Audi makes key tech standard in new A3 Sportback

Audi promised to make its large touchscreen and digital dashboard standard in new A3 Sportback in Europe, giving the car a boost in its tense battle with the Mercedes-Benz A class and BMW 1 series.

Audi revealed the compact premium hatchback online on Tuesday in place of a physical unveil at the Geneva auto show after Swiss authorities last week prohibited large events from taking place to help stop the spread of the the coronavirus.The current A3 was Audi’s best-selling model in Europe last year with a volume of 123,591, putting it ahead of the A4 midsize premium car, according to JATO Dynamics.

The new A3 Sportback will come with a 10.1-inch touchscreen that delivers Audi’s Connect online services as well as satellite navigation and traditional media entertainment. Also standard is the virtual cockpit digital dashboard that connects to the central touchscreen to mirror satellite navigation maps. In the A4 the virtual cockpit costs 600 euros to add in Germany.

The new A3 Sportback goes on sale immediately with the choice of a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 2.0-liter diesel. Deliveries start in May. A mild-hybrid version of the 1.5-liter unit with engine deactivation will follow shortly after the launch, while a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with two power outputs will go on sale “a few months after launch,” Audi said when revealing the car. Further gasoline and diesel engines will also follow, Audi said.

The A3 Sportback will be joined by a new sedan model at a later date, Audi sales boss Hildegard Wortmann said during the car’s reveal. Also in the pipeline are performance S3 and RS3 models. Audi won’t make a three-door version of the car.

Technology in the car includes Car-to-X communication so the vehicle can share information with other vehicles and roadside infrastructure such as traffic lights, where the technology exists. Examples of its use would include alerting the driver to empty parking spaces or giving information on traffic light changes.

The car, which starts at 28,900 euros in Germany, includes the third generation of Audi’s modular infotainment platform called MIB 3. The platform has 10 times more computer power than the previous-generation model and is linked online via a faster version of 4G (also known as LTE) called LTE Advanced.

Owners can connect to the car using the myAudi app, which allows the transfer of navigation routes to the car, as well as streaming music and remotely unlocking the car. An Audi Connect key will be offered after the car’s launch to allow the driver to remotely start the car via an Android smartphone.

Phones can connect remotely to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in the dash screen through wireless charging. Amazon’s handsfree Alexa voice service will also be offered starting in mid-2020, allowing voice control of smart home devices, for example.

The design of the car has been given a more dynamic look through the inclusion of concave flanks on the vehicle side, Audi said. The wide Audi hexagonal grille is bordered by angular air intakes.

Models with less than 150 hp come with a less expensive torsion beam rear suspension while more powerful versions are given a more sophisticated multi-link setup at the rear.

The car comes with up to three radars as well as cameras and ultrasonic sensors to inform a range of active safety equipment. The collision avoidance assist function helps drivers steer around an obstacle using targeted braking of the wheels and applying steering torque. The car is also available with corrective steering if the car moves toward a lane marker without using the indicators. Adaptive cruise assist also adapts to local speed limits using information taken from local speed limit signs.