Audi A3



Time was, small meant cheap. If you wanted an economical car with a low price, you looked to the diminutive side of the automotive spectrum. There were stripped versions of larger cars, but not many people actually bought them.

In recent years, however, small cars-defined as subcompacts or compacts-achieved some upward mobility, with more standard and optional equipment available.

Then Germany's BMW bought the storied Mini brand in the United Kingdom and embarked on a quest to see if buyers would embrace a so-called premium small car.

They did, and the Mini Cooper became the first unqualified automotive success of the 21st century, with customers standing in line and resale values that topped everything else, including pricey luxury cars.

Now comes another premium small car from a German manufacturer-the Audi A3-which seems destined to stretch the envelope even farther.

It's a four-door with a hatchback-a configuration that manufacturers couldn't give away only a few years ago. Though popular in Europe, hatchbacks never found favor with American buyers, who overwhelmingly preferred traditional notchback sedans with trunks.

But with the advent of so-called lifestyle vehicles, which combined the trendy with a modicum of practicality, the hatchbacks started on the comeback trail-propelled in part by the popularity of sport utility vehicles.

Also, with gasoline prices on the rise, buyers started drifting away from heavy and thirsty truck-based SUVs and toward car-based hatchbacks, crossover SUVs and sport wagons.

Among the newer vehicles in this category are the Toyota Matrix, Suzuki Aerio and Reno, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Subaru WRX, Pontiac Vibe, Saab 9-2X, Mazda 3 and Mazda 5.

Audi already had tested the trend with its A4 Avant, a small, four-door wagon that could be ordered with either front-wheel drive or quattro, Audi's name for its all-wheel drive system.

The A3 essentially is a shorter, sportier version of that sport wagon concept, though it is a completely different car aimed at a younger clientele.

Bumper to bumper, the A3 measures slightly more than 14 feet, and it weighs around 3,200 pounds. It is powered by a new engine, which lies crosswise in the engine bay instead of longitudinally as in the A4, and it is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or Audi's sensational new Direct Shift six-speed transmission, which has gears like a manual but shifts automatically.

The DSG-for Direct Shift gearbox--is so efficient that it boosts the engine's fuel economy rating higher than that of the manual. It essentially is two transmissions and two clutches packaged together.

One transmission handles the the odd-numbered gears-1, 3 and 5-and the other takes care of 2, 4 and 6. There's a clutch for each. So when you're in 3rd gear, for example, the other transmission is poised to grab second or fourth. When you decide to shift, either up or down, one clutch opens and the other closes, instantly latching on to the pre-selected second or fourth gear.

It happens with astounding rapidity, either automatically with the shift lever in drive or sport mode. Or, if you choose, you can shift manually with the shift lever or paddles mounted on the steering wheel.

The DSG is mated to a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with turbo-charging and direct injection of fuel and air into each cylinder. The combination delivers 200 horsepower to the front wheels with no hint of turbo lag. Step on it and the power surge is instant and steady.With the DSG, the A3 can reach 60 miles an hour from rest in 6.7 seconds, according to Audi.

Handling and braking are on a par with the engine performance. A supple independent suspension system, combined with electric power steering, provides cutting-edge handling and a ride that soaks up all but the harshest bumps.

Inside, the A3 displays typical Audi attention to design, workmanship and quality materials. But this is intentionally a small car, and it's a tight fit, with barely enough head room front and rear, and no excess of knee room in back. The center-rear position is impossible and should be reserved for small children or large cantaloupes.

The headroom shortage gets aggravated with the optional sunroof, which features a sliding glass panel in front and a fixed glass panel in back. Cargo space, at 29 cubic feet, is not generous but is useful.

Base price of the tested DSG A3 was $26,860. That included stability control, side air bags, side-curtain air bags, antilock brakes, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote locking, cruise control, an audio system pre-wired for either XM or Sirius satellite radio, with a CD player and MP3 capability.

Options on the test car included leather upholstery, $450 for a metallic paint job, heated front seats and outside mirrors, a garage-door opener and a trip computer, which boosted the suggested price to $30,805.

That's indeed a premium price for a small car. But with other manufacturers poised to enter the fray, it's a niche that appears susceptible to growth, so Audi's expectation of 10,000 A3 sales a year does not seem overly optimistic.

