(August 11, 2016) Audi of America’s refreshed A3 model line continues on its path of offering a strong entry to the Audi premium lineup for 2017. With a redesigned exterior, expanded suite of driver assistance systems and increased technology offerings, the updated A3 family of vehicles offer the performance of an Audi in a fun-to-drive, compact package.

The A3 family includes the A3 Sedan, A3 Cabriolet, A3 Sportback e-tron and the high-performance S3 Sedan.

New for 2017, the refreshed A3 Sedan, Cabriolet and S3 models now feature more advanced driver assistance systems including standard Audi pre sense front, and available features such as rear cross traffic assist, Audi virtual cockpit, MMI touch and smart phone integration. Together with improvements in exterior and interior design, the A3 family vehicles continue to raise the bar in the premium entry segment.



The A3 Sedan and Cabriolet models continue to come equipped with a 2.0 TFSI quattro all-wheel drive turbocharged four-cylinder engine with six-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. Additionally, the model line offers a host of standard premium features such as leather seating surfaces, power sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, xenon plus front lighting with LED daytime running headlights and LED taillights.

The A3 sedan and Cabriolet models continue to come equipped with a 2.0 TFS turbocharged four-cylinder engine with six-speed S tronic® dual-clutch automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive, producing 220 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque.

The S3 sedan continues with the powerful 2.0 TFSI engine with quattro all-wheel drive producing an impressive 292 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque and achieving a speed of 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds. The S3 also offers an available Audi magnetic ride sport suspension, which can be adjusted using the Audi drive select system.

New for 2017 is a redesigned exterior that includes a new headlight design and updated design cues such as an all-new front fascia with a wider Singleframe grille, making the A3 appear even sportier and more aggressive on the road.



The A3 Cabriolet offers the excellent everyday driving characteristics of the Sedan, with the pleasure of open-top enjoyment. New for 2017, the Cabriolet includes exterior enhancements such as a new rear bumper and diffuser insert with standard S-line exterior appearance on Premium Plus and Prestige models and interior improvements such as standard six-way power front seats with four-way power lumbar support. The acoustic folding roof can be opened or closed in approximately 18 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph.

The S3 Sedan expands upon the already sporty character of the A3 with additional S model details that underscore the high-performance qualities for which Audi S models are known. Delivering greater performance for everyday use, available Audi magnetic ride sport suspension, available 19” 5-V spoke summer performance tires and a unique S-model exterior kit round out the aggressive position of this sporty model.

Technology

New benchmark technologies in the A3, including the Audi virtual cockpit, smartphone integration and the retractable MMI screen, make it easier to enjoy the driving experience and add to the driver-centric experience.

Technology features include:

    • Available Audi virtual cockpit features a large, 12.3-inch display that can deliver vibrant color at 60 frames per second with NVIDIA quad core processing power. The virtual cockpit helps to enhance the infotainment viewing and navigating experience via the large Google Map images supported with 4G LTE (where available).

    • Available updated MMI touch with handwriting-recognition technology includes a simplified function-key layout with two touch-keys for horizontal menu control logic.

    • Audi smartphone interface (available on Premium, standard on Premium Plus and Prestige models) provides Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto integration via USB connection, making smartphone interactions easier and more seamless for the driver.

    • The available 14 speaker, 705 watt Bang & Olufsen Sound System creates almost true-to-life surround sound reproduction and visually captivates with illuminated woofers in the front doors. (13 speaker, 625 watts on Cabriolet models)

Driver assistance

The A3 model line now incorporates many driver assistance features that are designed to help drivers navigate the road and traffic with confidence.

Driver assistance features:

    • Standard rear view camera assists drivers when reversing or backing into tight parking situations.

    • Parking system plus (standard on Premium Plus and Prestige models) helps make parking easier with front and rear acoustic parking sensors, when the vehicle is in both reverse and drive, under 6 mph. With parking system plus, the driver’s path is virtually shown on the MMI display to provide an overview of the parking situation around the vehicle, including distance markers for obstacles that are in close proximity.

    • High beam assistant (standard on Prestige) automatically switches between high and low beam to produce the right light for a specific situation and help increase visibility for the driver. The high-beam can also be switched off when approaching vehicles are detected.

    • Audi active lane assist (standard on Prestige) observes lane markings and can provide gentle steering wheel warning vibrations if it is determined that the vehicle is approaching the edge of the lane without signaling at speeds above 40 mph.

    • Standard Audi pre sense front is a radar-based system which provides forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking through visual and acoustic alerts, prepping the brake system for a quicker response, and if necessary, can initiate partial braking.

    •  In the case of an impending collision, standard Audi pre sense basic can prepare the vehicle for impact. This process includes beginning to close the side windows and panoramic sunroof, and pretensioning the front safety belts.

    • Adaptive cruise control with stop & go (standard on Prestige) helps maintain a set distance from the vehicle in front, including braking and accelerating as needed.

    • Audi side assist (available on Premium Plus and standard with Prestige trim) provides blind spot monitoring via LED indicators on the exterior mirror housings at speeds above 9 mph.

    • Rear cross traffic assist (as part of Audi side assist) supports the driver when reversing out of a perpendicular parking space. Indicator arrows in the MMI display can inform the driver of approaching vehicles, and in critical situations, a warning tone and brake jolt can be applied, prompting the driver to stop the vehicle.