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| 2013 Audi A3 Quattro |
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| 2013 Audi A3 Quattro |
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| 2013 Audi A3 Quattro |
“We do not want to shock our customers,” says Michael Dick, board member of development at Audi, in a veiled shot at Mercedes-Benz. “That’s why we decided to go for evolutionary design changes on our new Audi A3.”
MQB, simply expressed, consists of one fixed base component that stretches from the front axle to the pedal box and four additional, flexible modules. It is the latter bits that allow the platform to underpin cars of varying lengths. In terms of the A3, Audi saw the variability as an opportunity to build the three- and five-door models on different wheelbases, with the latter getting an additional 1.4 inches. (The two A3s are expected to differ in character, with the three-door being positioned as the sporty alternative to the more comfortable five-door.) The three-door A3, which we are riding in, measures 102.4 inches between the wheels, the same span you’ll find on three- and five-door Mark VII Golfs as well as the next-generation Audi TT. It’s almost an inch longer than on the previous-generation A3, and the stretch is applied in its entirety to the rear legroom.
MQB, simply expressed, consists of one fixed base component that stretches from the front axle to the pedal box and four additional, flexible modules. It is the latter bits that allow the platform to underpin cars of varying lengths. In terms of the A3, Audi saw the variability as an opportunity to build the three- and five-door models on different wheelbases, with the latter getting an additional 1.4 inches. (The two A3s are expected to differ in character, with the three-door being positioned as the sporty alternative to the more comfortable five-door.) The three-door A3, which we are riding in, measures 102.4 inches between the wheels, the same span you’ll find on three- and five-door Mark VII Golfs as well as the next-generation Audi TT. It’s almost an inch longer than on the previous-generation A3, and the stretch is applied in its entirety to the rear legroom.
As for the rest of its dimensions, the 2013 three-door A3 is 1.8 inches longer and a hair narrower than before. With a shorter overhang in front, it is 1.4 inches shorter overall than the next Golf. The two cars share a roofline, but the Audi’s styling is decidedly more macho. Audi incorporates more lightweight materials into its car—a luxury afforded by the A3’s higher price—including an aluminum front subframe and hood, items we’re told required a fight to implement. The new car’s body-in-white is claimed by Audi to be 176 pounds lighter than its predecessor’s.
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