Audi Latest Automaker to Introduce Gas-Price App

Joining automakers such as GM and Ford, whose respective infotainment systems — Chevrolet MyLink and MyFord Touch — offer drivers the ability to find the nearest station with the cheapest gas, Audi has added an app to its lineup helping folks find where to fill 'er up frugally. The German automaker announced this week that, beginning in May, members of its A3 family of hatchbacks equipped with Audi connect will have access to Refuelling Stop, a new online service that provides information about where to find the cheapest gas.

According to Audi, the service consults an online database of gas stations and prices and matches the list to the driver's current location or destination. The driver can sort search results by price or distance, and simply click on the station and set it as the navigation destination. The system will even consider the type of fuel required by the A3, which can be premium or diesel depending on the engine.

2015 Audi A3 Photo Gallery

Audi joins the crowd of other entry-level luxury cars like Cadillac's ATS, the Mercedes-Benz CLA250 and Buick's Verano; packing luxury, sleek styling and class into an all-new subcompact A3 for 2015.

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Initially built only in sedan form, the new Audi A3 is powered by a choice of three turbocharged four-cylinder engines — including one TDI clean diesel — that pair with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Sadly, there won't be a three-pedal A3 option for the U.S. market. Front-wheel drive is standard, while Quattro all-wheel drive is optional in higher trim levels.

Check out the photo gallery of Audi's new A3 sedan below. Cars.com photos by Evan Sears.

2015 Audi A3 and S3: Up Close

It's one thing to hear automotive executives liken their entry-level luxury car to their largest luxury car, but it's quite another to, sort of, agree with them. The new Audi A3 sedan is no A8, but it's a heck of a lot more luxurious and feature-packed than you'd expect it to be.

The new compact sedan is 6.5 inches longer than the current A3 hatchback, and the designers endeavored to make the new sedan appear longer, with a creased hood that comes pretty far forward to meet the grille. From many angles it does the trick, but if you view the car's profile, it still has the stubbiness associated with front-wheel drive. Modest fender flares give the car a sporty, broad look.

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The white A3 TDI at the preview was equivalent to a well-equipped Premium Plus model, so it didn't represent the base trim level, but Audi says the greatest visual difference is smaller wheels. Checkmark-shaped LED running lights are an Audi signature (though everyone seems to be copying them). The red, sportier S3 wears LED headlights, which won't be standard on the A3.

More 2015 Audi A3, S3 Photos

We just posted our first look at the upcoming Audi A3 and S3 sedans that debuted at a special preview event on the eve of the New York International Auto Show. We didn't want to overload that post with all the images the manufacturer provided, so we're putting them here. Keep reading below for a few dozen images of both models. Click on any image for a larger version.

2015 Audi A3 and S3 at the 2013 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: BMW 1 Series, Buick Verano, Mercedes-Benz CLA250, Acura ILX
• Looks like: A remarkably nice update of the model that established this growing segment
• Drivetrain: Turbocharged 1.8-liter and 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engines and 2.0-liter clean-diesel four-cylinder; six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission; front- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Early 2014

While other manufacturers steered clear of subcompact luxury cars, Audi took the plunge in 2006 and held fast with its A3 hatchback, and lo and behold, other brands have joined the party. Now Audi has redesigned the A3, which will be sold in the U.S. primarily as a sedan for the first time. Another first, it will come in an S3 performance version.

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Though the redesigned A3's world debut is scheduled for next month at the Shanghai Motor Show, Audi gave an exclusive preview to journalists on the eve of the New York International Auto Show's press days. The sedan, and its S3 sibling, aren't even going to appear at the New York show. After our time with the cars, they were immediately, uh, Shanghaied.

Audi developed the A3 sedan with the U.S. and China in mind, so naturally it couldn't be small. It's grown 6.5 inches in length versus the current hatchback to 175.5 inches and almost 2 inches in wheelbase to 103.4 inches. That's about 10 inches shorter than the current A4 sedan. Audi says the next-generation hatchback will also return, but not until the end of 2014 and only as a plug-in hybrid.

Audi Offers Glimpse of A3 Sedan

Actually, it's more than a glimpse — it's the whole car, but you'll have to use your imagination. Audi released a teaser pic of its upcoming A3 sedan but the compact car is under a sheet. It'll make its debut to a small group during a pre-New York International Auto Show event next week, but it won't actually be at the show. 

"The car will not be moved to the convention center for the press or public days as the worldwide reveal is in Shanghai two weeks after New York," Audi spokesperson Sarah Toycen told us.

The A3 sedan will slot below the A4 in size and price, and it's unclear whether it'll replace the slow-selling A3 hatchback or join the lineup as an additional body style. 

Click here to check out what else to expect leading up to and at the 2013 New York Auto Show.

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Audi Puts 4G Wireless Into Cars

Audi continues to advance in-car wireless communication with today's unveiling of the 2013 A3 with 4G LTE connectivity at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

"With peak data rates approaching 100 megabits per second, the enhanced Audi connect services in the A3 are expected to transform the user experience and provide enhanced features such as an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot, internet radio, Web services and an augmented navigation system that presents street level visual imagery streamed to the vehicle," an Audi news release stated.

In addition to enhancing real-time navigation and weather and travel information, the upgrade to the LTE, aka long-term evolution, wireless standard will provide faster Wi-Fi hotspot access for as many as eight wireless devices in the car, Audi stated.

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What-If Game Narrows Car No. 2 Choices Quickly

My husband Rich's car is in need of serious repair, and the hard truth is we need to be thinking about a new (or new-to-us) car. This conversation should be entertaining to have because a second car gets to be the fun car, right?

We already have my family-hauler, and our kids are almost out of their child-safety seats. That means we have more flexibility when it comes to choosing a second car.

Our irrational selves see no reason why we can't find something to meet Rich's requirements of a car with two doors, rear-wheel drive, a loud engine and no roof. I'm on board instantly! What if we did a BMW Z4 or a Mazda MX-5 Miata? How great would either of those contenders be for date nights, commuting or even during the day when the kids are at school?

New Sedan Coming to A3 Lineup

Last year we got our first glimpse of the Audi A3 sedan. The next-generation A3, which is already on sale in select European markets, will arrive on U.S. shores within the coming year, according to Car and Driver Magazine. When it does, it will be available in hatchback, sedan and convertible body styles, further expanding Audi's entry-level model.

The new A3 is available in Europe in SE, Sport and S Line trims, with a gasoline or diesel engine. The current U.S.-spec 2013 A3 is available with a diesel or gas engine, but only as a four-door hatchback.

August's Fastest- and Slowest-Selling Cars

The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport topped last month's fastest-selling cars — a list that mixed the usual influx of redesigns and introductions with a lot of older cars. The 2013 Toyota Corolla, Honda Fit, Mini Cooper, Audi A3 and Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen flew off dealer lots last month. All but the A3 saw sales increases, with the Corolla, Fit and Cooper up more than 25% apiece. But all five cars have been on the market for some time since their last update, and none offer major incentives. One possible factor is gas prices, which have risen 20 cents in the past month. All five cars have variants with combined EPA mileage of 30 mpg or better.

Response to the redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe has been "nothing short of remarkable," Hyundai sales chief Dave Zuchowski said in a statement Tuesday. However, sales for the nameplate — whose redesign sprouts a new Santa Fe Sport derivative that's lumped into the same sales figure — fell nearly 50% for the month. What gives?