Audi: A3 sedan to be best-selling variant

It may be the new kid on the block, but Audi expects its all-new A3 sedan to outsell the car's hatchback and convertible variants.

The hatchback has historically been the volume seller of the A3 line – and, in fact, the only model offered until a convertible joined the range in 2008 – but Audi is confident that strong demand from the United States and China will see the new A3 sedan jump to the front of the line.

"We assume every second A3 customer will opt for the sedan in the future," Josef Schlossmacher, an Audi spokesman, told Bloomberg.

The A3 hatchback still promises to be a popular model in Europe, but Audi is expecting a dramatic rise in sales in the U.S. and China, where sedans are far more popular that hatches. As a result, the sedan should easily outsell the A3's hatchback and convertible variants on a global scale.

The new A3 will go on sale in Europe during the third quarter with a starting price of 25,000 euros ($32,150). The A3 will land in the U.S. early next year. Audi has yet to announce U.S. pricing.