At CES 2013 we were warmed by the news that Audi would be bringing 4G LTE to the Audi A3, integrating a Qualcomm chipset that will let you turn your car into a connected mobile 4G hotspot.
That time has come, with Audi UK confirming that the A3 Sportback with 4G is now available to order, just as the face of 4G in the UK is about to change, with O2 and Vodafone looking to launch 4G services on 29 August.
To get 4G in your A3, you'll need MMI Navigation Plus as part of the technology package, an extra that will cost you £1,495, but you're not just paying for a 4G hotspot. For that price you're getting a central 7-inch touch display for navigation and control, 10GB of on-board storage for media, a DVD player, SD card readers and a whole lot more.
The 4G SIM card you'll need isn't included in the package, so you'll have to sniff out a data contract giving you plenty of data to consume. Audi candidly says that a SIM card with a flat data rate is needed, while on the website it's suggested you opt for an unlimited data contract, although we assume this relates to the old 3G system, as there's currently no unlimited 4G data contracts in the UK.
The data connection will supply information to the navigation system, like Google Earth and Google Street View information, traffic data and web radio options. You'll be able to access fuel station locations, as well as getting parking and pricing details.
Then you'll also be able to create a 4G WLAN hotspot, so you can connect other devices to the network on the move, meaning your passengers can use iPads and so on.
Audi details that Facebook and Twitter have been made "vehicle friendly" with text-to-speech functions, so you can keep people posted while you're sitting in traffic on a M4.
The 4G option is available to order on the Audi A3 Sportback now, and will be an option on all Audi A3 models by the end of November.