Audi reveals TV spots for A3

Audi has revealed a few TV ads for its newest A3 sedan, which we reviewed last week. The one-minute, 30-second and 15-second spots feature comedian Ricky Gervais, chef David Chang, photojournalist Lynsey Addario, comedian Kristen Schaal, boxer Clarissa Shields, street artists Cyrcle and church choir Voices of Destiny. The company is building off its “Stay Uncompromised” theme that debuted during the Super Bowl.

The first and longest spot -- also our favorite -- features the celebrities reciting the first few lines from Queen's “We Are The Champions.” Called “Dues,” the spot drives the point home that Audi has paid its dues, and it's ready for a spot on American buyers' short lists. “Dues” will run during the NCAA tournament.

Two 30-second spots feature the technology in the new Audi A3, including the 4G LTE capability and the MMI touch function. In “Names,” a little girl reads mean tweets about Gervais, like the popular Jimmy Kimmel bit. “Touch” has chef Chang using the touch pad to find a phone number.

Finally, two 15-second spots called “Hugs Corners” and “Signature,” tout the company's Quattro all-wheel-drive system and the MMI touch pad. The Quattro spot's tagline is “Hugs corners, cuts none.”

We brought the Audi A3 into our short-term fleet last week. Our main takeaways were that the A3 was fun to drive with VW's turbo four, and it sprung stiffly enough to chew up switchbacks and sweeping entrance ramps. We also dug the double clutch, which keeps the 220-hp engine in its powerband.

Check out our full review of the 2015 Audi A3 Premium here.

By Jake Lingeman