gavriil

We will be getting this car in the USA next year. Hatchbacks are back, I am sure everyone has noticed.

Crazy Bimmer

looks like it should have a VW badge

gavriil

Well...it indirectly does.

gavriil

Actually, we will see it slightly modified with a VW badge. It will be called...the Golf.

Crazy Bimmer

thought so.

torqueaholic

actually, here is a link to much better pics from motorcities:

http://www.motorcities.com/contents/03AME253662656.html

beats those night shots aye gav

gavriil

You are kidding right?

The car in your pic is the current A3 chief. How many of these do you want me to paste as links? Come on

The A3 has been selling in Europe for decades. This is the first time we will see it here in the USA. With the car you saw in my pics above. Here are some other pics of the same interpretation...





The spy pics are of course the most accurate pics. The above though seem very close to the spy pics.

Crazy Bimmer

torqueaholic = OWNED

gavriil

Shut up you.

6spdmanual

Can't wait to see S3 import to the USA.

gavriil

And you will. Probably with a V6. A variant of the one in the R32 and V6 TT now.

For those who dont know, the S3 in Europe is using the same 225 HP 1.8T that the TT uses here for years. The S3 two years ago was wearing a detuned version of that engine making 210HP but it got the upgrade to 225HP about a year ago.

So in Europe the ubiquitous 1.8T ENGINE from VAG was starting at 150HP to 180HP, to 210HP and ended at 225HP (it made 170HP here in the USA for the A4s and maybe other cars). Now new variations came in for that engine. The 150HP becomes now 163HP. And the 180HP becomes 190HP.

Crazy.

SilverBullet_RENAMED

Hate to break it to you, the car is already being sold in Mexico. Here for more pics..

http://www.sah2o.com/forum/showthrea...s=&threadid=26

Red Nj-s

Hate to break it to you, but that is also the old one. :P

I am RobG

thats been out for a while

1killercls

stejus

It's a VW Golf with an Audi badge. Just like the VW Passat and the A4. Hmmm, sound familiar.. like Accord and CL/TL. Awww, I had to

SilverBullet_RENAMED

Weird, he just bought it recently. So if it was the OLD one, then how come it looks just like the A4 Avant currently? Just not 4 doors? LOL

Red Nj-s

What? I'm lost. The black car u showed is the current A3 only available in Europe and such. They are making a new one which is newer.

SilverBullet_RENAMED

Try again. That car is in Mexico, not Europe. And it is the car we are discussing. Like other said, its been out.

gavriil

Are you guys trying to keep pasting content about the old car? First off this is a concept. Second it is based on the existing car. The "concept" goes for the V8 part of the car (and the rest of the accessories).

My spy pics are showing the NEXT GENERATION A3 which the USA market will be able to buy for the first time.

gavriil

OK. Everyone here is confused. Let me try to clear up with photos and facts.

Audi sells other cars, other than the ones we know here in the USA market. In Europe, they sell EVERYTHING they sell to the USA market PLUS some more. Some examples of the ones they DO NOT sell in the USA are:

The A2. Yes "2".







With engines (among others) that are 1.4 and 1.6 liters large (with 75 and 110 HP accordingly).

The A3. The USA market has experienced the Audi A3 indirectly wih the VW Golf (Rabbit in the early years in the USA - always called the Golf in Europe though). So the Audi A3 is a luxo Golf, one could losely say. Like the TL and the Accord like someone said.

Here are some photos of the current generation of the A3 sold throughout Europe and elsewhere, but NOT in the USA market. We hav never seen this car here, until the NEXT generation of A3 which is what you see in the spy pics in the first post of this thread.

Here the current generation of A3 sold in Europe and elsewhere NOW:





Engines start from 1.6 liters and 102 HP. They go the well known to us, 1.8T with 150 and 180 HP. The top of the line A3 is the S3 (like S4 and S6 and S8 right?). The S3 like I wrote before, up to about a year ago, was wearing a detuned version of the 225HP 1.8T engine in the Audi TT. In that version it made 210HP. Lately though, they are putting the 225HP version of that engine in the S3. AWD is there being the same exact system in the Audi TT. They also share the same platform. The one from the Gold and Jetta. All A3s do share that platform that is. The S3 does the 0-60mph in about 6.3 seconds. Pretty heavy car for being a hatchback, about 1420 kilograms. Our CLS weighs 1570 kilos to give you an idea. Here is a pic of the S3.



