Golf no rival for A3 says Audi

Audi says BMW and Mercedes-Benz will provide the main competition for the third-generation A3 Sportback compact premium hatchback and not its cheaper technological twin, the Volkswagen Golf Mk7.

The five-door Sportback will launch around next May with pricing possibly sneaking under $40,000. The Golf, which shares the same new MQB platform and several drivetrain options, will launch mid-year with pricing sure to start many thousands of dollars cheaper.

Early media reports about the new Golf have raved about an appreciable lift in perceived quality compared to its highly regarded predecessor, which was clearly the leader in this area in the mainstream small car class.

But Audi Australian spokesman Shaun Cleary insisted to motoring.com.au at the international launch of the A3 Sportback in France overnight that the Golf would not be considered a rival for the A3 despite impinging on its premium territory.

“Audi doesn’t compete with Volkswagen any more than we would compete with Mazda or Toyota or any volume brands,” Mr Cleary said.

The MQB platform has been developed to underpin a plethora of transverse front and all-wheel drive cars across the Volkswagen Group, including the VW brand, Audi, Skoda and Seat.

Mr Cleary said the sharing of core technologies with VW provided advantages for Audi.

“Obviously there is a use of group synergies, but it is advantageous for us because it allows us to invest in other technologies that you see are coming. These are features that debuted in the A8 not very long ago, so the fact they are filtering down to a car like the A3 is a sign that strategy does have its benefits.

“This (A3) is the first Audi on the MQB platform, and you can see in details like the fact the weight is reduced by 90kg it is a sure sign that it’s a new way of developing for Audi. You can see the Sportback versus the three-door A3 there is a much bigger difference in wheelbase because of the flexibility the platform allows.”

The new A3 will initially arrive in Australia offering three front-wheel drive powertrains – 1.4 and 1.8-litre TFSI direct-injection turbo-petrol and 2.0-litre TDI direct-injection turbo-diesel. All will come with S tronic dual-clutch gearboxes and some with manual options.

The A3 first went on sale in Australia as a three-door in 1997, with the first five-door arriving in 1999. The second generation three-door launched here in 2004 and the five-door (dubbed Sportback for the first time) in 2005. The third-generation three-door will not be sold in Australia.

“Just looking at the demand in this segment in Australia, our customers prefer the versatility of the five-door body shape in this size,” Mr Cleary explained. “There is an option we haven’t had before for customers who particularly want a small three-door hatch in the A1.”

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