Audi A3 : Class for the Mass!

After grabbing eyeballs of many at its debut at the Delhi Auto Expo early this year, German carmaker Audi is all set to bring its entry-level luxury saloon- A3 in India soon. With no official words on the launch as-well-as the pricing, the affordable saloon is expected to hit Indian roads in a month or two from now and is most likely to be aggressively priced with a starting price tag of around INR 22-23 Lakhs. To keep the price point competitive, A3 will follow the Complete Knocked Down (CKD) route in India, and will be assembled at the Aurangabad facility in Maharashtra.

Being an entry level-model, the A3 is also the most compact offering from the brand till date. It measures 4460mm in length, 1800mm in width and has a wheel base of 2640mm. Having a kerb weight of 1250 kilograms, the baby saloon boasts a boot space of good 425-litres. The over-all design of the A3 is very much similar to what we've already seen on its elder siblings of the 'A' family. But at the same time, Audi has chopped a lot of standard ingredients on the baby saloon to keep its price aggressive. The base variant will be missing out some key features such as Audi's trademark LED headlights and the premium leather seat upholstery. However, the top-of-the-line trim will offer all bells and whistles expected with the brand of four rings. Wearing the five-spoke shoes as standard, the top-end might get the Auto Expo showcased nine-spoke alloys.

In terms of engine options, the A3 will be offered with both- diesel and petrol engines in India. The diesel variants will be powered by a 2.0-litre TDI unit, churning out a good 150bhp and peak torque of 320Nm. While the petrol trims might arrive with two engine options- the base model may get the 140 bhp- 1.4-litre TFSI engine, whereas the higher trims will come with 1.8-litre TFSI petrol engine developing out 180 bhp of power and 250 Nm of peak torque. But considering the current diesel favorable conditions in the country, the 2.0-litre option will be the prime focus for the company. The engines will be geared with two transmission options, namely- 6-speed manual and a 7-speed S-tronic autobox.

Audi has already cleared the doubt of price overlapping between A3 and A4 model prices. And has assured the distinct positioning and price point of its two products. If everything falls well into the place, which currently seems like, A3 might prove out to be a buyer magnet for the Audi.