Notice the red and white lines of the "S" denotation we know here in the USA from other Audi "S" cars, on the front grill (left).

Again, we will see the next gen. of A3 here in the USA because hatchbacks are getting VERY hot now in the USA. We will see alot more from German manufacturers and that is why Audi is prepping to enter. Remember one thing. When it comes to hatchbacks, European manufacturers rule. The hatchback is the most popular car design there for various reasons. We will see (more) hatchbacks from Mercedes and others entering.

Clearer now?

gavriil

To continue from the 2 following rumor threads:

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...5&highlight=A3

and

http://www.acura-cl.com/forums/showt...threadid=92465

















Audi AG Press Release-
The new Audi A3

The new premium sports model in the compact class has now reached the starting line: Audi is launching its second-generation A3. With powerful four- and six-cylinder engines developing up to 177 kW (241 bhp), quattro drive, the new automatic-shift DSG sports gearbox and highly dynamic running gear, it offers all the driving pleasure suggested by the sporty lines of its body. The equipment and trim once again reach the exclusive standard in the compact class that is also typical of the larger models in the Audi range.

The new Audi A3 has every prospect of repeating the unique success of the previous A3 model. The second generation, with its distinct sporting character, highly advanced technologies and the most dynamic design of any car in its class, qualifies again for the pole position that went immediately to the first-generation A3 when it appeared in 1996.

One of the achievements of the previous A3 when it appeared was to define a new automobile segment – the premium compact class – and then to dominate it until production ceased. The Audi A3 was always a leading competitor on the national and international scene: this was confirmed not only by the large number of awards it received but also by its sales figures.

Design

Emotion and precision: these two characteristics determine the exterior design of the new A3 and also give it the 'family resemblance' that identifies it as a member of the current Audi model family. The entire body is now tauter and more athletic in appearance.

With a wheelbase lengthened by 65 millimeters (2.6 inches) and 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) of additional body width, but lower by 10 millimeters (.4 inches) in overall height, the proportions of the new Audi A3 approach those of a classic coupe. This impression is enhanced by the shorter body overhangs, the distinctly greater slope of the C-posts and the shallower windows. At the same time the occupants benefit from distinctly larger interior dimensions at both front and rear and, as a result, from a higher standard of comfort in every respect.

Striking features of the new A3's front-end styling are the marked inward taper of the sides and the dynamic shaping of the clear-glass headlights, the upper edges of which draw the eye toward the center of the car and give the A3's front end, with its characteristic Audi double grille, a confident, forceful character.

The rear end of the body is notable for a significant reduction in joint lines and a clear, graphic division of the surface areas. This is an evolution in the formal idiom that nonetheless confirms its relationship with the previous award-winning model. A bold visual element at the rear are the exposed exhaust tailpipes – either single or double according to the chosen engine.

The interior design also expresses sporting character and elegance, a feeling enhanced by a lower seated position than in the previous model and by many other visible details such as the circular aluminum-look ventilation outlets, the high center console with ergonomically ideal gear lever position and the sports-car-style floor-mounted accelerator pedal. The instrument cluster is compact in its dimensions, with the clear layout of a chronometer.

The definite growth in space available for all the occupants is a major step forward in the new-generation model. Those seated at the rear profit in particular from much-improved knee room and width at shoulder level. Space-saving design of the handbrake makes it possible to install two additional cup-holders in the center console where they can also be reached by rear-seat occupants.

