A major new model is about to appear in the premium compact class.
The A3 Sportback is characterised by the sporting elegance of a coupé and the versatility of a five-door vehicle, sophisticated technology and well-defined driving dynamics. With four and six-cylinder engines developing up to 184 kW (250 bhp), front-wheel or quattro permanent four-wheel drive and – as an option – the revolutionary Direct Shift Gearbox DSG transmission, the technology lives up to the expectations raised by the sporty exterior of this special five-door vehicle – driving pleasure in a new guise.
A major new model in the compact class also means that the Audi A3 Sportback is consciously striking out along a new path of its own defining. It offers the emphatically sporty qualities and the athleticism of the three-door version with which it shares its drive train, dynamic suspension and wheelbase. At the same time – as well as two rear doors – it offers even more space and variability thanks to the fact that its body is a total of 83 millimetres longer than that of its three-door counterpart.
The luggage compartment conceals 370 litres of space (1120 litres with the rear seat back folded down) for transporting all kinds of sports and leisure equipment and anything else the family might need: even two golf bags can be stowed sideways in the luggage compartment. The asymmetrically folding rear seat back, a standard feature, and the optional luggage compartment and storage packages provide plentiful scope for using this space precisely according to the personal requirements of every driver.
Even when glanced fleetingly in the rearview mirror, the A3 Sportback is unmistakable: its front end is dominated by the striking single-frame radiator grille. The marked tapering of the sides and the dynamic shape of the clear-glass headlights give the face of the car that self-confident and thoroughly forceful character for which Audi is famous.
The falling line of the silhouette towards the rear of the A3 Sportback, reminiscent of a coupé, picks up on the styling of its three-door counterpart. The roof arching gently to the rear binds the redesigned tail end neatly into the dynamic, road-oriented overall proportions.
As well as the expansive additional rear door, the third side window is a characteristic feature of the new side view. This is where the lower and upper horizontal lines draw closer together, accentuating the coupé-like proportions.
The optional roof rails, both subtle and striking, accentuate the styling highly effectively.
The new Audi generation of steering wheels is moving into the compact class for the first time with the Sportback. These three or four-spoke steering wheels can be recognised by their trapezoidal central element, the lines of which allude to the design of the single-frame radiator grille.
The attractive appearance of the interior surfaces and of each individual detail is the result of select material quality and a perfect finish of the highest standard. This high standard by no means benefits the passengers alone, but is also reflected in the quality appearance of the luggage compartment.
The occupants benefit not only from the excellent interior quality that is typical of the Audi A3, but also from the substantially more amount of space. The tail end, 68 millimetres longer than on the three-door version, results in both more leg room and more headroom. The wide opening angle of the rear doors and the outstanding amount of leg room for a car in the compact class make access to the rear compartment a straightforward affair.
A basic comparison with the previous five-door A3 highlights the fact that the
65 millimetre longer wheelbase is translated almost in entirety into extra interior length (+55 millimetres). And the greater width of the car (+30 millimetres) results in a significant improvement in interior comfort.
Compared with the previous five-door A3, the rear passengers in particular benefit from substantially more knee room (+40 millimetres) in the Sportback. And both rows of seats enjoy significantly more shoulder room (rear +29, front +35 millimetres).
The engine and transmission
A six-cylinder engine, FSI petrol direct injection versions, the world's only turbocharged FSI and high-torque TDI engines with high-pressure pump-injector fuel injection, Direct Shift Gearbox DSG with twin clutch, 5 and 6-speed manual gearboxes, an innovative 6-speed tiptronic automatic transmission and quattro permanent four-wheel drive:
Offering a wide range of choice but dedicated throughout to sporting performance – this philosophy characterises the range of engines and transmissions offered for the Audi A3 Sportback at launch. All engines have a further quality in common: they all undercut the limit values laid down in the EU4 standard.
A new, extremely dynamic representative of the FSI engine family is experiencing its world premiere in the A3 Sportback: the 2.0 TFSI, a four-cylinder unit with turbocharger and intercooler, delivers 147 kW (200 bhp). Its tremendous torque of 280 Nm is available across a wide speed range from 1800 to 5000 rpm. A peak value that is emulated by the existing Audi S3, but is reached significantly sooner. This new engine is also the first production unit worldwide to combine FSI petrol direct injection with a turbocharger. This technology – which is also used in the Le Mans winner, the Audi R8 – permits a unique blend of free-revving, high performance and impressive efficiency.
The range of engines at a glance:
3.2 six-cylinder engine developing 184 kW (250 bhp), 320 Nm
2.0 TFSI developing 147 kW (200 bhp), 280 Nm (new)
2.0 FSI developing 110 kW (150 bhp), 200 Nm
1.6 FSI developing 85 kW (115 bhp), 155 Nm
1.6 developing 75 kW (102 bhp), 148 Nm
2.0 TDI developing 103 kW (140 bhp), 320 Nm
1.9 TDI developing 77 kW (105 bhp), 250 Nm
Depending on the chosen engine, a 5 or 6-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard.
The sporty Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) is a unique alternative. This pioneering form of power transmission – inspired by motor racing technology – permits lightning-fast gear changes with uninterrupted traction thanks to its electro-hydraulically controlled twin clutch, and thus sheer driving pleasure in true sports car style.
The DSG combines the advantages of a conventional 6-speed manual gearbox with the qualities of a modern automatic, resulting in a superior drive concept. The driver benefits from enormous agility and driving enjoyment, with acceleration that is as dynamic as it is smooth, characterised by uninterrupted traction. The DSG can be ordered for the most powerful versions of the A3 Sportback: the 3.2 quattro, the 2.0 TFSI and the 2.0 TDI.
The innovative 6-speed tiptronic is available as an option for the A3 Sportback
2.0 FSI and the 1.6.
Still with no equivalent in the premium compact class: quattro permanent four-wheel drive, which converts even the power developed by the highest-performance versions of the new A3 Sportback ideally into traction and forward motion. At the same time quattro thus provides a basis for impressively dynamic driving and active safety.
The dynamic suspension is designed for sporty and agile handling coupled with a high standard of stability, and producing an excellent cornering performance and a high level of comfort in conjunction with both front-wheel and quattro drive.
Like the Audi A3, the Sportback too is fitted with electromechanical steering with speed-dependent power assistance, a system praised unanimously by the trade press. This combines optimum feedback from steering movements with a low level of sensitivity to vibration from the road and cross-winds, and also consumes far less energy than a conventional system.
The A3 Sportback's standard specification includes electric windows at the front and rear, as well as central locking with radio remote control. The A3 Sportback naturally includes safety features such as the Electronic Stabilisation Program ESP, the front seats with active head restraints, optical and acoustic belt fastening reminders, front and side airbags for the front occupants and the sideguard head-level airbag system, which protects the front and outer rear passengers in equal measure.
Particular features within the premium compact segment, which the A3 pioneered, include optional equipment such as DVD navigation with monitor, side airbags for rear passengers, electric seat adjustment, the large-area open sky glass roof, and independent heating.
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