Audi A3 saloon for order from July

by Joanne Ahern • May 21, 2013 • Motoring News

2013 Audi A3 saloon exterior front left static

The Audi S3 saloon sits lower than the A3

The all new Audi A3 saloon has been unveiled and we got a sneak peek at what’s to come at the Irish press preview in the auspicious surroundings of the O2 in Dublin.

While we’ll have to wait until later this summer to actually drive it, we did get to sit in its leather clad luxury, to test the legroom, headroom and to push a few buttons – and we’re pretty impressed with the aesthetics.

The Audi A3 saloon will be available to order in Ireland from July.

A choice of three engines will be available from launch – 1.4 TFSI 125HP (petrol), 1.4TFSI 140HP Cylinder on Demand (petrol) and 2.0 TDI 150HP (diesel).

Audi says the boot in the Audi A3 saloon is bigger that that in the A3 Sportback, but the cabins in both are the same size. Boot space in the saloon can be further extended by lowering the rear seats.

The Audi A3 1.4 TFSI 140 HP saloon has a top speed of 217kph and can accelerate from 0-100kph in 8.4seconds. It has a combined fuel consumption of 4.7l/100km and emissions of 109g/km put it in the €190 road tax bracket.

Meanwhile, the 2.0-litre TDI 150HP has a top speed of 220kph, accelerates from 0-100kph in 8.7seconds, has fuel economy of 4.1l/100km and CO2 emissions of 107g/km.

The interior of the Audi A3 saloon is spacious and luxurious

The A3 saloon will be available in both a 6-speed manual or S tronic dual-clutch gearbox. The S tronic can be operated through the automatic selector lever or via steering wheel paddles.

Infotainment-wise, the A3 saloon also carries the modular infotainment system and the top of the range MMI Navigation plus has a 7” screen with 3D maps, 64GB of storage and a DVD drive as well as a Bang & Olufsen sound system.

Meanwhile, the top of the range Audi S3 saloon will launch later this year. The 2.0 TFSI 300 HP with an S tronic gearbox accelerates from 0-100kph in 4.9seconds (5.3seconds in the manual) and has a top speed of 250kph. Combined fuel consumption is 6.9l/100km and CO2 emissions are 159g.

Visually, the S3 sits 25mm lower and side sills, a rear spoiler, bumpers and single frame grille distinguish it from the A3.

Sports seats are also available in the S3 saloon.

The Audi A3 saloon will be available to order from July, with first deliveries this autumn. The Audi S3 will also be available for order this summer, for 2014 delivery.

Prices and specification will be announced closer to launch.

Visit the Audi Ireland website or its Facebook page for further details.

*This article was updated on May 31 to reflect revised performance figures for the 1.4-litre TFSI 140HP and 2.0-litre TDI 150HP engines.