Audi unveils fuel sipping A3 1.6 TDI ultra

Audi has just revealed a new version of its popular A3 hatchback, this one aimed straight at fuel economy figures that'll put hybrids to shame. The new A3 1.6 TDI ultra uses just 3.2 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers as the Europeans like to put it, or 73.5 miles per U.S. gallon. These are Audi's figures, and the EPA hasn't weighed in on these numbers.

The previous-generation A3 has been with us for a few years now, but the engine versions that the U.S. market has received have been neither frugal nor exceptionally sporty. That's all about to change with the A3 1.6 TDI ultra, which will be available in three-door and five-door Sportback form. The use of lightweight materials and low rolling resistance tires has given the A3 TDI ultra a weight of just 2,656 pounds which, coupled with a 110 hp, 1.6-liter diesel engine, will propel the car to 60 mph in 10.5 seconds. And its 13.21-gallon capacity fuel tank will allow it to travel 932 miles on one fill up.

This announcement comes just a couple days after BMW has finally caved in and sent American buyers a diesel model that is actually aimed at fuel economy, the 37 mpg BMW 328d, instead of the 335d performance sedan that just happened to be diesel. Truth be told, we've been waiting to see a real diesel miser from Volkswagen Auto Group for a while, and we should have perhaps expected that it would come in a trendy upmarket wrapper rather than an almost-invisible subcompact like the VW Lupo. However, it is unlikely that this model will be offered for sale in the U.S. when the 2014 A3 range will debut.

The A3 1.6 TDI ultra is the first model in Audi's new ultra lineup, aimed at fuel economy and sustainability. The ultra range will be joined by other models using the fuel-sipping TDI and TFSI engines in the coming months, but for now we're just happy to see a true diesel hatch which will return mpg figures north of 50. The debut of the A3 1.6 TDI ultra, which goes on sale in Germany in September, is a reminder that the race for fuel economy is taking place not only among hybrids and plug-in electrics, but cleverly engineered small-displacement diesels boosted by turbochargers.

By Jay Ramey