BRAND NEW 2013 AUDI A3 SPORTBACK DEBUTS AT PARIS 2012

Audi has unveiled its brand new A3 Sportback at the 2012 Paris International Motor Show. The car is based on the new 2013 A3 hatchback but has added two more doors for easier entry and exit. It will compete with the very successful BMW 1 Series, fresh Volvo V40, as well as the redesigned Mercedes-Benz A-Class hatch. We’ll be seeing the A3 in Mzansi next year.

Overall the new A3 is larger than the outgoing model, measuring some 4.3 metres for length, 1.78m for width and 1.4m for height.  Interior space is also said to have increased, with a boot that can now go up to 1220 litres when the rear seats are fully folded down. However, Audi has managed to cut some grease off the booty by up to 90kg in some cases. That’s just stunning. It’s like kicking out one average rugby player who was always at the back seat.

The engines will of course be quite cosmic. On the list are the likes of the 1.2 TFSI with 77kW and 175Nm of torque. A low-spec 1.4-litre TFSI is likely to return 90kW, while a more powerful version gives off 103kW. We cannot discount the powerful TFSI worth 136kW. Even more powerful than that will be the S3 model. Diesels include the trusted 1.6-litre TDI pushing 77kW and 250Nm, while giving the driver a claimed average of 3.8 litres per 100km. We are likely to experience the plug-in hybrid sometime late in 2013 or early 2014.