The A3 saloon launches in September and marks the first time Audi has offered the model with a boot. Manufactured in a new plant in Hungary, the model is mainly aimed at the North American and Chinese markets, where it will account for up to half of all sales, but as much as 10% of UK A3s will come in the new bodystyle – and half of those will go to fleets.

Buyers are expected to be mainly conquests from other brands, with some moving down from the A4. As such, Audi UK is offering the A3 saloon with a higher entry point than the hatchback or Sportback and a choice of just the Sport or S line trim levels, with sales predicted to be split evenly between them. The entry-level and luxury trims offered in most European markets will not be brought to the UK.

Launch engines include the 1.4 and 1.8-litre TFSI and 2.0-litre TDI, the latter expected to account for over a third of UK volume due to its CO2 emissions of 107g/km, combined economy of 68.9mpg and strong residuals. The familiar 1.6-litre TDI at 99g/km and the 184bhp 2.0 TDI, as found in the Golf GTD, is set to follow later in the year.

Despite the increase in length, the A3 saloon will not be used as a basis for an Avant or 1 Series-rivalling Coupe, Morris said, adding that these would cannibalise from the A3 Sportback and TT respectively. However, the saloon will be used as the basis for the next-generation A3 Cabriolet, though release dates for this are as yet unplanned.