The new Audi A3 Sportback will be launched in Australia later this month, cementing the brand’s reputation as the manufacturer of the highest quality, compact luxury vehicles which combine sporty performance with versatility for active, aspiring drivers.

A brand new concept for the German luxury carmaker, the A3 Sportback is characterised by the sporting elegance of a coupé and the flexibility of a five-door vehicle. At the same time, the A3 Sportback bristles with sophisticated technology and well-defined driving dynamics.

With four and six-cylinder engines developing up to 184 kW, front-wheel and quattro permanent four-wheel drive and the revolutionary DSG transmission, the engine, drivetrain and chassis combinations live up to the expectations raised by the sporty exterior of this five-door vehicle – driving pleasure in a new guise.

Audi Australia’s Managing Director, Mr Joerg Hofmann, says the new A3 Sportback will be an ideal addition to the Audi product range thanks to its generous proportions and use of advanced technology.

“Audi has carved a real niche in this compact luxury segment, thanks to the original, very successful Audi A3. Without question the brand was the clear market leader. This latest generation, with its coupe-like design and the dominant single frame grille, have such a strong road presence that the car appears much larger than it is, yet for a compact car offers enormous versatility and flexibility,” Mr Hofmann said.

“This vehicle is really ideal for Australia by virtue of its focus on lifestyle. It is a car that has been designed with active people in mind and this is clearly demonstrated by the car’s versatile design including its large load-carrying area, ideal for sporting equipment or luggage for touring to name a few. The sporty engines and transmissions also point towards drivers who like strong performance and dynamism in their lives.

“So clever is this concept that we expect the new A3 Sportback to be one of the most important models for the brand in growing sales in Australia this year,” he added.

Audi’s new 2.0T FSI engine makes its world premiere in the A3 Sportback. This extremely dynamic representative of the FSI engine family boasts a four-cylinder unit with turbocharger, delivering 147 kW. Maximum torque of 280 Nm is available across a wide speed range from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. As a result, the A3 2.0T FSI, with 6-speed DSG transmission, sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds.

In Australia, the range, priced from $36,800, also includes an economical 1.6-litre, 6-speed tiptronic version, a sporty 2.0 FSI with a choice of 6-speed manual or tiptronic transmissions, a potent 2.0 TDI with DSG, plus a range-topping 3.2 quattro V6, also with a sporting DSG transmission.

The Audi A3 Sportback deliberately carves its own niche in the compact class. It offers the emphatically sporty qualities and the athletic styling of the three-door A3 with which it shares its drivetrain, and dynamic suspension. At the same time – as well as the addition of two rear doors – it offers even more - a new concept of space and flexibility thanks to its tail end which is 68 millimetres longer than its three-door counterpart and a wheelbase that has been lengthened by 83 millimetres.

The A3 Sportback is immediately recognisable at first glance, proudly featuring Audi’s striking single-frame radiator grille which is now the distinctive mark of new vehicles of the latest Audi generation. The marked tapering of the sides and the dynamic shape of the clear-glass headlights give the face of the car an extremely self-confident and forceful character for which Audi is known.

The silhouette of the vehicle, when viewed from the side, becomes flatter towards the rear of the car in typical coupé fashion. The gently sloping roof line incorporates the longer tail end (+ 68 mm), harmoniously into the powerful overall proportions of the car as it sits low on the road. The optional roof rails also emphasise the coupé-like silhouette of the A3 Sportback.

The visual centre of gravity of the A3 Sportback is found at its powerful rear end, creating the impression that the entire car is about to leap forward. With its economical use of lines and graphically-divided surfaces, the rear-end styling is as discreet as it is impressive.

Visible tailpipes, extending out of the single or double-chamber exhaust system – depending on engine version – are another indication of the car’s dynamism. The rear lights sit high up at the back of the car to accentuate the trapezoidal design of the rear end, particularly at night, giving the new Audi A3 Sportback its powerful appearance from behind.

Powerfully contoured, the round wheel arches appear to be resting on the foundations of the sill area which is separated from the dynamic line.

Large 17-inch alloy wheels underline the impression of masculine athleticism and make the dynamic potential of the new Audi A3 Sportback clearly visible even whilst stationary.

A large glass sunroof known as “open sky” has been developed specifically for the Sportback, giving occupants a clear view of the sky and can be opened wide if required.

There is 370 litres of luggage space (1,120 litres with the rear seat back folded down) available for transporting all kinds of sports and leisure equipment and anything else the A3 Sportback driver might need. Two golf bags can even be stowed sideways in the luggage compartment. The asymmetrically-folding rear seat, a standard feature, and the optional luggage compartment and storage package, provides plentiful scope for using this space exactly to suit the personal requirements of every driver.

With expected sales in 2005 of around 700 units, the A3 Sportback will appeal predominantly to performance-oriented, active people aged between 25 to 39 years. Around 60 percent will be male and 40 percent female buyers.