Audi A3 hatch, Sportback and saloon (2012)

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Audi A3 hatch, Sportback and saloon (2012) sketches

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

15 April 2011 11:19

Audi has released a batch of official design sketches revealing the new 2012 Audi A3. This is our first glimpse of the new A3 hatch, A3 Sportback and A3 saloon. There will be another A3 cabriolet, but no renderings have been issued yet.

This is the planned roll-out of the new third-generation Audi A3 range, starting at the 2012 Geneva motor show:

• A3 three-door hatch, 2012
• A3 Sportback five-door hatch, 2012
• A3 saloon, 2013
• A3 cabrio, 2012
• A3 Allroad Quattro, date tbc

What else do we know about the new Audi A3?

The A3 hatch will be lower and sleeker than today's car. We'd heard that before we saw this OTT sketch, which is presumably designed to communicate its sportier brief. Internally Ingolstadt types have dubbed it the Shortback. An S3 performance version will be available while an RS3 has been worked upon although not yet approved.

The A3 Sportback will stick with its taller, roomier brief, whereas the saloon - called Slantback by insiders - is positioned more as a saloon/four-door coupe mash-up. The cabrio will be based on the notchback, not the hatch.