A new version of the A3 will be inspired by off-road driving.
Audi introduced the A1 Citycarver in July 2019 as an extension to its Allroad range of adventure-friendly vehicles. The hatchback is small and has off-road optics. It also has a slightly higher suspension. These spy photos show that the Germans may add another high-riding model in their lineup.
We will call it the A3 Allroad for now, although that name is still unknown. These shots depict a lifted A3 Camouflage was applied to the lower portion of the test car. It is expected that it will be placed between the A3 hatches and the Q3. Although it’s hard to see the hidden contents, we can see that there is some kind of plastic cladding around its wheel arches. The protective covering extends from the front bumper to the side skirts.
The back layout is almost identical to the A3 standard, but there’s not much visible. The charging port located on the left front fender suggests that this prototype is powered by a plug in hybrid powertrain. It also has roof rails, which is not standard equipment on the A3.
The suspension on the A1 Citycarver is 35mm higher than the A1 hatchback. This treatment could also be applied to A3’s. The mix could include model-specific wheels, and possibly an all-wheel drive system, but nothing is confirmed at this time.
We have not yet seen this new member of Audi’s A3 family. We expect the new A3 lifted to join the range in the second half of this year, given the RS3’s recent launch as the most powerful A3 model. This is an early prediction. Audi may have a different plan.