"While the A3 Sportback has traditionally been the high achiever of the A3 family in the UK, the A3 Saloon has also been quietly carving out a very respectable niche for itself," according to Director of Audi UK Andrew Doyle.
And the four-door version has been rewarded with a dynamic redesign alongside its five-door Sportback counterpart.
The reboot draws on the very latest Audi developments in digitalisation, connectivity, driver assistance technology and powertrain optimisation.
Andrew Doyle continued: "The A3 Saloon's well-balanced design with its short overhangs and crisp lines has certainly won fans, as have the city-friendly proportions.
"And, of course, these are delivered with the same exceptional polish that has won so many plaudits in the Sportback.
"Fortunately the second generation car takes its predecessor's inherent strengths, builds on them convincingly and clothes them in absolutely contemporary Audi design.
"It is now an even more credible partner to the Sportback that deserves to attract an even broader fan base."
Back from boot camp – The all-new Audi A3 Saloon is available to order in the UK alongside its Sportback counterpart.
The new-look A3 Saloon is available to order now with a choice of three engines at launch – two 1.5-litre TFSI units and one 2.0-litre TDI. Prices start from £26,870 OTR for the 35 TFSI Sport with manual transmission, rising to £32,220 for the 35 TDI S line S tronic. Deliveries will begin in the summer.
Redesign highlights include the adoption of fully-digital cockpit architecture with the touch-screen MMI Touch concept at its heart, the integration of mild hybrid MHEV drivetrains for selected models, and the introduction of advanced new lighting configurations that give each variant a specific light 'signature'.
Later this year, the Amazon Alexa voice assistant will become available, opening up access to a wealth of additional information and also offering the opportunity for remote control of home devices while on the road.
Car-to-X services that make use of the swarm intelligence of the Audi fleet are also part of the portfolio. They enable reports of hazards or speed limits to be beamed to vehicles with the corresponding equipment, for example, or can locate available parking spaces.
Stay tuned over the coming months as more members join the A3 family, including the thrilling new S3 with 310PS and two new PHEV variants in the Sportback.
For more information on the A3 Saloon and other cars in the range, visit the Audi UK website.