New Audi A3 Sportback Showcased at 2012 Paris Motor Show

The third generation Five-door version of the Audi A3- Audi A3 Sportback has been revealed at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Having the longer wheelbase this time, the all new A3 gets more stylish and spacious. By combining its sleek new look with a longer wheelbase than both its predecessor and its all-new three-door counterpart, the compact car is able to offer even more space for families and their luggage, with barely any increase in exterior ‘footprint’. Carrying a premium of £620 over its three-door equivalent, the first phase of A3 Sportback models is now open for ordering priced from £19,825 OTR.

The new Audi A3 Sportback is long and lean. Whereas the length (4310mm), width (1,780mm) and height (1,425mm) are only slightly greater than for the previous model, the wheelbase now measures 2,636mm, an increase of 58 millimetres. This makes the five-door model 35mm longer between the axles than the three-door version. The distinguishing element at the front of the A3 Sportback is the distinctive, stone grey single-frame grille with its angled upper corners.

The lower edges of the headlights taper off at an angle, and on S line models are equipped as standard with xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights – these will also be optional for other versions. Large air intakes up front hint at the power of the engines. The tautly curved surfaces, the large, precisely defined wheel wells, the relatively narrow, sharply sloping C pillars and the understated roof spoiler lend the A3 Sportback a dynamic air, as do the exterior mirrors, which in common with many sports cars are perched on the doors.

At the rear, the split rear lights underscore the width of the A3 Sportback – on S line models, or where the optional LED light package has been specified, these are formed using LEDs whose conductors appear to form a continuous arch. The adaptive brake light, which pulses at high frequency during hard braking, is standard. A sharp crease sets off the diffuser, and depending on the engine the exhaust system which protrudes from it terminates in one or two tailpipes on the left side of the car.

It also reduces the weight of the new A3 Sportback by as much as 90 kilograms compared with the previous version. Equipped with the 1.4 TFSI engine, the five-door model has a kerb weight (without driver) of just 1,205 kilograms - a reversal of the weight spiral which makes the Sportback a class-leader in this respect. Audi will initially offer the new A3 Sportback with a choice of one TDI and two TFSI engines. Two diesel engines and one petrol unit will follow later. They combine multiple efficiency technologies – direct injection, turbocharging, innovative thermal management and the start-stop system.

Fuel consumption has been reduced on average by around 10 per cent compared with the previous model. The majority of engines in the new Audi A3 Sportback are paired with a manual six-speed gearbox, with the exception of the 1.8 TFSI which in the UK will initially be equipped exclusively with S tronic transmission. S tronic will be available as an option for all other engines. Depending on the version, the dual-clutch transmission shifts extremely quickly and nearly imperceptibly through six or seven gears.

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