Audi

Audi’s A3 sedan shows off in Geneva

by George Lupica
March 1, 2011
4 Comments
1 minute read
321 Views
13 years ago

0 Shares

I’m a bit sympathetic for Audi, they are clearly trying to escape the realm of the boring business buyer’s market and yet they have to make cars that do awfully well in this segment.

No matter the reason, the Ingolstadt based Germans are coming up with designs that struggle somewhere between the lines of interesting and dull and the latest A3 sedan is no exception.

The Audi A3 is only a concept for now and that’s one of the reasons why it’s their star at the Geneva Motor Show of 2011.

I opened by talking about Audi’s struggling design ideology because the profile seems to be about as business like as they come on the Audi A4 whereas the front and rear does grab a bit of that A3 youthfulness.

Under the bonnet of this concept there is an actual engine and it seems to be quite the gem. It’s a five cylinder FSI unit that uses a turbo for proper forced feeding.

While we don’t even know the actual size of the engine, it does develop a very interesting 408 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque.

Once you get past the thrilling part of the performance you also receive the boringness of Audi’s Quattro four wheel drive and an estimated fuel consumption figure of 25.85 U.S. miles per gallon.

0 Shares

Tags:

2011 A3 Audi A3 Audi A3 Sedan boring business five cylinder engine fsi Geneva Geneva Motor Show Ingolstadt performance sedan turbo

4 Comments

marlon August 4, 2011

There is nothing boring about this car if audi could deliver a tdiquattro+manual in the us.
Lupica G. August 5, 2011

Actually, it kind of is boring. It’s a very good car but it doesn’t feel in any way special when behind the wheel.

It does everything “you need”, it starts every time and it’s a pretty good investment but as far as driving it is concerned, it’s similar to playing a simulator instead of actually being there.
Kwame March 9, 2012

Who writes this stuff? Audi currently has design of the year with the A7 and previous design of the year in the A5. Also motortrend 10 best in the A6/A7. Boring quattro? lets go talk to Le Mans racers and find out how boring that quattro is. oh Sorry they’re too busy winning races with that boring quattro.
Lupica G. March 13, 2012

Kwame,

I know how many magazines praise the design, but that’s got nothing to do with Quattro four wheel drive.

Even so, I still don’t care much for the A7 and think it’s largely overrated.

Quattro is boring. Point blank. Le Mans? Please look it up. The four wheel drive R18 TDI has nothing to do with Quattro, the front wheels are powered by an electric motor.

All versions of the R8 that have raced and won races were RWD only.

The fact of the matter is this, it’s reliable, works well, smooth but, ultimately, boring.

Don’t five me magazine stuff, drive a 5 Series, a GS, an E Class and an A6 all with similar engines and then come back and say how much of a winner it is without mentioning boring stuff like fuel economy.