Audi A3 sedan to be launched in China soon; India might be next

The Audi A3 sedan has been spotted in China once again and this time, it was devoid of any kind of camouflage. The sedan will premiere at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show in April and will be launched soon after. It was unveiled for the Indian market at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo, last month and we can expect Audi to launch the car here once it is launched in China.

Based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, the Audi A3 sedan is the stretched version of the A3 Sportback with an additional 425-litre boot. The front of the car features the familiar fascia with the big Audi Bulgarian grille and projector headlamps with DRLs. The A3 sedan will be available in both petrol and diesel guise in India – the petrol will be the 1.8-litre TFSI unit developing 168bhp and 320Nm while the diesel will be the 2.0-litre TDI mill with an output of 141bhp and 320Nm. Both the engines will power the front wheels via a seven-speed DSG gearbox.

Audi already sells the A3 Sportback in the Chinese market. The A3 sedan will be the third China-made sedan in the company’s lineup and will be manufactured at the new factory in Foshan in Guangdong Province by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture. Priced in the CNY 2,50,000 (Rs 24.4 lakh) to CNY 3,00,000 (Rs 30.47 lakh) bracket, it will compete with BMW 1 Series sedan and the Mercedes-Benz CLA. 

For the Indian market, the car will be initially imported as a CBU and will be locally assembled at Audi’s Aurangabad plant. Mercedes-Benz got a headstart in this niche entry-level luxury segment when it launched the A-Class hatchback last year, which was followed by BMW, with the 1 Series. Despite being late to the party, the A3 sedan will have an  advantage in the form of its 425-litre boot. The Audi will be a good choice for a person who wants to buy a German entry-level luxury car with a practical boot.

Source: CarNewsChina