2014 A3 Saloon @ Manchester Audi. Pics inside

[The Engineer]

Popped into Manchester Audi on my way home from work today.

They happened to have this saloon in for the day, release date is late October according to the sales lady

enjoy...

apologies for the poor interior pic below.

 

[mjcourtney]

Damn that's growing on me!!

LED headlights too!

 

[SJW]

I like it!

 

[A4B8Sline]

Quite possibly my fiancés next car. I do like that a lot in the pictures above.

 

[wab172uk]

I'm really liking the Saloon. If the RS3 Saloon is out in a couple years, then I might just be tempted. R8 will need replacing then.

 

[sammi]

I really like the look of that

 

[RossR]

It does look nice from the side - kind of TT like. Doesn't fit my needs as well as the sportback though.

 

[h5djr]

Looks nice. May be the answer to my problem of the Sportback luggage area being smaller than my existing Sportback. On the Audi Germany website the 2.0TDI-150 version is only listed with a manual gearbox but looking at the model codes in ETKA there is a 2.0TDI-150 version listed with an s-tronic due to start production in September. No 184hp version listed as yet.

 

[lee_fr200]

I like that

 

[ukm120]

Didn't think I'd like it but I do.

 

[Mr-C]

NICE

 

[cemerson]

I seem to be the other way around to most - I don't like it as much as I thought I would.

 

[Daveotto]

That's my next next car sorted

 

[Snake Pliskin]

That looks ACE !!!!

 

[@udi A3]

My mrs is due a mobility car, and the A3 was an option audi offer, i like it, i hope she does!!

 

[A3sportbackMark]

Wow that looks great. Ahhhhhh I will just have to be satisfied with my Sportback delivery in sept (not jealous one bit... Grrrrrrr)

 

[jrgraville]

Any idea when they can be ordered from or the price? still has TBC on the website.

 

[VeeDubDan]

Nice, but I can't see me ever buying one as it lacks the practicality of a hatch or sportback.

Its the first time I've noticed the lip of the wheel arches is indented.

 

[markwiggy]

I like it, no use to me though as mountain bikes won't fit in the back.

Mark

 

[ChrisT]

I think the car looks great in isolation but on the roads it's just going to blend in with all the A4s out there.

 

[h5djr]

I have just phoned Audi Customer Services to see if they had any schedule for this car going to other dealers. Needless to say the chap did not have a clue what I was talking about!! I even had to explain that Audi were making a Saloon version of the A3 as he said they only did a 3-door and a Sportback.

He did say he would talk to marketing and see if he could find out anything and call me back.

 

[moonlight]

I'm liking it ....my niggle is that it's a smaller A4...(is it a poor mans A4!?).I know that there'll be folk who maybe think the A4 is too big and therefore this would suit....but imagine rolling up alongside an A4 at the lights...hmm.......the hatch..is a car with it's own identity...I still like it though!

 

[cemerson]

I have just phoned Audi Customer Services to see if they had any schedule for this car going to other dealers. Needless to say the chap did not have a clue what I was talking about!! I even had to explain that Audi were making a Saloon version of the A3 as he said they only did a 3-door and a Sportback.

He did say he would talk to marketing and see if he could find out anything and call me back.

It's amazing how little product knowledge rather a lot of people who work at Audi have, from all over the company. I had someone from their customer services tell me at the beginning of May that the Audi Connect system was 'not coming to the UK', despite numerous press releases and the fact that I was looking at the brochure. Unbelievable - dealer was the same as well, I definitely knew way more about the car I was ordering than him after only a bit of research on the internet - do they not train their people with this knowledge, or even tell their customer facing employees any new developments at the same time as their press releases go out?

 

[V00D00]

I told my dealership about the DAB radio, they had no idea, also I had to explain that I needed Audi connect to get the full functionality of the MMI system. They told me google maps etc came as standard on the tech pack. If I was a Audi sales rep, I would join this forum and become an expert. Lol

 

[Chris-Vspec]

Liking this also but needless to say once the roads are filled with them they won't continue to have that wow factor, an RS3 saloon however...

 

[cemerson]

I told my dealership about the DAB radio, they had no idea, also I had to explain that I needed Audi connect to get the full functionality of the MMI system. They told me google maps etc came as standard on the tech pack. If I was a Audi sales rep, I would join this forum and become an expert. Lol

You don't even need to do that - just read the configurator or something! Or even the owners manual...

 

[cemerson]

As for the car - it looks a bit 'boxy' to me from some angles.

 

[RossR]

I certainly knew more about the A3 than the salesman. However I think he may have known more about the rest of the range.

 

[h5djr]

It's amazing how little product knowledge rather a lot of people who work at Audi have, from all over the company. I had someone from their customer services tell me at the beginning of May that the Audi Connect system was 'not coming to the UK', despite numerous press releases and the fact that I was looking at the brochure. Unbelievable - dealer was the same as well, I definitely knew way more about the car I was ordering than him after only a bit of research on the internet - do they not train their people with this knowledge, or even tell their customer facing employees any new developments at the same time as their press releases go out?

The problem with Audi Customer Services are that they don't work for Audi at all but for an call centre who Audi employ to answer their customer services questions. Perhaps if Audi took the calls in-house the customer would get a better response.

Salesmen are different. They are employed by the dealer and should know about the product they are selling. Some do and some don't. In a lot of cases they are just salesmen and the product is almost irrelevant. The good ones tend to stand out from the crowd. The guy I deal with, and have done for the last 15 years, can answer almost any question I care to ask.

 

[cemerson]

I actually borrowed the owner's manual from my dealer's demo car and read it to gain knowledge about the options etc

 

[RossR]

Any idea when they can be ordered from or the price? still has TBC on the website.

The poster in the first photo says from £24275 OTR. It also implies only one engine in the form of the 1.4 COD.

 

[slade777]

I think its nice however in my personal opinion I prefer the Mercedes CLA if in AMG sport spec.

I do think the Audi will be better built and has a nicer interior but I love the exterior of the CLA

 

[h5djr]

The poster in the first photo says from £24275 OTR. It also implies only one engine in the form of the 1.4 COD.

On the Audi Germany website at A3 Limousine there are three engines listed. 1.4COD, 1.8TFSI with s-tronic and 2.0TDI. The 2.0TDI is only listed with a manual gearbox although the ETKA software lists a s-tonic version to go into production in September.

 

[Keifling]

gotta say, wish i could have waited to have this over my SB

 

[MiT]

sweet

 

[h5djr]

It looks like the A3 Saloon is doing the rounds of the dealers. I have just had an email from my dealer, Huntingdon Audi, to say that they will be having it on 24/25 July.

 

[Ackieboo]

Sweet, my SB arrives tomorrow, but would have gone for the saloon, but was not ready in time..
Still, not disappointed and cannot wait until tomorrow. 3years on Saloon looks like a sure bet !

 

[deci]

I think its nice however in my personal opinion I prefer the Mercedes CLA if in AMG sport spec.

I do think the Audi will be better built and has a nicer interior but I love the exterior of the CLA

Really? I think the Merc looks a bit too 'boy racer'. I think the A3 has a lot more class.

 

[siouxchief]

Slightly dated thread but I have some newbie questions if you dont mind, could anyone tell me what colour this A3 is in please, glacier or amalfi as I really like it?
Also I see someone mention the LED lights, in your expert opinions are they worth the extra money?
I also noticed on drivethedeal that the LED lights werent available to be added as an extra therefore making comparisons difficult, any ideas why?

Cheers

 

[First Ever Audi]

Fairly sure its Glacier White....