At this point, there are so many “Black Edition” models floating around that we can’t tell what manufacturer actually fired the first shot. It seems like just about every model out there has a Black Edition of some kind. There’s the 2016 Porsche 911 Carrera Black Edition, The Mazda3 Sport Black Edition, Volkswagen Scirocco Black Edition, Porsche Cayman Black Edition, and Nissan Qashqai Black Edition – just to name a small handful from a very large pool of available models out there. Hell, Even Bentley has done it. Now, Audi is adding to its lineup of “Black Edition” models with this new iteration of the Q3. As usual, the model comes with just a few “upgrades” that include some black interior trim and a few exterior pieces done up in black as well.

It’s really like one manufacturer decided to do a Black Edition and everybody else decided to jump off the same bridge. Just like the use of Alcantara. It was once something that was once cool and eccentric but is now just boring and overplayed. As such, Audi is actually replacing the S Plus Model with the Black Edition in its lineup, which means most of the features the model is boasting, were already there to begin with. This includes things like SD card-based navigation, cruised control, privacy glass, and black interior that, of course, has some Alcantara mixed in too.

So, with that said, let’s take a closer look at the new Q3 Black Edition and see if there’s really any hype worth writing home about.

Continue reading to learn more about the Audi Q3 Black Edition.

2017 Audi Q3 Black Edition

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Audi Q3 Black Edition
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What makes the Audi Q3 Black Edition special

As rebadged S-line Plus model, the Black Edition comes standard with Audi Music, Bluetooth connectivity, front and rear sensor parking control, dual zone climate control, metallic paint, privacy glass in the rear, and a Bose sound system. On the inside, the car’s cabin is “differentiated” by Piano Black inlays on the door trim panels, around the gear shifter, and on the face of the dash. That’s it… nothing else to talk about inside outside of the features that come standard across all Q3 trim levels.

Outside, there is a little more to talk about, but it’s all the same old standard stuff you get from every other manufacturer’s “Black Edition.” It starts out up front with the grille surround and mesh finished in black. That black carries around onto the sides with the already black mirrors, and cladding around the wheel wells painted in black. The front lip and side skirts match the insert on the rear fascia, as they are also painted in a black finish. To round off the exterior, Audi painted the roof rails, rear spoiler, and tail pipes in black as well. Outside of this, you get a pair of 19-inch allow wheels (the model the “Black Edition is replacing already came with 19s, by the way) and tinted glass from the rear doors back.


And, that’s what makes up the Q3 Black Edition. Under the hood, you’ll find one of two diesel or gasoline-drinking powerplants. First on the list is a 1.4-liter gasoline mill that delivers 148 horsepower through a six-speed manual or S-Tronic twin-clutch automatic transmission. Only available in FWD form, this engine pushes the Q3 to 62 mph in about 8.9 seconds with S-Tronic but, according to Audi, can achieve 51.4 mph when equipped with a manual. The second option is a 2.0-liter gasoline mill that delivers 178 horsepower. Audi has yet to release torque figures for either engine or performance information for the 2.0-liter. The 2.0-liter can be had with either transmission and is available with all-wheel drive. Moving over to the diesel front, there are two variations of the 2.0-liter TDI mill. It can be had with 148 horsepower and can be paired with either a manual or S-Tronic. Two-wheel and four-wheel drive are available with this entry-level diesel. Moving up to the 182-horsepower diesel will give you the same choice of transmissions but will limit you to just all-wheel drive. Audi has yet to release fuel economy figures or any performance figures for the diesel mills.

And there you have it. When you break down all of Audi’s PR talk in the press release for the Black Edition, there really isn’t a whole lot to talk about. I understand that customers expressed interest in black edition models at some point, but now that everybody and their brothers are building them, it’s starting to get a little old. As a range-topping model, the Black Edition will probably do pretty well for Audi, but don’t expect it to be all that different from the model below it. Now if only we could get automakers to start taking special edition models seriously, or at the very least do something other than another lazy “Black Edition.”