The coronavirus outbreak didn’t stop Audi from introducing the new A3 Sportback last month even in the aftermath of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show’s cancellation. Not only that, but the worldwide health crisis also did not prevent the Four Rings from introducing the hatchback’s saloon sibling earlier this week.
New videos released by Audi put the spotlight on Ingolstadt’s revamped compact luxury car, offering an in-depth look at the fresh metal and all-new interior cabin.
Compared to 2013 when the original A3 Saloon came out, the new generation has more rivals to worry about. Aside from having to face the swoopy Mercedes CLA, Audi’s baby saloon is also fighting with the A-Class Saloon for a piece of the pie, not to mention BMW’s new 2 Series Gran Coupe and the 1 Series Saloon offered in some markets.
Gallery: 2021 Audi A3 Saloon
Having grown in length by 4 centimetres (1.6 inches) and in width by 2 cm (0.8 inches), the new A3 Saloon is now nearly as long as the A4 B7 while actually being slightly wider and taller. The exterior design is exactly what you’d expect – an A3 Sportback that eschews the hatchback derrière for a boot lid to increase the overall length by 15 cm (5.9 inches) compared to the five-door model.
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Fake vents at both front and rear bumpers are something we’re used to seeing, and hopefully, the trend will die off soon. We’re also not particularly fond of Audi’s updated nomenclature introduced several years ago based on the engine’s output, but that’s not necessarily a big issue since you can take off the “35 TFSI” badge with ease. Overall, the new A3 Saloon looks sharper than its predecessor and will obviously be more desirable in the S and RS flavours.
The interior is where the big changes have occurred as the dashboard design represents a significant departure from the old A3 Saloon. You could say it’s sending a Lamborghini kind of vibe with that hexagonal theme, while the physical buttons on the centre console will be appreciated by those who still want direct access to the most used functions. There’s no secondary touchscreen like in the bigger and fancier Audis, but perhaps that’s for the better if you’re looking for a traditional layout.
Audi will kick off customer deliveries of the new A3 Saloon in Europe this summer.
Source: Audi