Driveline

The extensive choice of engines for the A3 includes three new options. The Audi engineers have increased the size of the highly popular TDI engine to two liters; in addition, this engine now has four valves per cylinder. The 2.0 FSI and 3.2 V6 were recently seen for the first time in the A4 and the TT. All these engines transmit their power either to the front wheels or, as an option, by way of the quattro driveline permanently to all four wheels. Here are details of the complete range of engines:

- 3.2-litre V6, 177 kW (241 bhp), 320 Nm (236 ft-lb.) torque
- 2.0-litre FSI, 110 kW (150 bhp), 200 Nm (147.5 ft-lb.) torque
- 1.6-litre, 75 kW (102 bhp), 148 Nm (109.2 ft-lb) torque
- 2.0-litre TDI, 103 kW (140 bhp), 320 Nm (236 ft-lb.) torque.
- 1-9-litre TDI, 77 kW (105 bhp), 250 Nm (184.4 ft-lb) torque

Depending on the chosen engine, a 5- or 6-speed manual-shift gearbox is fitted; tiptronic is a further option. With six forward speeds, this automatic transmission is an unmatched offer in the compact car category.

As an alternative to the manual gearbox, the most powerful petrol and TDI versions can be ordered with the new direct shift sports gearbox DSG. This innovative transmission, inspired by motor racing technology, has twin automated clutches that permit exceptionally rapid gear changes with no break in the flow of power from the engine – and thus pure sports-car style driving pleasure.

The driver changes gear either sequentially with the gear lever or at the steering wheel paddles. An additional bonus is that the DSG offers the convenience of automatic, electronically controlled gear shifts if preferred. However, since it operates without the power losses associated with a torque converter, cars equipped with DSG have the dynamism and lower fuel consumption associated with a conventional manual gearbox. The DSG versions will be available from mid-2003 onwards.

Still with no equivalent in the premium compact class; quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Even the power developed by the highest-performance versions of the new A3 can be converted ideally into forward motion with this system, which serves as a basis for dynamic driving and active safety at the same time.

Running gear

The second key to the new Audi A3's excellent dynamics on the road is its highly effective suspension, with a refined version of the McPherson strut layout at the front and the new four-link independent suspension at the rear.

This running gear is designed for sporty, agile handling allied to high stability, and makes cornering a pleasure whether the car has front-wheel drive or the quattro system. The anti-roll bars are directly attached to the suspension strut in order to minimize body movement around the longitudinal axis. An additional bonus is a standard of ride comfort that would do credit to a car in a much higher category.

16- or 17-inch alloy wheels (the 17-inch wheels are standard in Ambition models) improve performance on the road and also contribute a sporty visual accent. The brake system, with discs of increased diameter, has been matched to the increased power of the engines.

Electro-mechanical steering with the amount of power assistance dependent on road speed is a new feature on the Audi A3. It combines optimum feedback from steering movements with a low level of sensitivity to vibration caused by the road surface, and also consumes much less energy than a conventional power steering system.

Equipment and trim

Like its precursor, the new Audi A3 sets the standard with an equipment and trim specification in accordance with its premium status. Three equipment lines – Attraction with its abundant character, Ambition for those who prefer a particularly sporty effect and Ambiente for a highly exclusive style – enable every A3 to be supplied in accordance with the owner's personal preferences.

Standard items on Attraction models include 'Easy Entry' front seats, electric front windows and central locking with radio-operated remote control. The driver's seat has height adjustment as a standard feature and – new to this class – heated rear seats can also be ordered. Another option for greater occupant comfort is a sun screen for the rear window.

The new A3 naturally incorporates such safety features as the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), new front seats with crash-active head restraints and the sideguard head-level airbag system.

In addition to the items of equipment available in the various lines, a wide range of other options awaits the A3 owner. Some are designed for added comfort and convenience such as the high-quality audio systems; these can be combined with a BOSE sound system. Electronic climate control is available with separate controls for the driver and front passenger. This and the navigation system, with TV tuner option, raise the A3 to an equipment level such as would normally be expected only in cars in a higher category. Another new feature: the optional CD changer is now in the glove box, for particularly easy access.

The through-loading system with removable ski bag, which can even accommodate two snowboards, and the sensor that switches on the low-beam headlights automatically are further evidence that the second-generation Audi A3 can again claim to be setting new trends in the premium compact car segment.

