Audi A3 launched in India at Rs 22.95 lakh

Audi has launched the A3 sedan, today, with prices starting at Rs 22.95 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the diesel variant. The car is available in five variants - four diesel and one petrol. 

The A3 sports typical Audi styling and the family lineage is clearly evident in the design. The car features ‘arrow head’ DRLs, bi-xenon headlamps, panoramic glass roof and the familiar Audi trapezoidal grille. At the rear, the tail-lamps are reminiscent of its bigger sibling the A4.

The A3 gets typical Audi interiors, the steering wheel design, the instrument cluster all look familiar. The MMI screen paired with the rotary knob on the centre console gets a touchpad on the top you can write on it with a finger and it will recognise the letters.

The A3 sedan will be the first car to implement the company’s new nomenclature, which classifies the cars based on the new parameters used to measure performance. It will be imported to India as a CKD (completely knocked down unit) and will be locally assembled at the company’s facility in Maharashtra.

The A3 is offered with both petrol and diesel engines. The petrol is a 1.8-litre TFSI, turbocharged engine which currently powers the A4 sedan. The diesel engine is the commonly used 2.0-litre TDI units that powers the VAG cars. In the A3, the diesel engine produces 140bhp and 320Nm of torque. The petrol engine will be mated to a seven-speed DSG gearbox and the diesel will get a six-speed unit.

Audi has set the cat among the pigeons in the entry-level luxury segment with the pricing of the A3. While it is the first of the compact luxury sedans in India, it might eat into the sales of everything in that price range. Mercedes-Benz will introduce the CLA-Class soon and until then we don’t see a real threat to the new small sedan from Audi.

Audi A3 diesel variants (ex-showroom Delhi):

Attraction: Rs 22.95 lakh

Premium: Rs 25.95 lakh

Premium plus: Rs 29.95 lakh

Technology: Rs 32.66 lakh

Audi A3 Petrol variant (ex-showroom Delhi):

Premium Plus: Rs 28.95 lakh

Audi A3 first drive