Audi A3 facelift revealed

Audi has revealed a facelifted version of the A3. The car will be available in 3-door hatchback, Sportback, sedan and cabriolet body styles. Deliveries are scheduled to commence during summer in the European market.

The refreshed A3 gets sharper headlamps with jagged bottom edges (similar to the ones on the new R8). Xenon Plus headlamps are a part of standard equipment, while matrix LEDs are available as an option. The car features a broader single frame front grille and at the rear, it gets a redesigned diffuser. The A3 measures 4.24 metres in length and has a wheelbase of 2.6 metres.

On the inside, the A3 gets a new multi-function steering wheel, and Audi virtual cockpit, which displays driving related information on a 12.3-inch TFT screen. The MMI system has been redesigned and the MMI radio plus with the electrically extended 7-inch diagonal monitor is standard with navigation available as an option.

Driver assistance systems include active lane assist, predictive pedestrian protection, cross traffic assist and traffic jam assist, which works together with the adaptive cruise control and stop and go feature.

The A3 is available with six engine options - three petrol and three diesel units. The entry level petrol engine is a 1.0-litre TFSI motor. It is a 3-cylinder unit that produces 114 BHP and 200 Nm of torque. The second engine is a 1.4-litre TFSI power plant that comes with cylinder-on-demand technology and produces 148 BHP and 250 Nm. The largest petrol engine on offer is a 2.0-litre TFSI unit producing 188 BHP and 320 Nm of torque. It is mated to a new seven-speed S-tronic transmission with wet clutch.

The entry level diesel engine is a 1.6-litre TDI that develops 109 BHP. It is available with a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed, dual clutch S-tronic transmission. The 2.0-litre TDI comes in two states of tune - 148 BHP & 340 Nm and 181 BHP & 380 Nm. While the A3 is available in front-wheel drive configuration by default, the 2.0-litre TFSI with 190 BHP is available with a Quattro all-wheel drive system.

The refreshed A3 sedan and cabriolet are expected to come to India later this year. Though the European line-up consists of the S3, A3 Sportback e-tron (plug-in hybrid) and the A3 Sportback g-tron (uses Audi e-gas as fuel in addition to fossil based natural gas), these cars are not likely to make it to the Indian market.