Audi has extended the availability of its automatic start-stop system to A3 models equipped with the S-tronic gearbox. The system is combined with recuperation technology, which charges the battery when the car is slowing down.
The 1.4-litre TFSI petrol and 1.6-litre TDI engines are offered with the fuel-saving technology, combined with the twin-clutch transmission. When the car comes to a standstill the engine is switched off and remains off as long as the brake pedal is applied. Release the brakes and the engine starts within 0.2 seconds.
Recuperation works by converting kinetic energy that would normally be turned into heat by the brakes into electricity that can be stored in the battery. Together with the start-stop system the fuel consumption for the petrol engine goes from 49.6 to 53.3mpg on the combined cycle; the diesel returns 67.3mpg. Emissions figures for the two engines are 124g/km and 109g/km for TFSI and TDI respectively. For the 1.4 there is no loss of performance compared with the existing S-tronic model whilst Audi claims that the 1.6 TDI matches the performance of the manual version with 0-62mph taking 11.7 seconds and a top speed of 121mph.
Prices for the new models start at £18,300 with the TDI costing an extra £605.
John Lambert - 20 Oct 2009