Scott Keogh, North American president for Audi, says the automaker has tossed out the old philosophy of debuting all the hot tech on the most expensive cars, then trickling it down to the entry models. Instead, the A3, the most affordable car Audi will sell in the U.S. (expect an MSRP starting in the low $30,000s), is getting the hot tech first.
The next-gen A3 will get options like MMI, Audi's in-car, screen-based control system with the first-ever implementation of a touch-pad incorporated into its latest-edition mouse-like controller. This lets you "draw" characters on it while driving, keeping one hand on the wheel and enabling commands more quickly.
A flashier addition is the 7-inch ultra-thin display that emerges from a slot in the dash. Audi says it's thinner than any other automotive application in the industry, at 0.43 inches.
While other Audis already have 4G/LTE technology allowing Wi-Fi connectivity of up to eight devices, Audi says the A3's system is robust enough to stream high-definition videos and make video conference calls. Along with Google Earth navigation, which Audi rolled out on some models this past year, there's a new function on the A3 called Picture Navigation. Grab a shot of your destination online and upload it into the system as a screen grab or .jpg and it's stored as one of your navigation files. This allows you to create a photo portfolio of frequent or new destinations and tab through the menu more intuitively.
When the A3 launches this coming winter options will include the A3 sedan, an S3 with standard quattro, and a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) in the Sportback body. Audi calls its PHEVs e-tron, and the version shown at the Geneva show earlier this year had a combined powertrain equivalent of 204 hp and 258 lb-ft. of torque. Audi's mum on what production numbers for the hybrid, but says gas engine cars will come with either a 1.8-liter making 170 hp or a 2.0-liter engine of unannounced output, and, unofficially, the S3 is likely to scrape 300 hp.
One thing Americans won't get: A manual gearbox option. All A3s will be six-speed S-tronic automatics.
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