New York Auto Show: Audi pleases the faithful with new A3 TDI hatchback
Audi made a small but loyal group of buyers very happy at the New York Auto Show, announcing Wednesday the arrival of the all-new A3 TDI Sportback.
The car joins a rapidly growing family of A3 vehicles. When this tidy hatchback goes on sale in early 2015, it will join five other A3 models, all of which are new.
“The A3 TDI Sportback has an incredibly passionate and loyal fan base, and this new version has been one of our most requested models since the announcement of the new A3 family,” said Scott Keogh, president of Audi America.
PHOTOS: Audi’s A3 TDI Sportback
Historically, the A3 has come to the U.S. market only in hatchback form with either gas or diesel engines. Sales were never huge: In 2012 -- the last full year the A3 was for sale here -- Audi sold just over 7,200 cars.
PHOTOS: Highlights of the 2014 N.Y. Auto Show
Audi is looking to change all that this year with the new A3 sedan, a compact car aimed at entry-level buyers who don’t want the size or cost of the ever-growing A4 sedan.
But Audi didn’t stop at the new A3 sedan configuration. An A3 convertible, high-performance S3 sedan, diesel A3 sedan, and plug-in hybrid hatchback are all planned. Yet fans of the older A3 hatchback still pined for their beloved car that mixed upscale amenities with a practical design.
Audi listened.
The 2015 A3 TDI hatchback will use a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 150 horsepower. Power flows through the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Fuel economy hasn’t been released yet, but don’t expect it to be less efficient than the outgoing A3 TDI. The EPA rated that model at 30 mpg in the city and 42 mpg on the highway.
Like other new A3 models, this diesel variant will offer goodies such as a pop-up navigation screen, 4G LTE connectivity, and a high-end Bang & Olufsen stereo system.
The all-new A3 TDI hatchback -- sorry, Sportback -- will begin selling in early 2015, around the same time as the other green A3 Sportback, the plug-in hybrid.
