Audi has begun testing the A3 saloon in India. The spy shot was sent to us by our reader Harjoot Mankoo. The car spied in India didn’t not sport LED elements for the tail-lamps nor the signature Audi LED daytime running lamps which could mean that Audi may price the A3 aggressively in our market.
The A3 will sit below the A4 saloon in the Audi lineup. It is built on VW’s new transverse engine, front-wheel-drive MQB platform. The A3, when launched, will come powered by 1.8 and 2.0-litre petrol engines and a 2.0-litre 150bhp diesel motor as well.
Audi will also offer the A3 with the Audi drive-select system and a manual gearbox for some variants.
The A3 saloon, which has the Mercedes-Benz CLA as its chief rival, is 4460mm long, 1796mm wide and 1416mm high, with a wheelbase of 2400mm. These dimensions also make it 170mm shorter, 19mm wider and 19mm lower than the Mercedes CLA. The wheelbase of the CLA is 63mm longer than the A3 saloon’s.
Expect Audi to launch the A3 saloon in India next year.