The 2020 Geneva Motor Show is still six months away
from opening its gates, yet reports about possible debuts have already started. One of the rumored premieres for
the Swiss automotive event is the fourth-generation Audi A3, according to
AutomobileMagazine, who believes that it will debut in the five-door hatchback
body style, followed by the four-door sedan. A possible five-door liftback
four-door coupe that will go against the Mercedes-Benz CLA and BMW 2-Series
Gran Coupe could also be in the works.
The three-door hatchback and two-door convertible
will reportedly be phased off later on and not be replaced, while the lineup
could be completed by a jacked up variant. The so-called ‘Cityhopper’ will come
with front-wheel drive, plastic cladding on the lower parts of the body and
increased ground clearance.
Beneath the evolutionary design lies an updated
version of the MQB modular platform, shared with the Volkswagen Golf Mk8 that
will be unveiled next month. The versatile architecture allows the implementation of the usual
petrol and diesel engines, as well as mild hybrids and electrified powertrains.
A plug-in hybrid is believed to be on the cards, but don’t look for a
battery-electric, as Audi will use the VW Group’s MEB platform for such a car,
tipped to arrive in 2021 under the E-Tron sub-brand.
While the exterior design will allow it to fly under
the radar for the untrained eye, the cabin will be massively overhauled with
the addition of a new dashboard, trims and colors, as well as the latest
infotainment system and digital instrument cluster. Digital controls for the
HVAC system could be in the pipeline as well, although at this segment and
price range the additional touchscreen display doesn’t seem likely, at least
for regular variants.
