The new Audi A3 was unveiled in March and is expected to be with us before the end of the year, but the other crucial and ever popular model in the A3 range is of course the Sportback. The new Audi A3 Sportback will be presented at the Paris Motor Show in a few weeks, but Audi has released full details and photos in the meantime.

Compared to its three-door A3 sibling, the five-door Sportback is 73 mm longer and has a 35 mm longer wheelbase, at 2 636 mm. Both cars share the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, which includes the key benefits of less weight (a 90 kg saving over the previous generation Sportback) and a driving experience that is said to be more sporty and agile as a result.

There are no surprises in terms of styling, with the changes largely being an extra pair of doors and a set of roof rails. For a sportier look, buyers will be able to opt for Audi’s S-Line package that adds different bumpers, spoilers and larger alloy wheels.

Expect the interior to be no different to the three-door A3, with features such as Audi’s latest MMI system and a wide range of interior surfaces, colours and materials to choose from. The 380-litre boot is 10-litres larger than before and expands to 1 220-litres with the 60:40 split rear seats folded forward.

The five-door Sportback will be equipped with Audi’s latest arsenal of small capacity, turbocharged and low-emissions engines. The engine line-up will follow straight from the A3 and will initially consist of 1.4- and 1.8-litre TFSI petrol engines, as well as a 2.0-litre TDI diesel. Audi will introduce their smaller 1.2-litre TFSI at a later date, which offers 77 kW and 175 Nm of torque. All A3 Sportback models are fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, while a 7-speed ‘S tronic’ is available as an option.

Other plans for the range include a special model named ‘TCNG’, which will be fitted with an 80 kW engine that produces less than 30 g/km of CO2 when running on ‘Audi e-gas’, which the company says it “produces itself in a sustainable manner”. In addition, Audi have an A3 e-tron planned for 2014, which the company says will have a “a powerful plug-in hybrid drive”. Of course we can also expect the flagship S3 models with their Quattro drivetrain in due course too.

The Audi A3 Sportback is expected to reach European showrooms in early 2013.