(November 29, 2013) Audi of America has announced plans for the arrival of an entirely new family of premium compact cars, including three body styles, five new unique engines and seven variants. The all-new Audi A3 lineup begins with the A3 sedan, which goes on sale in the spring of 2014.

The A3 sedan plays a pivotal role in the soon to be expanding Audi A3 family and will be priced from $29,900. It will be joined later in the fall of 2014 by the Audi A3 Cabriolet, A3 TDI clean diesel sedan, the high-performance S3 sedan and in early 2015, the A3 Sportback e-tron gasoline electric plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

“We aren’t just bringing one new car to market, we’re launching an entire new family of cars that will add to our momentum in the U.S. marketplace,” said Scott Keogh, president, Audi of America. “This A3 line-up redefines the standards of the entry premium market in terms of technology, craftsmanship and performance."

The A3 sedan will bring to the entry premium market new innovative technologies and the detailed craftsmanship found in larger flagship Audi sedans.

The A3 family will offer all-new versatile powertrains for a wide variety of entry-luxury customer tastes including a 1.8 TFSI, 2.0 TFSI, 2.0 TDI clean diesel, 1.4 TFSI PHEV and a high-output 2.0 TFSI in the S3. These vehicles will come standard with many premium features, even the base model of the all-new Audi A3 will come equipped with standard features that include xenon plus front lighting with Audi signature LED DRLs and taillights, Bluetooth technology, leather seating surfaces, Audi pre sense basic and a panoramic glass sunroof.

Audi of America also confirmed today that it will be adding to the all-new A3 family by offering the A3 Sportback with a gasoline electric plug-in hybrid model for the first time in the U.S. market. Audi first revealed the A3 Sportback e-tron at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. This vehicle demonstrates the production intent of e-tron using parallel plug-in hybrid technology, a practical first step towards electrified driving which helps mitigate the range anxiety concerns associated with most full battery electric vehicles.

The Audi A family breaks the boundaries and raises the bar as to what is expected out of entry-level luxury vehicles. The A3 marks the first time that an A-segment vehicle will offer MMI technology, Audi drive select, 4G LTE connectivity and Bang & Olufsen audio.

The A3 model line will offer impressive power and groundbreaking efficiency with five different engine variants including the 170 horsepower 1.8 TFSI, 220 horsepower 2.0 TFSI, 150 horsepower 2.0 TDI clean diesel, and an impressive 290 horsepower in the 2.0 TFSI powered S3. The 1.4 TFSI gasoline engine powering the parallel hybrid A3 sportback e-tron features a combined output of 201 horsepower and 258 lb ft of torque when the 100 horsepower e-motor is also engaged.

All engines are mated to the standard 6-speed S tronic transmission which provides the driver immense shifting flexibility and driving pleasure with smooth, dynamic acceleration and virtually no interruption to the power flow.

The A3 line-up for the first time will now come with an available Audi drive select system. Audi drive select allows the driver to adjust throttle response, shift points, and the electromechanical steering effort. Similar to other Audi models, Audi drive select has four settings that include Auto, Dynamic, Comfort and Individual.