Audi A3 saloon prices & spec 18 | 06 | 2013
AUDI HAS RELEASED prices and specifications for its new A3 saloon which goes on sale across Scotland later this week. Prices start at £24,305, and rise to £28,105 (see more official images of the all-new Audi A3 Saloon).
Longer than the five-door A3 Sportback by just over 140mm, wider by 11mm and 9mm lower, the new compact four-door offers similarly ample passenger accommodation, complemented by 425 litres of luggage space with the rear seats in place — 45 litres more than its five-door counterpart.
There are a choice of three engines, two petrol and one diesel, from launch: a 1.4TFSI 138bhp with Cylinder-on-Demand (CoD) technology, 1.8TFSI 177bhp, and 2.0TDI 148bhp.
The entry-level — which returns 60.1mpg on a combined cycle and emits 109g/km — is the 1.4TFSI in Sport trim, with the range-topper 1.8TFSI S line. Audi says the 1.8TFSi is capable of 49.6mpg with CO2 emissions of 129g/km.
The only oliburner in the range at launch returns 67.3mpg, has CO2 emissions of 107g/km, and hits 62mpph from standstill in 8.4secs.
Audi will introduce further engines — a 104bhp 1.6TDI and 181bhp 2.0TDI — to the range in December and Spring 2014 respectively. A quattro version is also scheduled to join the range next year.
At launch, 2.0TDI versions are paired with a six-speed manual transmission, and 1.4TFSI and 1.8TFSI options with the S tronic dual-clutch gearbox, which is controlled by either the selector lever or paddles on the steering wheel.
Not surprisingly, the A3 saloon shares most of its underpinnings with the A3 hatch and Sportback. It also gets Audi's electro-mechanically assisted steering.
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Sport and S line versions of the car — on their respective 17in and 18in alloys — benefit from sports suspension, which lowers the saloon by up to 25mm.
They also share features including sports seats, the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system, dual-zone climate control, the MMI radio, incorporating an 11mm-thick powered folding screen and DAB digital radio, preparation for SD card navigation, Audi Music Interface iPod connection, a Driver Information System and the Bluetooth mobile phone interface.
Interior highlights of the S line spec include part-leather-upholstery embossed with the S line logo, and an S line sports steering wheel with perforated leather grips and shift paddles where S tronic is fitted. Outside, 18in alloys, S line body styling and xenon-plus headlights with LED daytime running lamps set the top model apart.
Full-LED headlights will also be available later in 2013 as an alternative to the xenon units in S line models and the halogen units in Sport versions.
S line customers — who are expected to account for half of all A3 sales, and will pay a £2150 premium over Sport models — can also swap their sports suspension not only for the comfort-focused standard configuration, but also for an exclusive S line sports set-up which lowers the ride height by a further 10mm below the sports suspension.
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Jim McGill