What is it?
It's the new Audi A3, a car has been a long time coming - the current model feeling long in the tooth for much of its recent life. A challenger for cars as diverse as the Volkswagen Golf and the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the A3 is set to capture the hearts of family and prestige buyers alike.
Why's it here?
It's no halo car, but the A3 is a huge part of Audi's impressive sales volume, and probably the most financially important car in its arsenal. The hatchback will be on our roads in September, launched with one diesel and two turbocharged petrol engines ranging from 122- to 180hp. A 1.4 TSI unit with cylinder shutdown arrives later - as do the four-wheel drive quattro models - and all engines are more efficient than before. That's partly thanks to Audi's continued use of aluminium, the A3 being around 80kg lighter than its predecessor. It's no longer than the old car either, though the cabin is larger thanks to extra width and a lengthier wheelbase. And just like the original TT did, the new A3 boasts a cabin that is truly game changing in terms of design and quality, boasting a minimalism so far only seen in concept models.
Show stopper or floor filler?
To glance at it's certainly a floor filler, but in reality it's much more important than that. Spend some time with it and you'll realise that, while its design is no headline grabber, what lies underneath makes it much a more interesting proposition.