Photo: CarPix
Exactly two and a half years after production at the Ingolstadt factory in Germany kicked for the fourth-generation A3, Audi started working on its mid-cycle refresh. The first one to break spy cover was the Sedan, followed shortly by the Sportback, and during this time, the S3 made its scoop debut too.
As for the latest set of spies, they show the 2024 Audi A3 Sedan being tested in the cold on the right side of the Atlantic Ocean. The prototype is still heavily disguised, which indirectly tells us that it will be a while until it will be ready for the grand unveiling. That might happen before the end of 2023 or early next year, with the United States getting their four-door A3, S3, and RS 3 as 2024 models in all likelihood.
One of the biggest changes, as far as the styling is concerned, is the minimized grille. Either that, or the upcoming A3 was not too fond of the cold. The horizontal slat behind the front license plate holder was very pronounced, though that may or may not be the camouflage doing its thing. The side intakes in the new bumper are taller, and the LED headlamps, with incorporated DRLs, sport different graphics.
Don’t mind the stickers applied to the front and rear quarter panels, lower parts of the doors, and side skirts, because they are there to further trick the eye. If anything, the fenders will be adjusted to fit the new design, but they will remain the same. Partially wrapped in camo, the taillights have new graphics too. Further down, there is a new bumper, with repositioned reflectors that have a vertical styling instead of the horizontal one of the current A3 Sedan, and the diffuser piece looks a lot cleaner. The integrated ducktail spoiler lives on, and so does the tiny antenna above the rear windscreen.
It will be business as usual on the inside, with the Lamborghini-inspired air vents on the driver’s side, flanking the instrument cluster, being retained. If anything, it might sport fresh graphics for the two screens. There is nothing indicating an updated center console or a new steering wheel, and perhaps revised switchgear, but we wouldn’t act surprised if they happen.
Don’t look for any major upgrades in the powertrain department either, as it will likely soldier on with the same units, although some might be tweaked. The normal A3 Sedan and the Sportback overseas will be topped by the S3, and dwarfing them all in terms of performance, and pricing, for that matter, will still be the RS 3. The Mercedes-AMG A 45 rival when it comes to the hatchback, and the challenger to the likes of the CLA 45 and the new BMW M2 Coupe when it comes to the four-door will likely premiere at a later date.
One of the biggest changes, as far as the styling is concerned, is the minimized grille. Either that, or the upcoming A3 was not too fond of the cold. The horizontal slat behind the front license plate holder was very pronounced, though that may or may not be the camouflage doing its thing. The side intakes in the new bumper are taller, and the LED headlamps, with incorporated DRLs, sport different graphics.
Don’t mind the stickers applied to the front and rear quarter panels, lower parts of the doors, and side skirts, because they are there to further trick the eye. If anything, the fenders will be adjusted to fit the new design, but they will remain the same. Partially wrapped in camo, the taillights have new graphics too. Further down, there is a new bumper, with repositioned reflectors that have a vertical styling instead of the horizontal one of the current A3 Sedan, and the diffuser piece looks a lot cleaner. The integrated ducktail spoiler lives on, and so does the tiny antenna above the rear windscreen.
It will be business as usual on the inside, with the Lamborghini-inspired air vents on the driver’s side, flanking the instrument cluster, being retained. If anything, it might sport fresh graphics for the two screens. There is nothing indicating an updated center console or a new steering wheel, and perhaps revised switchgear, but we wouldn’t act surprised if they happen.
Don’t look for any major upgrades in the powertrain department either, as it will likely soldier on with the same units, although some might be tweaked. The normal A3 Sedan and the Sportback overseas will be topped by the S3, and dwarfing them all in terms of performance, and pricing, for that matter, will still be the RS 3. The Mercedes-AMG A 45 rival when it comes to the hatchback, and the challenger to the likes of the CLA 45 and the new BMW M2 Coupe when it comes to the four-door will likely premiere at a later date.
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