New Audi A3 sedan pre-sales scheduled end of April

MANILA: Following the announcement of a gradual re-opening of its production facilities, Audi also revealed that the new Audi A3 sedan, currently on its second generation, is set to be available for pre-sales  by the end of the month in Germany and many other European markets.

The compact four-door sedan is fully digitally connected, from its infotainment system to the assist systems. Beneath the elegant and sporty body of the new A3 sedan is a new drive and improved suspension tuning guaranteeing a more smooth and efficient driving experience.

Audi's wide singleframe honeycomb grille dominates the front, highlighted by distinctive headlights. These create trapezoidal angles, which are drawn downwards on the outside. It is in this area that the latest digital daytime running lights are installed in the top model with matrix LED technology.

In terms of the A3 Sportsback, the body line that runs above the sill extends in front of the rear wheel arch toward rear lights, which emphasizes the short rear end. In comparison, the body line on the new A3 sedan stretches up to the rear bumper. The roofline drops dramatically down from the B-pillar and ends at the tailgate..

The aerodynamics are observed to benefit from the higher rear end and the large diffuser, in contrast to its predecessor. An additional feature is the functional cooling-air inlet with dual electrically actuated louver modules behind the singleframe. They control the airflow effectively according to the situation. Moreover, the underbody paneling, the exterior mirrors with better aerodynamics, and the active brake cooling decreases air resistance and makes way for a sleek vehicle.

The MMI Navigation plus, which utilizes the third-generation modular infotainment platform (MIB 3), is the top infotainment system of the Audi A3 sedan. The MIB 3 features computational power that is ten times higher compared to the predecessor model. It also connects the vehicle through LTE Advanced speed and connects passenger smartphones to the Internet through a Wi-Fi hotspot. The MMI Navigation Plus provides a range of standard Audi link features, including news, online traffic statistics, and additional details like user reviews that relate to areas of interest, opening times, and images.

Car-to-X services, which use the swarm intelligence of the Audi fleet, also form part of its roster of features. For instance, they disclose speed limits or dangerous areas to vehicles with the appropriate equipment or look for free parking spaces on the side of the road. The myAudi application continues to navigate from the car on a mobile phone when the vehicle is switched off.

The A3 sedan can also connected to a mobile phone through the Audi smartphone interface. This interface accesses Android and iOS mobile phones through Android Auto and Apple Car Play in the MMI, and through the Audi phone box. Furthermore, the A3 sedan can be unlocked and locked, and the engine can be started using an Android smartphone with Audi connect key.

Customization allows a maximum of six users to store their favorite settings in single profiles, which include media, climate control, and seat settings. The DAB+ digital radio is also included as standard. Some options include the online as well as the hybrid radio, which instantly switches between DAB, FM, and online streams that rely on the signal strength of a station. All of these contribute to optimum reception. By the middle of 2020, the Amazon Alexa voice assistant will be one of the additional features.

Due to close networking, the driver assist systems are also efficient. In terms of the Audi pre-sense front system, the camera located behind the inner mirror works in tandem with the front radar. This helps in the prevention of accidents and also minimizes the severity of such collisions. The standard collision avoidance assist also utilizes data from this sensor system.

The adaptive cruise assist, which is a full-size class innovation, aids drivers through lateral and longitudinal guidance. The efficiency assist advises the driver when taking the foot off the accelerator would be reasonable. Moreover, the surrounding view cameras, cross-traffic assist, and exit warning are also valuable during dense traffic. The mentioned features will come shortly after the market rollout.

The new A3 sedan suspension has been designed to be more cohesive and sporty. To a great extent, this reaction and precision speed is due to the core dynamic handling system, which guarantees optimum interaction with all the elements related to the lateral dynamics.

The Audi drive select dynamic handling system also enables the driver to enjoy various levels of suspension tuning in the A3 sedan, which ranges from convenience-oriented and sharply responsive to specifically fuel-efficient.

Photos from Audi