Audi has released the first images of the A3 Cabriolet, the fourth member of the A3 line-up, ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The A3 Cabriolet will join the standard car, the five-door Sportback and the recently launched A3 saloon when it goes on sale in October.
Exterior
Unlike the previous generation Cabriolet, which was based on the hatchback, the new model is based on the recently introduced saloon. This means it is longer and wider than before, with more space inside (both in the cabin and in the boot). Yet despite all this, being based on the MQB platform the new A3 Cabriolet is also 50kg lighter than before.
Audi has eschewed the trend for complicated (and heavy) hard top convertibles and instead retained the folding soft top for the new model. The frame of the roof is made of lightweight magnesium and can go from closed to open (or vice versa) in less than 18 seconds and at speeds of up to 50km/h.
When retracted, the top rests in its own recess, meaning it barely encroaches on the 287-litre boot.
Mechanicals
Audi aims to emphasise the sportiness of the A3 Cabriolet with its range of launch engines, which include 1.4- and 1.8-litre TFSI petrol units offering 140- and 180hp respectively and a 150hp version of the 2.0-litre TDI diesel. In time these will be joined by the likes of the 110hp 1.6-litre TDI and the 300hp 2.0-litre TFSI in the S3 model. This is the first time the Cabriolet model will be offered as an S3, which will be fitted with a six-speed S Tronic automatic transmission as standard and will complete the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in 5.4 seconds. The S3 also marks the debut of Audi's quattro system in the soft top.
Anything else?
Order books for the A3 Cabriolet are expected to open in Ireland in late October with first cars set to arrive in March 2014.