Audi unveiled four different version of its compact 2015 A3, which it plans to put on sale in North America over the next several months, as it looks to continue growing sales in the United States in the coming years.
Scott Keogh, Audi USA president, made it plain that the new A3 sedan its three variations are a critical element in the effort to expand Audi’s sales base in the U.S. The launch of the new A3 represents a new chapter for the brand in the U.S, he said.
“We needed to prove ourselves to the U.S. market and the U.S. consumer. Not proof with gimmicks, sales stunts, or discounts – but proof through a sustainable business model,” Keogh said.
“The results speak for themselves: November will be our 35th consecutive month of record sales. It once took us 40 years to reach 100,000 sales. We did it in just eight months this year. We expect to have another record year in 2013, as well, by selling more than 150,000 cars in the U.S.,” he added.
Keogh said the next step in Audi’s growth requires the addition of a luxury compact. The luxury compact market is expected to grow by 57% in the next four years and the new A3 and its variations will provide Audi with the wherewithal to move its sales to the next level.
The Audi way is to build cars to the highest possible standard, rather than the lowest common denominator, Keogh said.
This all-new Audi A3 lineup begins with the A3 sedan, which goes on sale in the spring of 2014 at $29,900. It will be joined later in the fall of 2014 by the Audi A3 Cabriolet, A3 TDI clean diesel sedan, the high-performance S3 sedan and in early 2015, the A3 Sportback e-tron® gasoline electric plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
“We aren’t just bringing one new car to market, we’re launching an entire new family of cars that will add to our momentum in the U.S. marketplace,” Keogh said. “This A3 line-up redefines the standards of the entry premium market in terms of technology, craftsmanship and performance.”
The A3 family will offer all-new versatile powertrains for a wide variety of entry-luxury customer tastes including a 1.8 TFSI®, 2.0 TFSI®, 2.0 TDI® clean diesel, 1.4 TFSI PHEV and a high-output 2.0 TFSI® in the S3.
These vehicles will come standard with many premium features, even the base model of the all-new Audi A3 will come equipped with standard features that include xenon plus front lighting with Audi signature LED DRLs and taillights, Bluetooth® technology, leather seating surfaces, Audi pre sense® basic and a panoramic glass sunroof.
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All engines are mated to the standard six-speed S tronic® transmission that provides the driver immense shifting flexibility and driving pleasure with smooth, dynamic acceleration and virtually no interruption to the power flow
In addition to the standard technologies, the Audi A3 line-up will offer several new features.
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The Audi A3 line-up will also come with driver assistance systems, including the standard Audi pre sense basic system that helps detect when an emergency maneuver is being made and prepares the vehicle and its occupant restraint systems in advance of a possible collision. The Audi A3 also offers an optional advanced technology package, which includes Audi active lane assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go.
The Audi A3 family is also being equipped a new Picture Navigation service, allowing the driver to save photos of destinations, which are linked to geo-navigation data (GPS), in the “photo box” of MMI Navigation plus. These may be the driver’s own photos or scenes from Google Maps Street View. Photos can be imported via an SD card or a myAudi account.
The A3 is a decent car but it’s very crowded in the $30K entry level luxury segment. Audi is still a niche player in the U.S. with sales of ~150K units annually.