New York show: Audi A3 cops a boot

AUDI has finally put a boot on its city friendly A3, creating a three-box sedan that will sell alongside the already revealed hatchback.

Even better, it is coming to Australia.

Unveiled at the New York motor show today, the production version of the four-door A3 sedan was shown in production guise, alongside a special S3 model loosely based on the S3 hatchback.

It has been a long wait for the more practical form of the city car, with a sedan concept based on the A3 first shown two years ago.

According to Audi Australia, the A3 with a boot is slated to arrive here early next year, although it is remaining coy about pricing until much closer to the car’s arrival.

As reported, the new-generation A3 will launch here in May this year, priced from a sharp $35,600.

Shortly after the launch of the regular sedan range in early 2014 will come the hot S3 version, featuring a 221kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine pumping out a V8-like 380Nm of torque through all four wheels.

More numbers? Try 0-100kmh in just 4.9 seconds – 0.2s faster than the S3 Sportback that shares the same engine – it sits 25mm lower to the ground, top speed is 250km/h and fuel use lobs as low as about 6.9 litres per 100 kilometres.

Better still, the S3 has the option of a dual-clutch automated manual gearbox, or a traditional six-speed self-serve version.

The new A3 gains a driver’s knee airbag to improve passive safety, while active cruise control finally trickles all the way down from the top of Audi’s product tree.

Audi Australia will have a range of packaging options available when the car comes to Australia.

Wheels range in size from 16 to 18 inches, although the car-maker’s Quattro tuning arm can fit it with big 19-inch ones.

An electronic differential lock is standard across the range.

The seven-inch colour screen on the A3 sedan pops up from the dash and includes a 3D-look display. The car’s steering wheel has either three or four spokes, depending on the model, and can come with either a flat bottom, paddle shifters or multimedia control buttons.

According to Audi, the A3 sedan’s boot will swallow 425 litres of stuff.

Under the bonnet you can probably expect a four-cylinder line-up including a 2.0-litre turbo diesel engine producing 100kW/320Nm, a 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine that can switch off two cylinders on demand producing 103kW/250Nm, and a turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol engine pumping out 132kW/250Nm.

Aside from the cylinder deactivation, automatic versions of the A3 sedan will include a free-wheeling function that saves fuel while the car is in its efficiency mode.

Also available on overseas versions, but not yet confirmed for Australia, is a wireless access point that converts the A3 sedan into a mobile internet hotspot.