2013 Audi A3 To Only Come In Sedan Form For U.S Market
“We decided not to take it,” said Audi of America CEO Johan de Nysschen, regarding the Audi A3 hatchback. The Detroit Bureau quotes Audi’s head man in the USA stating that not only will we not get an A3 hatch, the sedan version won’t share a single body panel with the Euro two-box version.
Our A3 will likely be along the lines of the B5 A4, which arguably pulled Audi out of the “unintended acceleration” era and into the “coveted aspirational brand” phase in America. de Nysschen thinks that sales of the A3 will triple, to 30,000 annually, once the sedan launches. If you must have a hatchback, the current model will be in production till 2013. World markets will supposedly get the A3 sedan as well now that everything has been finalized. But wagon fans in the U.S. are out of luck once again.
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will they also build an a3 four-dour coop?
So much for my planned 2014/2015 purchase of an A3. Any suggestions for alternative yet similar cars? That Mercedes?
This is not the successor to the B5 A4, it is a successor to the MkIV Jetta. Both technically, as a FWD trasverse engine car, and in terms of the Lincoln Park Trixies that are going to be buying/leasing it.
I'm mixed on this one. First, the A3 isn't a GTI ... its suspension has better refinement and the US version is the "Stretch" (8PA) chassis which grows the boot by 33% (from 15 to 20 ft3) to make it practical without "SUV-excessive". Second, I'm glad that Audi is offering a smaller alternative to all of the bloat that's in the US market ... of course, it probably is far less altruistic/enthusiast-based than it is bluntly business due to the 2015 CAFE standards. Unfortunately, it will probably be rejected by the US marketplace because it will arguably have a "too cramped" because of our Obesity epidemic. BTW, on obesity, you may have noticed that vehicles have been getting wider ... across the mirrors, the 2012 Audi Q5 is a mere 2" narrower than a standard 7ft garage door - that's ONE INCH of clearance per side and thus only a matter of time until one slightly misgages one's own garage door; a whacked mirror is easily a $500 repair per event. Third, I'm peeved that yet another European "Hot Hatch" (or close enough) is removed from consideration for the US market. Those of us who are over 30 with an extra bucks in our pocket are looking for more refined alternatives to a Abarth'ed Fiat, or a Cooper Works'ed Mini, etc. So while the A3 might make for a nice compact sedan, the sacrifice of the hatch is a decisions that will force customers to the Asian manufacturers...particularly for those who loathe SUVs (even including the A4 AllRoad that's coming to the USA) and as gasoline prices continue to rise. -hh