equipment line – have also been redesigned. Modifications to the engine hood and the fenders cause the front end to appear more clearly defined and wider.
With their confident look, the headlamps express the entire philosophy with which Audi develops its models – they are small, technical works of art of the very highest precision. The integrated, vapor-deposited chrome trim, the "wing", has already advanced to become a typical feature of the brand, as has the innovative safety system of the daytime running lights. Depending on the design of the headlamps, both components reveal slight differences.
In the high-powered H7 halogen headlamps, long-life bulbs are employed in the lower area for the daytime running lights. Each of the optional xenon plus headlamps, which can be further refined with adaptive light, the dynamic cornering light system, are fitted with seven light-emitting diodes located at the upper edge of the headlamps.
Further new details accentuate the coupe-like side view of the A3 and the A3 Sportback. The exterior mirrors are equipped with integrated turn signal indicators and the door handles have been redesigned. Powerful 16-inch wheels fill out the wheel housings; the wheels fitted in the Ambition line have a diameter of 17 inches and are manufactured from cast aluminum. The Audi exclusive range available from quattro GmbH also offers extremely sporty 18-inch wheels in four different designs.
The rear view of both models has now also become more expressive. The wide lamps, which are drawn into the trunk lid from the side panels, emphasize the horizontals. Plastic rods, which are supplied by LEDs, form flat light coronas in the A3 Sportback during the hours of darkness; these light guide rods additionally generate a particularly homogeneous and precise light profile. In the three-door A3, the trunk lid has been provided with a new light edge. Modifications to the bumper further enhance the end of the vehicle. Engines as of an output of 77 kW (105 hp) are equipped with an exhaust system with twin tailpipes.
Moderate: Increase in length
Due to the design changes, the length of both A3 variants has increased. The length of the three-door version has increased by 25 millimeters (0.98 inches) to 4.24 meters (13.91 feet), with six millimeters (0.24 inches) being added to the five-door Sportback (4.29 meters (14.07 feet)). The vehicle's sporty proportions therefore remain virtually unchanged. The width of 1.77 meters (5.81 feet) and the height (1.42 meters (4.66 feet)) remain unchanged; the drag coefficient is 0.33. Four new colors make the color charts even more attractive – Aruba Blue, pearl effect; Glass Blue, pearl effect; Condor Gray, metallic; Meteor Gray, pearl effect. A total of 14 (3-door A3) or 15 (A3 Sportback) paint finishes are available.
Customers who value an even sportier look can order the S line exterior package, which offers identical components for the A3 and the A3 Sportback. At the front, the package provides specially designed grille inserts, bars, fog lamp surrounds in chrome-look and the bumper. A roof spoiler and tailpipe trims for the four-cylinder vehicles catch the eye at the rear, with door sill strips and lettering at the sides.
Interior
The interior of the A3 model series treats occupants with its generous amount of space throughout. On the rear bench seat, the Sportback actually offers a full 903 millimeters (35.55 inches) of leg room, therefore setting standards in the premium compact class. Like the three-door A3, it has a long wheelbase of 2.58 meters (8.46 feet).
The fascinating atmosphere of sporty elegance is also typical of Audi. The basic characteristics of the exterior design are reflected in the interior – clear lines encompass generous surfaces, all elements are harmoniously coordinated. These high esthetic qualities are combined with ergonomically perfect styling. Fine materials and an uncompromisingly high-quality finish create an intensive experience of precision and quality.
The cockpit: With the look of a sports car
The high, wide center console dominates the cockpit; as in a sports car, it is joined to the transmission tunnel via two struts. A sporty dome arches over the instrument cluster. The four round air vents – refined with discreet chrome inserts, as is the light switch – call the TT Roadster to mind. The switches and the air conditioning controls on the center console are presented in a new, elegantly rounded design. An optional light package lends the interior further splendor.
The topic of ergonomics is always one of the primary concerns in Audi's specifications catalog; it has been implemented to perfection in the A3 and A3 Sportback. Numerous storage compartments are available; a special package includes nets on the front seat backrests and on the tunnel, a stowage compartment beneath the driver's seat and a net beneath the rear shelf. This package is fitted as standard in the Ambiente line, and is available as an option in the other equipment lines.