At a glance:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The new Audi A3

- Three-door body with new, emphatically sporty design and plenty of interior space

Dimensions:
- length 4,203 mm (165.5 inches)
- width 1,765 mm (69.5 inches)
- height 1,421 mm (60 inches)
- wheelbase 2,578 mm (101.5 inches)
- Luggage capacity: 350 liters (12.4 cu.ft.)
- Fuel tank capacity: 55 liters (14.5 gallons)

Engines:
- 3.2-litre V6, 177 kW (241 bhp), 320 Nm (236 ft-lb.) torque. 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): app 6.7 s; top speed app. 245 km/h (152 mph)(from mid-2003 onwards)
- 2.0-litre FSI, 110 kW (150 bhp), 200 Nm torque (147.5 ft-lb.). 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 9.1 s; top speed 211 km/h (131 mph)
- 1.6-litre, 75 kW (102 bhp), 148 Nm (109.2 ft-lb) torque. 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) 11.9 s; top speed 185 km/h (115 mph)
- 2.0-litre TDI, 103 kW (140 bhp), 320 Nm (236 ft-lb.) torque. 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 9.5 s; top speed 207 km/h (129 mph). New: four-valve cylinder head
- 1.9-litre TDI, 77 kW (105 bhp), 250 Nm (184.4 ft-lb) torque. 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) 11.4 s; top speed 187 km/h (116 mph)
- 5- or 6-speed manual gearbox, alternatively 6-speed tiptronic
- For 3.2 quattro and 2.0 TDI as an optional extra: direct shift gearbox DSG with twin clutches (from mid-2003 onwards)
- Front-wheel drive; quattro permanent all-wheel drive is standard on the 3.2 and available as an option on the 2.0 TDI

- Running gear: refined version of McPherson front suspension with triangular lower wishbones; new four-link rear suspension for agile, sporty handling
- New electro-mechanical steering with the degree of power assistance dependent on road speed
- Either 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels

- Three equipment lines: Attraction, Ambition, Ambiente
- Standard equipment includes Easy Entry function for the front seats, electric front windows, central locking with radio-operated remote control, new front seats with crash-active head restraints, sideguard head-level airbag system, ESP

bkknight369

how much weight? how much money?

gavriil

It should weigh very close to what a Golf weighs today. Maybe slightly heavier. Prices are always annouced last minute as you know. I am expecting it to be the most expensive hatchback in the market, or close to that. But this car is very well made, quality-wise.

gavriil

By Dan Strong

Take a long, hard look... because this, according to Audi, is the new styling that will see its dealers crowded with eager young drivers placing orders for the latest version of its A3 hatchback.

These are the first official pictures of the three-door, which is due to go on sale this summer. Costing from around £15,000, the car debuts at next month's Geneva Motor Show. The five-door will be seen later in the year.

With an all-new range of four and six-cylinder powerplants, and the promise of the brilliant new DSG semi-auto gearbox, Audi is clearly aiming to set new standards in the competitive executive hatchback sector.

Signed off by the company's new design boss Walter de'Silva, this isn't the first time regular readers of Auto Express have seen the A3. We revealed incredibly accurate spyshots of the car four weeks ago (issue 738), but now have the newcomer's full spec.

The wheelbase is 65mm longer, the body 30mm wider, while front and rear overhangs have been reduced - all of which gives the motor a far more aggressive stance. Shallower windows and a steeply raked C-pillar offer a coupé-like silhouette. And the bold new headlamp and grille arrangement aims to give a much more forceful look.

Inside, the A3's sportiness is highlighted with a driver's seat that's lower than on the outgoing model. The instruments are tightly grouped, while the gearstick is little more than a wrist-flick away from the steering wheel.

Practicality has been improved, too, and there's more legroom in the rear. Thanks to the wider bodywork, boot capacity is up to 350 litres, and the fuel tank is bigger at 55 litres. But it's the revised engine range that's likely to be the focus of most attention. The line-up kicks off with the company's popular 102bhp 1.6-litre petrol powerplant and also features a 150bhp 2.0-litre FSI, plus the mighty 241bhp 3.2- litre V6. Diesel fans will be well catered for, too, with a new 130bhp 2.0-litre TDI plus a 105bhp edition of the firm's popular 1.9-litre engine.

