We all know that Audis are very desirable cars.  They’ve been that way for years.  We’ve also seen A3s in the past and loved them.  However, the pace of technology marches on.  Things that were once found on only the most luxurious vehicles (e.g. rear parking sensors) are now found on the most run-of-the-mill makes and models.  So for Audi to keep its reputation for creating luxury vehicles that tempt everyone into breaking the Tenth Commandment (the one about not coveting anything that is thy neighbour’s), it’s going to have to come up with something pretty juicy and/or innovative.

With the 2014 release of the Audi A3 Sedan, the makers have certainly done their best to come up with the goods. Naturally, this executive sedan ticks all the boxes in the looks department, from the sleek, almost coupé-like lines of the roof to the cast aluminium wheels (17, 18 or 19 inches in a range of designs, depending on your chosen option), and from the chrome-trimmed exhaust at the rear to the famous four circles sitting proudly between some very assertive-looking front lights.  Body coloured wing mirrors and door handles complete the picture, with a palette of 14 sophisticated shades to choose from.

But it’s what inside that really counts when it comes to a luxury vehicle. Anybody can come up with pretty lines and colours.  Needless to say, the Audi A3 Sedan has plenty on offer.  You might not guess this at first glance, given that the petrol two engines available both have less than 2 litres of capacity.  Don’t let this fool you, though: these little numbers could probably give some big 4-litre V8s a run for their money thanks to Audi’s TFSI technology (if you don’t know what this is, it’s the turbocharger for these petrol engines). Both the 1.4 and the 1.8 engines have been designed to minimise fuel consumption as well as be super responsive. The 1.8-litre version has Audi’s high-precision Valvelift system and indirect injection. Indirect injection?  This is the designers’ way of increasing efficiency.  The 1.4, on the other hand, has the “intelligent cylinder on demand” system, which means that if you’re just cruising along, two of the cylinders will more or less go on standby… until you want to put the hammer down. While fuel economy is one of the main design goals in the Audi A3 Sedan (prime evidence of the idea that modern affluence demands less environmental impact from technology), these little engines are no slouches: the 1.4-litre petrol engine delivers 103 kW of torque at full power and the 1.8 delivers 132 kW, enabling it to get from a standstill to the ton in a mere 7.3 seconds (the 7-speed (regular drivetrain) or 6-speed (Quattro) S-tronic transmission system also has a lot to do with this).

For those who prefer to use diesel (and why not, given that this makes the use of biofuel easier?), the Audi A3 Sedan has something for you.  This little something is a 2.0-litre TDI common-rail direct injection powerplant that delivers 320 Nm of torque at 1750 rpm, a combined fuel economy figure of 4.5 L/100 km and a 0–100 km/h sprint time of 8.4 seconds. Thrifty, zesty and powerful – what’s not to like here?

Moving from inside the engine bay to the interior of the Audi A3 Sedan, there’s more to be seen.  Two lines of interior trim area available: the Attraction (1.4-litre petrol only) and the Ambition (the 1.8 TFSI and the 2.0 TDI); it’s probably no coincidence that they both begin with the letter A for Audi.  The Attraction is the “lower end” version, which still boasts leather seats, opulent silvertone metal inlays in the dash and door trim, the 17-inch wheels mentioned earlier, automatic dual-zone climate control and a multifunction steering wheel (with the paddle shifters for the S-tronic gearing system nice and handy: with seven gears for the regular petrol variants and six for the 1.8 quattro and the diesel, this is a real plus). The Ambition cranks it up a notch by adding sports seats, front fog lights, fancier wheels and a few other things, like throwing colour into the 5.8-inch driver display screen where the Attraction has monochrome.

However, there are some things you’ll find to enjoy in all the Audi A3 Sedan possibilities: light and rain sensors, Bluetooth preparation, cruise control, speed-sensitive steering and a comprehensive stability package including ABS, ADR and EDL.  The Technik option upgrade (my pick of the option packages available) throws in a 10-speaker sound system to replace the regular 8-speaker deal and the Navigation Plus package that includes a DVD player, a 200-GB hard disk drive and a bigger display screen (7.0-inches).

All in all, the Audi A3 Sedan is an excellent example of modern motoring excellence and opulence: a stylish sedan that performs like a dream while keeping emissions and fuel costs to a minimum.  Welcome to the new era of motoring!

Current model series include:

• Audi A3 Sedan 1.4 TFSI
• Audi A3 Sedan 1.8 TFSI
• Audi A3 Sedan 1.8 TFSI Quattro
• Audi A3 Sedan 2.0 TDI

For any more information on the Audi A3 Sedan, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Audi dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!