Audi A3
Saloon previews Audi’s next premium family model, joining three-door, Sport back and Cabriolet.
The next AuidA3 has been booted up! This four-door concept previews the look of Audi’s new premium hatch – and the saloon body will give buyers another option as the firm attempts to tap into the car's popularity.It will be sold alongside the three-door hatch, five-door Sport back and Cabriolet when the new Audi A3 debuts next year, and will enable bosses to exploit demand in China, Russia and the US. Audi estimates it will account for around 10 per cent of sales, with 3,000 or so models sold every year in the UK. Auto Express has also learned that an Audi A3 Avant estate is on the cards, and this will be based on the saloon's slightly longer wheelbase.
Audi A3
The four-door shows off Audi’s latest design language, with a large, shield grille and sharp creases along the shoulder lines. It also gets frameless doors, although these are unlikely to appear on the production car. Meanwhile, at the rear, there are LED tail-lights and twin trapezoidal exhausts that sit flush with the bumper.
"We started work on the concept around the time of the Paris Motor Show [October 2010], and it has gone pretty much to schedule," concept development engineer Matthias Seer told Auto Express. "It shows the A3's new design language, which is much sharper than before."
Audi A3
The concept has been kept as light as possible through extensive use of aluminium and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic. The same exotic material is used for everything from the air intakes and wing mirrors to the 20-inch alloys, and the result is a kerbweight of 1,540kg.
The production-ready A3 will be the first car to sit on the VW Group’s all-new MQB platform. This will underpin a range of future models, including Audi’s Q3 compact SUV. "Significant use of aluminium and lighweight steels will mean the new A3 will weigh 60-80kg less than the outgoing car, depending on engine", Matthias Seer continued.
The production-ready A3 will be the first car to sit on the VW Group’s all-new MQB platform. This will underpin a range of future models, including Audi’s Q3 compact SUV. "Significant use of aluminium and lighweight steels will mean the new A3 will weigh 60-80kg less than the outgoing car, depending on engine", Matthias Seer continued.
The concept is heavier than the final production version, as it uses the 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine from the RS3, boosted to 402bhp. It also features a quattro four-wheel-drive system, seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch gearbox and launch control, and Audi claims a 0-62mph time of only 4.1 seconds, as well as a 155mph top speed.
Inside, the dashboard takes on a simple layout, thanks to the use of Audi’s next-generation MMI interface. This allows various in-car settings to be adjusted via a touchpad, and also incorporates Internet connectivity."The production car will take its inspiration from the latest A6. It will be a major step-up in quality," a spokesman told Auto Express.
The concept is only slightly smaller than the original A4, but the long 2.63-metre wheelbase ensures there will be plenty of legroom for rear passengers. The finished model is expected to offer slightly more space inside, across the range.
The finished production model will be shown in hatchback form at theFrankfurt Motor Showin September, with UK sales starting in Spring 2012.
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