Quattro four-wheel drive will come as standard on the 3.2-litre and 2.0-litre TDI editions. Drivers will also be offered the choice between a manual or semi-automatic gearbox, both of which are six-speed. All other cars will have five-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. There will be three trim levels - Attraction, Ambition and Ambiente - and each features central locking and ESP traction control. Safety is a top priority, too, with a full complement of airbags fitted.

Audi expects to sell around 20,000 A3s a year when the five-door joins the three-door on sale in spring 2004. Adding further appeal to the line-up, a hot S3 edition is expected later that year, and an Allroad version in 2005.

Awais

more pics here

danny25

Looks very nice for a hatch back, very clean. I wish the front end of the A4 looked that mean.

CLUofI

I am sold, i was acutally looking at a VW in a few years, now the A3 may be on the list.

mmmm

Not bad

shaHn78

Looks cute but cant imagine paying over $30k for that thing. And the quality and performance had better be up there, otherwise its just an overly priced version of the VW hatchback.

acur8ly

iTrader: (1)

thats nasty looking

Rod

I've never really liked ugly little hatchbacks.

Chaptorial

It looks exactly like an upscale Golf. I'm sure there's a market for thing thing just as long as its priced right.

gavriil

Actually reading that Peugeot might be entering the USA market makes perfece sense combining the 2. Hatchbacks are back and that is why both of the above will be happening (Peugeot re-entering and the A3 sold here for the first time). There are more hatchbacks that will follow entering the market soon.

Rod

I wonder why? I've never really liked hatchbacks. I liked the Si before, until the new hatchback one came out....nasty!

gavriil

I think because they found ways to make hatchbacks more attractive (design-wise) and also much more qualitative. Plus the fact that are pretty utilitarian and most of the time sporty. Imagine this A3 with the 250HP 3.2 liter engine from the R32. And AWD. That would be interesting to drive. It would be a cheaper TT with 4 doors and room in the back.

Loseit

iTrader: (1)

cool as hell

KavexTrax

not too shabby, i like.

gavriil

RS3 supercar for the common man - - Source: Autocar

The most powerful, most capable – and most desirable – variant of Audi’s latest A3 has finally been granted the production green light by the German car maker’s chairman, Martin Winterkorn.

Set to receive RS3 badges, Ingolstadt’s new 350bhp rocket will bypass the traditional hot-hatch brigade and land directly in the territory occupied today by the Subaru Impreza WRX, at last providing Europe with a worthy rival to the iconic rally-bred Japanese saloon.

Engineers at Audi’s Sport division – the same team responsible for the ’Bahn-storming RS4 and RS6 – have already started developing the new car, which is planned to reach the UK by mid-2006 in hatchback and Sportback estate bodystyles, as previewed by our exclusive images.

But before the new £35,000 über-hatch lands here, Audi plans to unleash a milder S3 model running a naturally aspirated 280bhp version of the same 3.2-litre V6. Aimed at cars like the Ford Focus RS, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA and Volkswagen Golf R32, it will arrive in 2005 priced around £26,000, according to well-placed Audi sources.

Yet while the S3’s launch is eagerly anticipated on these shores, it is the more aggressive RS3 that will make the bigger headlines. With a state-of-the-art turbocharged powerplant and an advanced four-wheel drive system capable of constantly varying the drive to each axle, it promises to deliver supercar-slaying performance for the price of a well-kitted executive car.

Recent hot Audi models have been big on stealth, with little more than a handful of styling modifications hinting at the huge performance that lies beneath. The RS3 continues this tradition with an inherently muscular but hardly flamboyant appearance that’s dominated by Audi’s imposing new shield grille positioned up front, as seen on the recently introduced A6 and A8 W12. It will quickly become a trademark of all Audi models.

Among the changes over the standard A3 are a deep spoiler with a trio of large air ducts, more heavily flared wheelarches, wider side sills under the doors, an additional spoiler atop the rear hatch and an extended rear bumper that’s designed to draw air more cleanly from underneath.

