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"Audi is taking direct aim at luxury rivals, such as BMW and Acura, with the introduction of the 2012 A3 sedan. Set to debut during next week&amp;#039;s Geneva Auto Show, Audi has provided several sketches of what the finished product will look like before its official introduction.   The exterior design appears clean and uncluttered, with a hint of the sedan/coupe styling seen in cars like the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Audi&amp;#039;s recently introduced A7 hatchback. Now ubiquitous LED headlights flank a single frame grill with tapered upper corners. A pronounced character line runs from the headlights along the sides of the car.    For the moment, Audi has not offered any images of the interior \u2013 don&amp;#039;t worry, the Ingolstadt-based automaker is an expert when it comes to classy cabins. The big news here is the loss of the quirky (at least for many U.S. car buyers) hatchback layout. Emerging markets, such as China, also view notchback sedans as being more luxurious than their hatchback equivalents.   With a handsome entry-level sedan in the lineup, the A3 can target everything from upmarket family sedans (like the Honda Accord and Volvo S40), to luxury rivals like the BMW 3-Series and Cadillac CTS. And with base models of the current Audi A4 now starting at more than $33,000, a cheaper 4-door alternative could help introduce more car buyers to the Audi brand.    Measuring 174.8 in. in length, the Audi A3 sedan is approximately 6 inches longer than the current 4-door wagon. Audi has squeezed the impressive 408-bhp 5-cylinder engine from the Audi TTRS into the Geneva show-car \u2013 expect U.S. models to come with a choice of two 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engines, one gas and one diesel-powered.   A 7-speed S tronic transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive are also included in the A3 sedan that&amp;#039;s set to be unveiled in Geneva. To keep the price within the same $28,000 to $33,000 range of the A3 wagon, base versions of the production model will likely be offered with front-wheel-drive and a 6-speed manual transmission, with the automatic and Quattro optional. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/geneva-auto-show/news/a16959/advanced-coverage-audi-a3-concept/>