The Audi A3 was released in Europe for the 1997 model year. The A3 is offered in several markets across the globe but most notably in Europe. It has always been offered as a front-engined subcompact vehicle, with front-wheel drive or all wheel drive configurations. Audi would also offer sportier variations of the A3 with variants like S3 and RS3. The Audi A3 has been built in four generations: 1st Gen (1997-2003), 2nd Gen (2004-2013), 3rd Gen (2013-2020), 4th Gen (2021-).