Insiders say that these styling modifications – whose aerodynamic characteristics have been carefully honed in Audi’s own wind tunnel – might be subtle, but they all serve a particular purpose, rather than merely enhancing the looks.

These purposeful looks are backed up by the sort of firepower rarely seen in the hatchback ranks. Under the RS3’s bonnet lurks a heavily refettled version of the Volkswagen Group’s 24-valve 3.2-litre V6, as used in today’s top-of-the-range A3.

Mounted transversely, the compact 15-degree unit has been upgraded with the inclusion of Audi’s advanced FSI (fuel stratified injection) direct-injection tech and, in keeping with earlier models to wear the illustrious RS badge, it is also turbocharged.

The result is an appreciable 100bhp jump over the output of today’s 3.2-litre V6, highly placed Audi sources confirm. They hint the upcoming RS3 is likely to serve a tantalising 350bhp in final production trim. With a target weight of 1560kg, this means a power-to-weight ratio close to 225bhp per tonne – an impressive 30bhp per tonne more than Subaru claims for the Japanese-spec Impreza WRX STi. Torque should also be prodigious, swelling from an already impressive 250lb ft to more than 335lb ft.

It won’t only be the engine that places the RS3 at the top of enthusiasts’ shopping lists. In keeping with recent fast Audis, the new car will adopt a six-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox with a paddle nudge-shift manual over-ride.

Drive is channeled through an electronically controlled multi-plate Haldex clutch. It apportions power to all four wheels, continuously alternating the split from zero to 100 per cent for optimum traction regardless of the conditions.

With the advanced driveline dishing up such high levels of traction, acceleration should be at least as good as that of the giant-killing Impreza WRX. It’s still too early for final figures, but an Autocar engineering source privy to early technical data revealed the RS3 will receive a 3.6:1 final drive ratio and should run 0-60mph in under 5.0sec – almost 2.0sec faster than today’s fastest A3.

Top speed will be limited to 155mph, like all of Audi’s high-end models. Without the restrictor, the true figure is said to be closer to 170mph.

Forming the basis of the RS3 is a reworked version of the Volkswagen Group’s versatile PQ35 Golf chassis. Suspension geometry remains the same as lesser A3 models, but engineers have introduced new levels of tautness to the MacPherson strut (front) and multi-link (rear) suspension.

The changes are predictable and in line with recent hot Audi models: stiffer springs and dampers, less compliant bushes, beefed up anti-roll bars, reduced ride height and widened tracks. Underneath the flared wheelarches lurk purposeful 235/40 profile tyres on 18-inch alloys.

The A3’s electrically assisted power steering will be carried over without any significant changes, but the brakes will be heavily upgraded with a similar disc and caliper pairing as that seen on the discontinued RS4, according to Autocar sources.

Inside, the RS3 will pamper its occupants with a high level of luxury by traditional fast hatchback standards. Among the items prospective buyers can expect are heavily contoured Recaro sports seats offering a higher level of lateral support than standard A3 pews, alongside typical RS elements such as unique instrument graphics and subtle changes in the dashboard trim.

Our artist’s impressions show a three-door RS3 hatchback, but this summer’s new five-door Sportback estate will also come in hot RS3 form (right). The Sportback range will be unveiled this summer and go on sale in the autumn. It’s designed more as a lifestyle estate than an out-and-out load lugger. However, with a boot of around 400 litres, it offers an extra 50 litres of space compared to the hatchback. It shares a wheelbase with the three-door, but adds an extra 100mm in the rear overhang.

The S3 hot hatch will be assembled at Audi’s sprawling Ingolstadt headquarters, while the more potent RS3 will be built at the firm’s increasingly active Sport division base in Neckarsulm – the same facility responsible for the assembly of the RS4 and RS6 and a limited run of Lamborghini Gallardos.

Production volumes aren’t yet decided, but it appears that Audi’s earlier strategy of restricting RS numbers will be dropped for higher volumes – and therefore higher profits.

gavriil

These powerplants above, give us good visibility as to what to expect to see in the next generation Audi TT.

Turbocharging a 3.2 liter V6 and putting it in a hatch. Now you're talking!