New Audi A3 goes on sale priced from £32,035

Audi’s new A3 has gone on sale in the UK with a variety of specifications and engines now available.

The new A3, which starts from £32,035, has gone through a ‘comprehensive update programme’, according to Audi, and returns in both Sportback and Saloon layouts.

Both will initially be available with a choice of two engines – a 1.5-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel – while a lower-powered petrol and a new plug-in hybrid will join the range later in the year.

The exterior has been renewed with a wider and slimmer grille while Audi’s new two-dimensional badge is now in place on the nose of the car. There’s also a new model-specific badge on the B-pillaR – something which was first debuted on the Q8 e-tron SUV.

Inside, there are new fabrics and redesigned air vents with wireless inductive charging is now included as standard. Audi has also introduced its ‘on demand’ services which allow customers to add extra features after they’ve taken delivery of the car. For example, adaptive cruise control and high beam assist can be ‘booked’ for periods ranging from one month to three years, or permanently.

All models get front seat heating and a 10-speaker sound system as standard – among other features – while sportier S line versions add in a flat-bottomed three-spoke steering wheel, ambient lighting and unique signatures for the daytime running lights. Top-spec Black Edition models, as the name suggests, gain a number of black accents.

Also available is the more powerful S3 variant, which will go on sale from May 15 with prices starting from £46,925. Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 328bhp, the S3 also gains sport suspension – lowered by 15mm compared with the standard A3 – with higher-spec Vorsprung cars gaining adaptive dampers.