Audi unveils the 2021 A3 Sedan
New four-door sedan to take on the 2 Series Gran Coupe is on its way. You’re going to have to be patient – it’s a year away. At least.
I drove the first Audi A3 sedan years ago. It was a good car, like its hatch sibling and spawned the rather excellent RS3 sedan and formed the basis of the RS3 LMS TCR race car. Sleek, sophisticated and tres chic, it sold very well. I reckon if you buy the hatch, you’re nuts.
Anyway.
There’s a new one coming, the 2021 Audi A3 sedan. It’s slightly longer, wider and taller for a bit of extra interior space.
Look and Feel
The car in the photos is, (un)helpfully the top of the line. The new headlights are even more obviously cut into the bumper, it has a bit more of an A7 vibe. It’s quite nice. The lights in shots are the optional Matrix LEDs. The daytime running lights are made of 15 LEDs and make different signature patterns on each model.
Like the old car, it’s a pretty calm sort of thing and fits very nicely in the Audi oeuvre. Some will complain it’s a bit tame, but I reckon it’s just about right. It looks pretty sweet on big wheels, too.
The rear lights are lovely LED units with a 3D lens shape, again like the A7. I’m liking Audi’s new fondness for shapely rear lights.
The new car has a drag co-efficient as low as 0.25, down from 0.29 (in the 2.0-litre TDI, anyway).
Even though these images are way too moody, it looks damn nice in here. The new console has a very Porsche 911 gear selector…uh…tongue?…but it looks pretty good compared to the Zuffenhausen edition.
As ever, the finishes look pretty amazing.
Like the A1, all dashboards are digital with the option to step up to the 12.3-inch (up from 10.25-inch) Virtual Cockpit.
Audi says that due to the car’s extra centimetre of height (143cm) and a lower front seat position has delivered an extra 2cm of headroom. Not sure it needed it, but why not eh?
The boot is still 425 litres, which is pretty impressive and really not that far off the A4’s.
Drivetrains
At launch, there will be two engines, a petrol and a diesel. It’s unlikely Audi Australia has chosen which ones we get, but my money is not on the diesel.
The 35TFSI is available with a six-speed manual (unlikely we’ll get that) and delivers 110kW. Displacing just 1.5-litres, the manual uses 5.0L/100km on the European combined cycle.
The car we’ll most likely get is the 35 TFSI with seven-speed twin-clutch. This has a 48-volt mild hybrid system that can boost torque by 50Nm for a few seconds. Fuel use is down to 4.5L/100km on the same combined cycle.
The diesel 2.0-litre TDI is also a 110kW unit with a seven-speed twin-clutch only.
How much and when?
Audi says we’ll have to wait for further information and the cars will be here sometime in the first half of 2021. At least we’ll have the new Sportback before then.
