This is a car whose arrival we saw from a mile away. Previewed twice in 2011 (here and here) and again last week, the Audi A3 Sedan has finally broken cover ahead of the New York Motor Show before being given its public debut in Shanghai next month.
What came as a surprise is the joint unveiling of the S3 Sedan alongside the standard models. Now, Audi has never been shy of stretching out its car launches to multiple motor shows: the third-generation A3 was first shown in three-door form at Geneva last year, followed by the A3 Sportback and S3 in Paris six month later, while we had to wait till this year to see the S3 Sportback.
Offered in a booted form for the first time, the A3 Sedan follows the four-door coupe formula rather than a traditional three-box sedan. The boot is kept short, with the cabin glasshouse stretched backwards to enhance the visual effect. The wheel arches have been widened too, making it appear lower to the ground and more planted.
It is 150 mm longer, 11 mm wider but 9 mm lower than the A3 Sportback, with a long 2640 mm wheelbase and short overhangs. The designers are particularly proud of the “tornado line” element across the car, a light-refracting edge that hides the visual bulk of the car’s rear end. It hides its hatchback roots rather well, despite having a high boot line.
The front end of the car gets a unique bumper with wider slats and more horizontal elements. Full LED headlights are an option. Round the back, the bootlid acts as a rear spoiler, whole the tapered rear lamps are designed to make the A3 Sedan appear lower and more athletic. It sits on the latest MQB platform, and with the smallest engine fitted (1.4 TFSI), weights just 1,250 kg.
Other than updated interior graphics, the dashboard is carried over whole from its hatchback siblings. The seating accommodation is identical to that of the five-door Sportback, but the Sedan has a bigger cargo area with the seats up.
Three engine choices are available from the get go: 1.4 TFSI with COD (cylinder on demand) making 140 hp/250 Nm, 1.8 TFSI with 180 hp and 250Nm, plus a 150 hp/320Nm 2.0 TDI, all mated to either a six-speed manual or dual-clutch S-tronic transmission. 0-100 km/h figure for each model is 8.4, 7.3 and 8.7 seconds respectively.
The S3 Sedan on the other hand uses the same 2.0 TFSI engine with 300 hp and 380 Nm found in other S3 models with a quattro all-wheel drive system. With the optional S-tronic ‘box it dips below five seconds for the 0-100 km/h sprint. It takes 0.4 seconds longer (5.3 seconds) with a manual transmission. Top speed, as usual, is limited to 250 km/h.
Mechanical differentiators include 25 mm lower ride height with sports suspension, beefier brakes and variable-ratio electric power steering. Visually, the top model is distinguished by modifications to the bumpers, the singleframe grille, air intakes, side sills and rear spoiler. S-model hallmark such as the four tailpipes and silver exterior mirror housings are present too.
GALLERY: Audi A3 Sedan
GALLERY: Audi S3 Sedan
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So now we got CLA and A3, where’s the 2 Series?
2-series will be revealed sooner if im not mistaken.. n its in cabrio or coupe (2 doors) version.. this A3 is a 1-series direct rival..
Don’t get too excited when you see many Audis on the road. They are not sold by Euromobil. They are mainly recons. So, is Euromobil really sales?
Not really. You cannot price the same as BMW and Mercedes and expect sales!
Very boring design! it’s just looks like the A4!
Have to agree also la ….
Its just like a Shrunken A4 …
Audi S3 Sedan will blow away Mitsubishi Evo X. VW Golf R and Audi S3 Sportback cannot blow away Evo X, so Audi S3 Sedan can.
What will the price be approximately?
Saw on a website, estimated price will be around USD 30k, which is around RM92k. So plus our excessive tax(times 2 the price), will be around RM200k once it reaches our shore.. If my guessing is good.
Spot on mate and that is provided Audi Malaysia is not greedy!
They should price is competitively so that they can sell more numbers in order to quality for CKD production once they sell over 1000 CBU cars in Malaysia….think ahead Audi Malaysia!
A3, S3, A4, S4, A6…… They all look the same!
Sweet!!..
Hmm….small interior housing.. esp back seats but exterior and tail wrapping is sweet.
1.4 TFSI..same as A1….price @ 200k? LOL…
Price around rm180k??
Maybe have a hybrid like the A6 and make it rm140k… 1.4tfsi hybrid…
A4’s side proportion still looks better.
