GO
GoAutoLogo
MENU

Make / Model Search

Audi - A3 - S3 Sportback 5-dr hatch

Latest articles for Audi A3

Audi A3 (A4 A3 Series I)

A4 A3 Series I

Make: Audi

Model: A3

Released: Jan 1970

Discontinued: Nov 2000

Audi logo1 May 1997

By THE GOAUTO TEAM

AUDI seized a golden opportunity with its A3. Erroneously billed as the first prestige small car (BMW’s 1995 E36 Compact disproves that falsehood), it was built on the fourth-generation front-wheel drive A4-series Golf platform, but shared no body components.

Mechanically they were identical though, with the A3 benefiting from sportier suspension tuning, exemplary quality control and increased refinement.

Initially it was a three-door only model, in 74kW/145Nm 1.6-litre single-cam and (superior) 92kW/173Nm 1.8 twin-cam 20-valve four-cylinder guises, tied to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox.

February ’98 saw the introduction of the 110kW/220Nm turbocharged version of the latter power plant in the rapid A3 1.8 Turbo, but that was overshadowed by December ‘99’s rorty 154kW/270Nm S3 1.8 three-door hatchback.

It came complete with Haldex part-time all-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual gearbox.

Meanwhile the five-door A3 usurped all three-doors (bar the S3) from October ’99, and proved more popular than ever.

Reviews

Latest reviews

Motor industry news

GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events.

Catch up on all of the latest industry news with this week's edition of GoAutoNews
Click here