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Audi, currently, holds the crown of 'Numero-uno' luxurious automaker in the country and it is, by no means, ready to drop this prestigious title.
Audi India, the fully owned subsidiary of the Bavaria based automaker Audi AG, has finally launched the A3 Sedan in the country at an introductory price of Rs. 22,95000 for the 35TDI version, whereas the premium plus petrol version costs Rs 28, 95,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Being showcased at the 2014 Delhi Motor Show, it is the cheapest Audi on offer by the company as it is priced in this price range.
With the arrival of this niche product, Audi moves a step ahead of its German counter-parts Mercedes-Benz and BMW as both these luxurious brands don't have a single vehicle in the so-called luxury compact sedan segment.
The current buzz is that, it might even eat up the sales of D2 segment cars such as the Passat, Sonata and Camry as the company gets the pricing bang on.
Let's explore this entry-level sedan inside out in 10 exclusive points that makes it a one-of-its-type product:
Luxurious but affordable
Audi, currently, holds the crown of 'Numero-uno' luxurious automaker in the country and it is, by no means, ready to drop this prestigious title.
Hence, in the bid to retain this title, it is banking high on the A3 compact sedan.
This compact sedan would cater the needs of the buyers who are luxury smitten but in a cost-effective manner.
As the Audi dealers confirmed, they have received overwhelming response from the people across the nation on advance bookings which was open just a week back on August 1 at Rs. 3,50,000.
Audi has saved on cost by assembling the car in India
A3 sedan is the first vehicle in the entire Audi lineup that is being manufactured locally even before its launch in the country.
Till date, the company hasn't assembled a single vehicle locally before its launch. Its production has already been commenced at the Aurangabad plant of Skoda.
This local manufacturing would assist the company to keep the prices a tad low and competitive.
Stylish and distinctive look
As far as the exterior designing and appearance is concerned, the A3 is not an exception; it too boasts the signature design language of Audi, except for the fact that it is a bit more bleak and compact than rest of the cars.
And, this characteristic makes it a standout and distinct product amidst the rest of the lineup.
The front facade is sourced directly from the elder sibling, A4 Sedan.
The headlamp cluster flaunts xenon headlamps along with signature LED daytime running lights.
The front bumper is the saving grace of the front fascia in Audi A3 as it appears quite different than the rest It is coupled with a pair of air dams and body-colored chin guard.
The company emblem is positioned at the centre of the front grille which itself is a reminiscent of the A4, A6, and A8 grille.
The five rings logo of the company oozes oomph at the front facade of the sedan.
Audi A3 exhibits a set of dynamic star spoke alloy wheels which accentuates the stylishness of the side profile.
Additionally, the chrome surrounded window sills are elegant and eye-soothing.
As expected, ORVMs consisting of LED blinkers are present in the sedan for the sake of added safety.
Coming to the rear-end of the car, the A3, vivaciously, features a lustrous tail lamp cluster.
The rear bumper too is quite smooth with the reflectors. A pair of exhaust pipes with chrome plating is also integrated in the rear bumper.
Plush interiors, advanced features
Step inside the Audi A3 sedan and first thing that comes to your notice is that it is done in an all black color; no dual-tone shading or color scheme.
Although, the dash is not quite tech-savvy but still it is not clumsy and untidy.
The company, in an attempt to indulge plushness, has provided chrome treatment extensively inside the cabin.
The AC vent surrounds, interior door handles, gearshift knob, steering wheel etc. are all done in chrome.
It even didn't spare the dashboard as it too has a thick chrome strip.
The seats, inside the cabin, in A3 are done in premium leather upholstery and are quite broad.
The sedan is expected to have some high-end sophisticated features such as HVAC with Climate control, panoramic sun roof, 7-inch MMI screen, advanced instrumentation panel, Height adjustable driver's seat with memory function, etc. to name a few.
State-of-the-art safety features are a big draw
Audi has always excelled imperiously in the safety and security aspect as it has always paid special attention towards these attributes.
Expect the same with A3, as it would also borrow some of the state-of-the-art safety features like 6 Airbags, the most trusted trio of ABS+EBD+BA, ESP, Traction control etc. to mention a few.
Audi A3 would be offered with both petrol and diesel guises and the requisite variants are christened as 40 TFSI & 35 TDI, as per the newest nomenclature of Audi.
Under the hood, the petrol variants would have a 1.8-liter four-cylinder TFSI motor that would muster out a maximum power output of 180 bhp and a peak torque performance of 250Nm.
Fuel efficient, exceptional performance
They will be coupled with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox in order to maximize performance.
On the other hand, the diesel variants don a 2.0-liter TDI powertrain which would churn out 143 bhp of top power and 320 Nm of highest torque.
This engine would be mated to a 6-speed S-tronic transmission. Audi A3 is a perfect amalgamation of impeccable fuel efficiency and exceptional performance.
Both the petrol and diesel variants of the A3 sedan would return a promising fuel economy of 16.6kmpl and 20.38kmpl (ARAI Certified).
These figures makes it the most fuel efficient Audi in both fuel trims. At the same time, maintaining the agile behavior, the requisite variants would touch the 0-100 kmph mark in a mere 7.3 seconds and 8.7 seconds, with top speeds of 235 kmph and 220 kmph, respectively. Never-seen-before stuff, that's all we could say!
