2011 Audi A3 Sportback

(from Audi press release)

The (2011) Audi A3

: Sporty character with elegant style

Refined style, agile driving fun and elaborate technology – the Audi A3, the
A3 Sportback, the A3 Cabriolet and the S3 are the sporty models in the
compact segment. Audi now displays its premium character even more
explicitly through new attentive details on both the exterior and the interior.

The sporty elegance of the A3 models is already perfectly expressed in their
design; their harmonious styling now acquires a host of new, exclusive touches.
The single-frame grille element and the trims on the B-posts are painted in high-
gloss black, the lower air inlets have chrome struts, the exterior mirrors are
aerodynamically optimized and there are chrome strips in the door handles
(except on the S3). At the rear, all A3 versions have a new diffuser insert with
eye-catching separating edge, and the rear lights are tinted on the three-door
version.

The paint finishes Volcano Red, Dakota Gray, Amethyst Gray and Scuba Blue
are also new. There is a new wheel design for the sporty Ambition equipment
line. The wheels available as options also extend the range. There is now a high-
gloss 17-inch wheel in ten-spoke design, and two other new wheels are also
available from quattro GmbH: a 17-inch aluminum wheel in a five twin-spoke
design and an 18-inch wheel in five-arm rotor design.


Refined style: the interior

The interior of the A3 models is likewise even more exclusive. The key features
are dials with a gray background, a flat-bottomed leather sports steering wheel
complete with trim ring, a new selector lever for the S tronic, black rings on the air
vents and a high-gloss trim for the optional navigation system plus. There are
gleaming aluminum-look trim inserts on the center console, mirror adjuster switch
and window lifter buttons.


Powerful and efficient: the drive train

The engine range for the Audi A3 and A3 Sportback is very extensive – it
comprises nine power units, five of them gasoline and four diesel. All are cutting-
edge turbocharged four-cylinder direct-injection units badged as TFSI and TDI.
They encapsulate all the strengths of Audi engine technology – performance,
refinement, high torque and efficiency. Five of the nine engines also feature in
the new A3 Cabriolet, with the most powerful version reserved for the dynamic S3
and S3 Sportback – the 2.0 TFSI developing 195 kW (265 hp).

The entry-level gasoline version is the 1.2 TFSI; it is a prime example of the
merits of Audi’s downsizing strategy – prioritizing supercharging ahead of
displacement. This four-cylinder power unit develops an ample 77 kW (105 hp)
from a swept volume of 1,197 cm3 and generates a hefty 175 Nm of torque
(129.07 lb-ft), yet averages just 5.5 liters of fuel per 100 km (42.77 US mpg). The
most powerful spark ignition engine for the A3 and A3 Sportback is the 2.0 TFSI
with an output of 147 kW (200 hp). It is trumped only by the 2.0 TFSI on 195 kW
(265 hp), which is reserved exclusively for the S3 versions.

The TDI range extends from the 1.6 TDI developing 66 kW (90 hp) to the 2.0 TDI,
with an output of 125 kW (170 hp). The most efficient engine version in the car
line – and one of the most efficient compact models on the market – is the A3 1.6
TDI developing 77 kW (105 hp) and 250 Nm (184.39 lb-ft) of torque. It is available
in three different versions, the most economical of which is an A3 three-door
version averaging 3.8 liters of fuel per 100 km (61.90 US mpg). In-detail
modifications to the body and running gear contribute towards this excellent
figure, which equates to CO2 emissions of just 99 grams per km (159.33 g/mile).

Audi fits a start-stop system including energy recovery on five engines in the
three-door A3 and the Sportback – the 1.2 TFSI, the 1.4 TFSI, the 1.6 TDI
developing 77 kW (105 hp), and the two 2.0 TDI versions with outputs of 103 kW
and 125 kW (140 hp and 170 hp). In a new departure for compact cars, it is
irrelevant whether a manual transmission or the S tronic dual-clutch transmission
is fitted. It proves a big advantage in city traffic – it deactivates the engine while
stationary and restarts it when the clutch is pressed or, on S tronic versions, the
brake pedal released.
An energy recovery system that captures the energy released during braking is a
standard feature of the 1.6 TDI with 66 kW (90 hp) engine and the 1.8 TFSI.

The range of transmission technologies is equally very diverse. Most engines in
the A3 car line come with six-speed manual transmission as standard; Audi can
also supply the lightning-fast, extremely convenient S tronic in conjunction with
many of its engines. It is fitted as standard with steering wheel shift paddles on
the Ambition equipment line and S3. Depending on engine version, the dual-
clutch transmission has six or seven speeds. The seven-speed version operates
with dry clutches; the absence of an oil supply improves the transmission’s
efficiency yet further.

The option of power transmission to all four wheels likewise underscores the
exceptional position that the Audi A3 enjoys in the premium compact class. Audi
supplies quattro permanent all-wheel drive for four engine versions. The Cabriolet
is the exception; on the other hand, quattro drive is standard on the S3 and

S3 Sportback. Its electronic-control multi-plate clutch, mounted on the rear axle
for a balanced weight distribution, apportions most of the engine’s power to the
front wheels in normal driving conditions. If need be, it diverts drive torque swiftly
and adaptably to the rear wheels.


Smartly sporty: the running gear

The running gear of the A3 car line combines a sporty character with superb
safety and high comfort. Its precision and poise stem from technically elaborate
solutions such as four-link rear suspension, which handles longitudinal and
transverse forces independently, and the electromechanical power steering,
which is as responsive as it is efficient.

On all versions with front-wheel drive, the ESP electronic stabilization program
incorporates an electronic differential lock. When close to the limits of handling on
bends, this intelligent software solution manages how the drive torque is
distributed among the wheels by small, barely detectable brake applications.
These suppress any understeering, improve traction and further enhance driving
safety.

For the engines developing 103 kW (140 hp) and upwards, except on the
Cabriolet, Audi supplies the adaptive damper control system Audi magnetic ride,
which exploits the properties of an electromagnetic fluid. The dampers can be set
for a comfortable or sporty characteristic. Within the parameters, the system
adjusts the damping forces in milliseconds depending on the road conditions and
the driver's style. The body sits 15 millimeters (0.59 in) lower with this system.
There are also the options of conventional sports suspension and the supple
S line sports suspension from quattro GmbH. The S3 comes complete with
specially tuned 25 mm (0.98 in) lower S sports suspension.


Extensive: the equipment

The improved models in the A3 family will be arriving at dealers in the early
summer. Their extensive range of high-end options demonstrates their high
technological caliber. These include the dynamic cornering light system adaptive
light for the xenon plus headlamps, the high-beam assistant and the navigation
system plus with MMI operating logic. It calculates routes particularly fast, has a
higher resolution and features three-dimensional map graphics.

The parking assistant is another very attractive feature. When driving at slow
speeds (up to 30 km/h, 18.64 miles) its ultrasound sensors scan the parking
spaces parallel with the road; when it detects one that is large enough to reverse
into, it then indicates this in the instrument cluster. All the driver need do is
engage reverse and operate the accelerator, clutch and brakes – the car
maneuvers independently and precisely into the space.