On Wednesday, Audi started production of the new A3 sedan, a model that the carmaker expects to outsell the A3 hatchback and convertible variants. “We assume every second A3 customer will opt for the sedan in the future,” Audi spokesman Josef Schlossmacher said. The A3 sedan is mainly aimed at the U.S. and Chinese markets, where sedans are more popular than in Europe.
Audi has invested more than 900 million euros ($1.2 billion) to expand the Gyor factory, which is one of the world’s largest engine manufacturing facilities. The plant also builds the TT sports car and the A3 convertible. The A3 Sedan will more than triple the site’s annual car production to 125,000 vehicles.
The Audi A3 Sedan will arrive in European showrooms in the third quarter of this year with a starting price of €24,300 ($32,275) in Germany. Sales in the U.S. will begin early next year, while China sales will start at the end of this year. The A3 Sedan will also be manufactured in China at the newly-built Foshan plant for the domestic market.
Audi has created 2,100 additional jobs in Hungary because of the plant expansion, with the carmaker’s workforce in the country growing to more than 9,000 employees.
The Audi A3 Sedan will initially be available with three engines, one TDI and two TFSI units, with power outputs between 140 PS (138 hp) and 180 PS (177 hp). The top-of-the-line version is the the Audi S3 Sedan with 300 PS (296 hp).
By Dan Mihalascu
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