AUDI A3 first preview in India

If you think the Fabia is the height of pricey hatches, you can’t be more wrong. Just wait till Audi launches its A3 in India. We guarantee you a massive sticker shock!

India is soon going to have a truly luxurious and expensive hatch – the Audi A3! The A3 might be an entry level hatch from the manufacturer, but in India it will by far be the most expensive ’small’ car.

Like any other Audi, the A3 too gets the huge grille up­ front. The headlamps envisage a winged design and look cool, especially with the xenon lamps which come as an option. The bumper also get inserts for the fog lamps designed to gel with the huge Audi corporate grille. Subtle lines on the bonnet too merge smoothly into the grille giving it a sporty look.

A pronounced shoulder line runs along the profile of the car and the sporty attitude is pro­ nounced by the flared wheel arches which house huge 17-inch wheels. Moving back, there’s a large pair of wraparound tail lamps which caress the hatch as well. The registration plate dock occupies a large section of the tail gate and the top end is clearly divided by a design line which is in tune with the shoul­ der lines. A sleek lip spoiler too has been added, giving the A3 an aerodynamic tail gate. The boot opens low and this means loading it isn’t a hassle. However, the rear bumper is one large unit spanning the whole girth of the car and replacing it should be frightfully expensive.

Inside the A3, Audi has em­ ployed a classy black and silver combo! The large dash up front has limited stowage area, ex­ cept the glovebox but follows a smooth design. On the centre console sits a large screen for the MMI unit and beside it, following an offset pattern are the con­ trols which previously sat around the gear shifter. Instruments too follow a standard Audi pattern and the steering gets scrollers for various controls.

Split folding rear seats are standard, offering a versatile lug­ gage bay ranging between 350 to 1080 litres. Another unique feature happens to be a sturdy, reversible loadliner that is a prac­ tical, easy-to-clean tray which can be removed too. So never mind the wet and mucky stuff you carry.

Coming to the powerplant, the A3 worldwide gets a range of the TFSI and TDI units from Audi. For India, though, it seems Audi might just choose the 1.9 TDI, which sends a healthy 105bhp to the front wheels. A Quattro is also available internationally but it has little probability of being offered in India.