The Audi A3 Sportback 45 TFSI E Is A Golf GTE With A More Complicated Name

Sharing is caring in the VW Group. That’s why you’ll find the same engines, platforms and electronics shared across multiple cars, the latest carryover being the VW Golf GTE‘s plug-in hybrid powertrain.

We’ve already seen the electrified 1.4-litre engine appear in hybrid versions of the Skoda Octavia vRS and the Leon Cupra, but now, you can have it in an Audi. With a considerably less snappy name. What you’re looking at here is the ‘A3 Sportback 45 TFSI E’. Catchy.

The powertrain hasn’t been altered - you’re still looking at 242bhp and 295lb ft of torque from the inline-four, a 13kWh battery pack and a single electric motor. It’ll do 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds, a tenth slower than the Golf but half a second brisker than the Octavia.

The WLTP economy and emissions figures are 200mpg and 34g/km of CO2 respectively. Exactly what you’ll end up with will vary wildly depending on how far beyond the 46-mile electric-only range you go. As the battery isn’t especially big, it takes only five hours to charge via a regular domestic plug socket.

You get bigger brakes than you do on the 40 TFSI e, snazzy red brake calipers, and a bunch of extra standard equipment. Audi drive select, sportier seats, tinted windows, keyless entry and two-zone climate control are all fitted at no extra cost.

No UK prices have been disclosed thus far, but we do know order books open in Germany this week with a starting price of €41,440, with the opportunity to knock €6750 off that figure using a government grant.