In the instrument cluster, red pointers move over redesigned, sporty, black dial faces. Located between the speedometer and the tachometer, two smaller gauges indicate the coolant temperature and the fuel tank capacity. The Ambition and Ambiente lines are equipped with the driver information system as standard. Its display provides important information in brilliant white lettering. Within this, the gear change display indicates the ideal gear as a recommendation for efficient driving. The logic implemented in the optional navigation system and the navigation system plus, which includes a DVD drive and a 6.5-inch color display, follows the intuitive operating logic of the MMI concept fitted in the large Audi model lines.
The steering wheel in the Audi A3 and A3 Sportback can be adjusted axially and vertically; the Ambition line is equipped with a three-spoke leather-covered sports steering wheel with discreet aluminum trim strips. Multifunction buttons are also available for the audio and navigation systems; when the S tronic transmission is fitted, these are joined by shift paddles (standard as of 140 hp). Audi also offers various three-spoke steering wheels for the Ambition line; as in a racing car, the rims of these are flattened at the bottom.
Precisely as desired: Seats
A wide range of options is also available for the seats. In the Attraction line, the driver's seat can be adjusted vertically; this is joined by the passenger seat in the other two lines. In the Ambition, both front seats offer sporty styling, whilst a center armrest provides additional comfort in the Ambiente. An electric four-way lumbar support, heating for the front seats or also for the two outer rear seats plus electric seat adjustment (option for A3 Sportback) are available for particularly demanding customers.
The standard seats are covered with cloth. Depending on the line, these are available in different designs and colors, and are named Frequency, Dynamic and Meridian. Vienna leather is also available as an alternative. Audi offers a wide range of leather grades for the sports seats – Vienna leather, Fine Nappa leather and a combination of Alcantara and leather. The leather range encompasses a total of six colors, including the two new colors mineral gray and mustang brown.
Audi's interior designers have perfectly coordinated the seat designs to the colors of the cockpit and the shades of the carpets and door linings. Depending on equipment line, new standard inlay variants named pearlescent, micrometallic and vavona wood are available. Aluminium Medial finish silver or Walnut brown inlays are also available as options.
The S line sports package lends the interior a particularly cool touch. The interior is designed in black, whilst the seams of the seat upholstery, the floor mats and the steering wheel are either silver or black. The covers are available in three versions – cloth/leather, Alcantara/leather or Vienna leather. The sports steering wheel, the door sill strips and the trim inserts – in aluminum or piano finish black – are specifically differentiated.
The products available from quattro GmbH's Audi exclusive range – whose highlights include bicolor-look seat upholstery in three colors – offer even greater individuality. The optional extras available from Audi exclusive also include highlights such as optional paint finishes or a style package in black.
Practical quality: Large luggage compartment volume
With a load-through width of one meter (3.28 feet) and a volume of 350 to 1,080 liters (12.36 to 38.14 cubic feet), the Audi A3 offers the largest luggage compartment in its class, with the A3 Sportback topping this at 370 to 1,100 liters (13.07 to 38.85 cubic feet). These values are a few liters lower in the variants with quattro drive due to the special rear axle.
A load-through aperture – with an armrest and cup holders or also with a ski bag – is optionally available. The rear seat backrests in all models can be split 1/3:2/3 as standard; they can be released and folded down effortlessly. The extended luggage compartment in the three-door version has a length of 1.52 meters (4.99 feet), that of the Sportback 1.54 meters (5.05 feet). Bag hooks and lashing points are fitted as standard; instead of the tire repair set, Audi supplies a compact spare tire free of charge if desired.
A luggage compartment package, which includes a versatile safety net and a 12 V socket, is optionally available for all versions of the A3 and the A3 Sportback; Audi also offers a reversible mat. A particularly clever feature is optionally available for the front-wheel drive versions – a reversible load floor. Depending on its position, it can be used either as a level floor or as a drip tray for damp objects; when removed from the luggage compartment, it can also be used as a tray. Roof rails and a panoramic sunroof are also available for the Audi A3 Sportback leisure vehicle.
