This is an Audi A3L Limousine 35 TFSI S-line, as seen in the Chinese capital Beijing. The A3L Limousine is a China-only long-wheelbase variant of the Audi A3 sedan. The car that I saw is the updated 2024 model, painted in Gotland Green and fitted with darkened windows and sporty alloys.
Most Chinese drivers have a display with their mobile telephone number behind the windshield. Finding a parking space in big cities is tough, and many drivers double-park when they are on urgent errands. When another driver finds himself blocked, he can call the number to sort things out. That works pretty well, I have been in similar situations many times in Beijing, and the owner of the blocking car usually comes back quickly. There are zillions of displays available. This one shows a cartoon-like figure surrounded by jewelry.
The Audi A3L Limousine is made in China by the FAW-Volkswagen Audi joint venture. It is marketed as a compact luxury car. Size comparison:
A3L (China): 4548/1814/1429, 2680.
A3 sedan (Germany): 4495/1816/1425, 2636.
Audi sells the A3L Limousine in seven trim levels, which is really old-school for China in 2024. Most modern automakers sell three trim levels at most.
The extra wheelbase translates into a lot of extra legroom in the rear compartment. Adults can sit here with their legs stretched out. The bench is just wide enough for 3 adults.
The cabin of the Audi A3 is luxurious and finished with high-end materials, but the screens are small compared to cars made by Chinese competitors.
The 2024 model comes with gray trim on the bumpers and under the doors. It also has a sporty integrated spoiler in the boot lid.
The A3L is the smallest long-wheelbase sedan that Audi offers in China. The larger ones are the Audi A4L, the A6L, and the A7L. Audi also sells long-wheelbase SUVs: Q2L and the Q5L.
All variants of the A3L have the ’35 TFSI’ motor under the hood. This is a 1.5 turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with 150 hp and 250 Nm. This motor is quite old now and widely used by Volkswagen China for its many locally-made brands. In the A3L, it is mated to a 7-speed DCT. The S-line model has a top speed of 200 km/h and it dies 0-100 in 9.1 seconds. Characters on the right: 一汽奥迪 (Yīqì Aodí, FAW Audi), short for 一汽-大众奥迪 (Yīqì-Dàzhòng Aodí, FAW-Volkswagen Audi)
The grille is large and impressive, with a lot of shine. The Audi A3L Limousine 35 TFSI S-line costs 209.600 yuan or $28.8K. The A3L will continue for a while, as there is no successor in sight. Sales, however, have been down in recent years. The main reason is that Audi doesn’t offer any electrification; no PHEV, let alone an EV. The next A3 has to be an EV, otherwise it won’t be relevant anymore in China.