September 30^th, 1999                                 

A3 sprouts two more doors

Discerning compact car buyers now have two more reasons to put the award-winning Audi A3 at the top of the shopping list with the launch this week of the new five-door A3.

The extra reasons are two more doors. Already hailed for its class-leading design, dynamic performance and high quality fit and finish, the trend setting Audi A3 now offers the practicality and versatility of five doors.

This will significantly broaden its appeal to buyers who previously haven’t considered the compact Audi. (We'd love to show you what it looks like, but photos have not yet arrived - Ed)

The stylish five-door Audi A3 now offers the perfect compromise and will win over a new breed of customers thanks to its day-to-day practicality and sporting appeal, while at the same time continuing to satisfy the demands of premium quality, design-conscious shoppers.

The dimensions of the five-door model are identical to the three-door A3.

The additional space required was achieved by shortening the doors of the original by 181 mm to 1,073 mm long. The rear doors are a handy 917 mm, making manoeuvering out of the vehicle in tight parking spaces even easier.

The three-door A3 has been spectacularly popular in it’s own right with well over 300,000 units manufactured and sold since its international launch in 1996, according to the managing director of Audi in Australia, Matthias Seidl.

"The five-door A3 will significantly boost those figures and will create a host of new marketing opportunities for Audi in Australia as the company continues its expansion into all market segments," Mr Seidl said.

Around 200 five-door A3 models are expected to be sold by the end of the 1999 calendar year. In 2000, Audi in Australia projects sales of around 800 vehicles.

"The sporty design of the A3 and increased versatility and practicality afforded by the two additional doors makes it the ideal vehicle to draw buyers into the Audi family," Mr Seidl said.

"Where the original A3 variant experienced a natural limit to sales volumes because it had only three doors, the addition of two extra doors to this model increases its practicality nicely and means that it is more attractive to a larger number of potential customers.

"This five-door compact car actually creates new marketing opportunities for Audi, attracting young professional customers who would previously not have considered the A3 because of its status as a three-door, but may not have been able to afford an A4.

"This is also a vehicle that will be popular as a practical, well-priced, prestige second car for families, as it offers the best of both worlds – a convenient, sporty hatch designed by a premium European manufacturer," he added.

The five-door Audi A3 with a 1.6-litre, 74kW engine is priced at just $400 more than its three-door equivalent and the five-valve 1.8-litre model developing 92kW is priced at just $900 extra.

Additionally, a 1.8-litre Turbo variant is available with 110kW of power, priced just $1,550 extra at $47,950.

Both naturally-aspirated engine variants are available with manual and automatic transmissions. The turbocharged 1.8-litre variant is available only as a five-speed manual.

As expected for all Audi vehicles, standard equipment on the practical new five-door A3 is high and includes electric rear windows with a one-touch opening function, an asymmetrically split rear seat and a height-adjustable front passenger seat.

Active reflectors and entry lights at all doors are welcome additions to an already well-equipped vehicle, along with a new interior lighting package including two central lights at front and rear, each combined with two reading lights.

Two full-size airbags, two side airbags integrated into the front seat backs, five head restraints and pyrotechnic tensioners for all lap-and-shoulder seat belts are of course standard on the Audi A3. Well thought-out ergonomics and discreet luxury are characteristic features.

Another specification upgrade that sees almost the entire Audi model range equipped with multi-stack CD players, the five-door A3 also gains a six-stack CD changer as standard on 1.6 and 1.8-litre models. This feature is already standard on the 1.8T variant.

To enhance Audi’s reputation as a manufacturer of stylish and performance-driven vehicles, new generation, low-profile, sporty 15" alloy wheels have been designed for the 1.6 and 1.8-litre models, and 16" alloys are now standard on the Turbo variant.

As with all of Audi’s models, the A3 features a finely tuned suspension with McPherson struts at the front and a torsion-crank rear axle incorporating separately mounted springs and shock absorbers. This suspension set-up offers a comfortingly safe ride and a high level of enjoyment. Space-saving construction maximises the large load area.

From electric windows and door mirrors to CD changer, central locking and anti-lock braking with electronic brake force distribution, the A3 has a host of features to make driving a pleasure and enhance safety.

Naturally, every Audi A3 can be customised for individual requirements. A compact city car from Audi never compromises on quality or choice.