First Drive: 2013 Audi A3 Euro-Spec Hatchback

It would be easy Europe the importance of further three-door hatchback as the new Audi A3, which will not come to the U.S. released, but stay with us. Audi has already announced that it is a four-door sedan version of the A3 for the U.S. at some point add in 2014. Audi expects the new sedan will eventually make it to establish a real presence in the U.S. compact luxury segment. View 2013 Audi A3 Hatchback Euro Spec Front Left There is another reason for the Audi A3 hatch more than a few moments of your precious time. It is the first vehicle to be built on new cross-known engine of the Volkswagen Group Architecture as MQB. This kit of parts - called too broad a platform - is to support everything from small cars to small cars to crossovers, coupes and roadsters to mid-size sedans. Audi does not only mean the A3 hatchback, sedan and convertible, but the next generation of small A1, which has come probably to the U.S. Plus the next TT, from the basis of two years now, and the next Q3 (although the current Q3 yet not started in the U.S.). For Volkswagen, MQB, the vast majority of cars will substantiate, from the next golf (due this year) built a crossover in the U.S. more be done, it is also the basis for the new Beetle, Jetta and Passat (the euro and the U.S. / Chinese versions), plus the little Polo. And new niche products like the Bulli microvan be. It is an immensely flexible architecture and by 2018, the carmaker plans to build about 10 million cars per year MQB. So it was better to be right.

Audi A3

   
 
 



A first drive in the Euro-market 2013 Audi A3 hatch confirmed the potential. Because it's the VW Group mainstream luxury brand, Audi was able to reinvest the savings of the huge shopping MQB in the substance of the car. 2013 Audi A3 Hatchback Euro Spec Front Left Side View The new A3 interior of the craft is on par with or better than any other vehicle in its class. Audi threw big money at this cabin: have the plastic and leather soft to the touch, it is bejeweled with machined aluminum contact points, the slide switch with precision micro-managed and the night lighting is worthy of Hollywood lighting. It all fits together with obsessive precision. The body is proportioned, strong, light and good. At a quick glance, it looks slightly different from the last two-door A3, but if you stay its shape is a good deal sharper. It would be enough if you think about it in detail every Sunday, but others will, it is just another Audi. There are a lot of high-strength steel in the shell. Plus, where other normal steel use MQB cars, Audi substituted more expensive materials. A3 used aluminum for the front cross member, the front sub-frame, and the front fenders and hood.



The lighter front end, together with the fact that the A3 - as all MQB cars - has its front wheels further forward than previously, means that the center of gravity moves further backwards, the wheelbase. That's good news for agility. The physics class works in practice. Arriving in a curve, swing the A3 on the steering wheel and a nice balanced response, the nose hardly understeer. You can even balance on the throttle, the. An enormous improvement over the somewhat inert handling the outgoing A3 If that is not enough, Audi lists choice leaf lowered two additional states and stiffened suspension and adaptive magnetorheological dampers. We have I not tried the optional kits so that we do not know if they harm the ride comfort. But in a standardized way the ride is a good deal smoother than the last generation A3 with it. Near the top of the class 2013 Audi A3 Hatchback Euro Spec Rear Right Side View For power, the top-line engine choices sound modest. 1.8-liter turbo gasser and a 2.0-liter turbo diesel But they are both updated and new. On the road, which they supply The low weight helps, of course - the A3 is about 220 pounds lighter, specification for spec, than a BMW 1 Series. The gas engine makes 177 hp, spread with a turbocharged torque, which is wide so it's easy to keep percolating. Audi cites a credible 7.2 seconds for the 0-62 mph run. Later, a 2.0-liter version of the output to take on about 230 hp - that's certainly the one that will carry the car of his fictional premium. It is also likely to be one of the U.S. spec A3 engines. For diesel-obsessed Europe, the 2.0 TDI engine is used to power similar to what surely four and a new level of refinement for transverse diesel. Moreover, it is brings the usual benefits of the economy: not only lower fuel costs and a huge selection, but low taxes - most European countries automotive taxes, which are scaled according to rated CO2 emissions. Offering superior passenger dash and comfortable seating. On the back, however, legroom tight. Do not worry, the four-door version for the U.S. will have a longer wheelbase of some 1.4 inches.

Better yet, the main system of the brain for the multi-media is replaceable if it is outdated, which is required to be earlier than the life of the vehicle itself. It is easy to A3 thinking approach it has made little progress. The car looks like, layout is not much different, and the engine power has not changed much. But in truth it is a far better car - which we think, not only better than the old, but more competitive than the old one was when it was new. And that really count, such as Audi premium compact class has more competition than ever before. And if this shows the potential of all the other MQB cars in the next few years, the VW group stumble industry-munching rise not likely in the near future.