I am guessing that when it’s sold in Malaysia ..that the price could be arround 130K to 160K…
Probably going against the Jetta Market or maybe even Passat ..civic …accord..
No way Audi will price it so low since its a luxury brand and this A3 is a direct rival the Merc CLA and the upcoming BMW 2 Series.
Plus the small A1 is already @ RM180k so there’s no chance the A3 will be any cheaper than that.
Definitely correct! If over RM200k, Volvo S60 T4(RM220k) is waiting there, over RM220k…BMW F30 and his cousin A4 are around…F30 316 also wanna join together too, less than RM200k…youngest brother A1 is there…:-(
very confusing……!!! Volvo V40 also coming soon…ai!
Saw Audi Malaysia launch the A1 Sportback at RM185k…so this 4 door A3 surely sell around RM200k-RM210k…else it will be eating into its A4 sibling sales…
Just hope when A3 arrive it will have decent spec and not follow the A1 with no electric seats, front parking sensors and no option for comfort key access.
And, if S3 sedan arrives, it will be targeted directly against Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. Audi RS3 sedan will kick FQ400 and CLA45 away.
an Audi in Malaysia selling 130k????
Hafriz, presumably the new A3 sedan the basis for the MQB-based new VW Jetta?
Will there also be an MQB-based Scirocco in the pipeline?
The A3 Sedan is indeed based on the MQB platform. The next-gen MQB-based Volkswagen Jetta and Scirocco will appear in due time, but nothing has been announced just yet.
As for the A3 Sedan being the base of the next Jetta, well, yes and no. The platform will be the same, but it’s a modular base so they can cut or lengthen it as they see fit. Badge engineering is now so advanced that two models may sit on the same platform, but feel nothing alike.
Price RM 200k
I hope the price does not take over the current A4 price as the A4 grows in size and hopefully not in price in the next generation car.
Since the A1 is priced @ RM180k so here’s hoping this baby will be priced around the RM200k ballpark.
On a side note the car certainly looks nice and the size is smaller than its current A4 brother for sure so it makes this car easier to park and drive.
I love the subtle styling but they should stop relying on Fuji Xerox copier machine for design.
I think Audi has made the A3, A4 & A6 way too similar.
Especially for A3 & 4, dimension wise they are so close, I think customer might just choose cheaper A3, or for those who wanted bigger car, skip A4 and go to A6 directly. So, A4 can turn out to be a loser…
This is Audi’s version of the VW Polo sedan.
the name, given A3, A4. A5. A6..
A1…
All types of Paper size.
Meant for photocopying from each design. by simply “resizing” from A6 to A5, A5 to A4. and so u also can resize, A4 to A3…
Double A X Fuji Xerox.
The rear legroom looks generous for this small compact. So whats the dimensions?
200k is close to a4 1.8T, i would rather get a4.
Indeed it is but the pricing plays a very important role in Malaysia.
I for one would rather get an A3 if the price is right given the fact that its a sedan that has a boot and fits 4-5 people and in return I get to save RM20-30k from buying an A4 so that I can invest somewhere else.
Plus its smaller so its easier to park. On the other hand if u need more space then u can spend RM235k for an A4….its a win-win situation for all of us =]
Buying car is never an investment..alright?
So audi is now promoting manual over beloved s-tronic?
CLA ,A3, BMW soon to be cars for posers
I just swap the sories from New vios strait to here. I just comment that new vios is rubbish. Cheap built interior, copy and paste many other other model exterior and become rojak. Most i cant understand vios was y the 2002 1st model engine are now still in offer?? Did UMW know H.city has change at least 2 type of improvement engine? And City engine is now more quiter and better performance than Vios? Btw, this New Audi A3 is my lovely target. I am sure 200k +/- selling in our double tax country.
But Honest speaking, Audi is using one common design to make their all series exterior, kinda boring is true!!!Designer is saving time to works in Audi group, unlike Kia and Hyundai working hard to copy and paste then make weird design of car.
Tak Suka B.N., shall we hope for cheaper cars in the next couple of years? A3 sedan around RM130k,then come the Jetta around RM90k? lovely…
on oher note, somehow i don’t find the design is boring/copy paste bla bla..think of it as the handsome and beautiful siblings from the same family..
Audi looks all the same now, really hard to recognize each other. But RS5 is really great looking, really catch my heart.
RS3 should be design like RS7 2015 then eye catch