We didn’t really know what to make of Audi’s allroad Shooting Brake Concept at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. On the one hand, the concept of a ruggedized compact two-door hatchback is interesting and unique. On the other hand, it’s a ruggedized two-door hatch. How many of those sell each year? Very few, if any. But having pondered the meaning of the concept some more, we think we’ve got it: the allroad Shooting Brake Concept is a precursor to an allroad version of Audi’s A3.
As far as we can tell, Audi’s strategy is to make an allroad version of all of its wagons, whenever appropriate. Hence, the A4 and A6 allroad. As such, it would only make sense that the allroad Shooting Brake Concept is a previews the upcoming A3 allroad.
Lending even more credence to that theory is the fact that the Shooting Brake Concept pretty much resembles an “allroad-ized” A3 (in two-door hatch form) with a few concept-only styling bits, such as certain elements of the design (front fascia, headlamps, wheels, pillars) and powertrain. But look closely, and it’s an A3, through and through.
The Motrolix Take
We’d be very surprised if Audi doesn’t make an A3 allroad in the next year or so. And when that happens, the Shooting Brake Concept from NAIAS 2014 will be its precursor.
The only question now is whether the A3 allroad will have two or four doors. We think it’s the latter — so an A3 Sportback plus the allroad treatment.
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