Audi's A3 conundrum

AUDI'S increasingly successful A3 compactcould have its sales progress in Australiaslowed significantly when the new generationcar is launched at the Paris show in 2002 -as a three-door only.

Since Audi swung its A3 range across fromthree-door to predominantly five-door basedhere, sales have risen to a high of 626 in2000. It is on track to beat that figure in 2001.

A new generation five-door A3 would beabout two years behind the three-door incoming to production.

Audi Australia managingdirector Graham Hardy is acutely awareof the problem and debating whether tomarket the new generation three-door andold generation five-door alongside eachother,or bite the bullet and go with the new three-dooralone.

"The only other alternative would be todefer the introduction of the new car and runwith the current one for longer," said MrHardy.

"It's a question of what would be thegreater risk. My inclination would be to go forthe new car."Overseas media speculation points tomore variety on the A3 platform second timeround, with talk of 1.6, 1.8 turbo, 2.0-litre and3.2-litre V6 petrol versions, as well as theinevitable turbo-diesels for Europe.

Drive would be via both front-wheel andquattro, with an Allroad version added to therange.