Audi A3 saloon goes hybrid

By Paul Bond

April 2011

It’s Shanghai’s first shock! Audi has revealed one of the first surprises of the Chinese Motor Show, an e-tron version of its A3 saloon concept.

Based on the car that wowed crowds at Geneva in March, the German firm’s engineers have replaced the storming five-cylinder 2.5-litre turbo from the RS3 with a hybrid powertrain which pairs a 208bhp 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engine with a 27bhp electric motor for a combined output of 235bhp. Power reaches the wheels through Audi’s seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic gearbox.

The electric motor is powered by a set of lithium-ion batteries placed behind the rear seats, and offer a zero-emissions driving range of up to 34 miles. The A3 sedan can recharge them in two ways – using its brakes to recover energy on the move, or from a standard household plug when parked up.

Despite the fuel-saving technology on board, performance is impressive – with the petrol engine and electric motor working in tandem, the A3 e-tron is capable of completing the benchmark 0-62mph sprint in 6.8 seconds and goes on to a 144 mph. However the batteries do add an extra 180kg to the overall kerbweight.

Although the main changes are under the bonnet, Audi also made some minor styling adjustments to the A3 concept, namely the e-tron-specific front grille and alloy wheels on the outside, and a fresh white interior trim.

There's no official word yet on whether Audi will add a production hybrid model to the refreshed A3 range, but with a hybrid A6 soon to be released, company sources are hinting that it's a strong possibility.