What's the news?
Midlife model facelifts in the car industry: there seem to be two new patterns for these. The first is to redesign the car in question to such a subtle degree that even someone with a Masters in Sleuthing would struggle to spot the changes. And the second is the, er... second midlife model facelift - as in, you've already amended said vehicle but you're going to have another go at rejuvenating sales with a fresh programme of updates. Well, with this round of alterations to the Q3 SUV, Audi has managed to cover both facelift types in one fell swoop.
Launched in 2011, the Q3 was facelifted once in 2014. Now it has been visually tweaked again and its appearance depends wholly on which trim line you've gone for. Base models have outer front air inlets that are horizontally divided, while the underbody protection is matte silver both front and rear. Contrast areas on the radiator grille and wheel arches are stone grey.
Sportier models get gloss-black detailing, a full-width bar which divides the lower front bumpers and diamond-pattern grilles, with larger outer air inlets and a different-coloured Singleframe surround. There's a new model too, called the Q3 S line Competition, which takes S line trim and then adds high-gloss black paint for the air inlets and the Singleframe grille. The same colour is carried round to the sides to the wheel arches, door trims, roof rails and mirror housings, while at the back the roof spoiler and the lower section of the bumper are also gloss black.
Inside, new black piano finishes mark out most models, while the Competition gets sports seats with power lumbar supports and a black leather/fabric finish, plus S line logos embossed into the centre sections. Leather and Alcantara, and a fine Nappa leather trim are both options.
The S line Competition benefits from Sports suspension, Audi's multimode Drive Select software and the Driver Information System (DIS) cluster screen as standard, as well as 19-inch, 10-spoke Y-design alloy wheels in gloss black from Audi Sport. You can have it with any engine currently offered in the Q3 line-up.
Finally, a new metallic colour - Camouflage Green - replaces Tundra Brown in the palette. There; we told you this second Q3 facelift was minor, right?
Anything else?
The revised, revised Audi Q3 should be in showrooms from autumn with first deliveries at the end of the year, with pricing held over from the old models. The cost of the S line Competition is yet to be announced.