News from the 2007 model year S tronic now also for the A3 1.9 TDI The new 2007 model year version of the Audi A3 can now be ordered. A3 and A3 Sportback customers now have the chance to combine the entry-level diesel engine, the 1.9 TDI, with the dynamic S tronic dual-clutch gearbox. On account of its high torque of 250 Nm at 1,900 rpm, the 77 kW (105 bhp) four-cylinder engine allows a relaxed driving style coupled with a supreme performance. Thanks, among other things, to its intelligent control and extremely quick gearshifts, the S tronic ensures better acceleration. Like all TDI engines in the Audi range, the 1.9-litre version is fitted as standard with a diesel particulate filter. The A3 1.9 TDI with S tronic is available starting at Euro 23,450. The new model year will also see the addition of numerous new equipment elements to the A3 range. A new generation of the Audi navigation system with large monochrome display, MP3-compatible single CD player and MMI operating logic is making its debut. The optional interface for an iPod audio player is also new. This enables MP3 files to be played over the Audi A3's audio system and enjoyed in concert-hall quality. 2.0 TDI with 125 kW Immensly powerful diesel for the Audi A3

The range of diesel engines for the Audi A3 has been expanded to include the 125 kW (170 bhp) 2.0-litre TDI. Audi has combined piezo technology and pump-injector fuel injection for the first time on this engine.

This four-cylinder power unit puts up an impressive performance: it propels the A3 2.0 TDI with 125 kW from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds and on up to a top speed of 222 km/h. Its average fuel consumption is just 5.8 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. The maximum torque of 350 Nm is available at between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. A diesel particulate filter is standard.

Audi is offering the A3 2.0 TDI with 125 kW engine in both three-door and Sportback versions. Customers can choose from three engine/transmission combinations: models with front-wheel or quattro drive are both available with a manual gearbox, while front-wheel-drive models can also be ordered with a dual-clutch gearbox which changes gear without interrupting the power flow. Top marks again in crash test in the USA: "Double Best Pick" for Audi A3

The renowned Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the USA has now also awarded the Audi A3 its highest rating of "Double Best Pick". This is the third Audi model to earn the "Double Best Pick" title this year. The Audi A4 and the Audi A6 have already received this top award for their high level of passive safety. This makes Audi the first manufacturer worldwide ever to be awarded the safety institute's "Double Best Pick" distinction for three vehicles.

"With three models receiving the 'Double Best Pick' title from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Audi has established itself as a clear authority in safety technology," says Johan de Nysschen, Executive Vice President of Audi of America. "The A3 has therefore also clearly confirmed its position as the safety leader in its class."

The result is the outcome of a frontal and a side crash test which Audi's compact car completed in the USA. The side impact test represents a particularly challenging part of the IIHS crash test series. In this test, vehicles are struck from the side by a moving barrier at a speed of 31 mph (50 km/h). The barrier is shaped to resemble the front end of a pick-up or SUV.

The IIHS regularly carries out crash tests on behalf of the US insurance industry on passenger vehicles of all kinds to establish their safety standard. Experts and car buyers alike, both within and outside the USA, pay close attention to the results. Audi exclusive line New, exclusive trim line from quattro GmbH

Stylish, high-quality materials, meticulous workmanship and virtually unlimited design options: the Audi exclusive customisation programme from quattro GmbH helps make special automotive dreams come true. quattro GmbH has selected the most popular customisation requests from the diverse Audi exclusive programme and put them together in the new trim line "Audi exclusive line". This new line is being offered in various versions for the Audi A6, Audi A4, Audi A3 and Audi A3 Sportback. Depending on model, customers enjoy a price saving of up to Euro 2,340 compared with the price they would pay if they ordered the same items individually. The sporty yet stylish "Audi exclusive line" packages are specially tailored to the characteristics of the various model series. They contain standard or sports seats in leather with appealing colour combinations, leather steering wheels of 3-spoke or 4-spoke design, attractive inlays and floor mats which are colour-matched to the trim. The package is available for the Audi A6, Audi A4, Audi A3 and Audi A3 Sportback.

"Audi exclusive line" costs Euro 2,500 for the Audi A3, Euro 3,500 for the Audi A4 and Euro 3,900 for the Audi A6. The package are available for ordering immediately.

Audi exclusive line for the Audi A3 and the Audi A3 Sportback: Black interior with black door trim inserts Black cloth headlining Sports seats in Fine Nappa leather with black seat side sections and coloured seat centre section in the colours silver, crimson red or sand beige Colour-keyed stitching on the steering wheel rim and gear lever gaiter 3-spoke leather-covered steering wheel (Attraction/Ambiente: 4-spoke leather-covered steering wheel) Colour-coordinated piping on the floor mats Matt brushed aluminium inlays Optional: Piano finish black inlays Audi exclusive door sill trims