The New Audi A3 Cabriolet
This Spring of 2008, Audi’s first compact cabriolet is bound to make its appearance. With sportiness of a coupe and yet never losing a touch of elegance, the Audi A3 cabriolet is to be made available to the public in Germany supposedly at the start of this month. Built with solid, dependable quality this Audi model has four engines to choose from: Two petrol and two TDI. They bring together plenty of power and will surprise people with their efficiency. All four engines are direct injection units and turbocharging. The Audi A3 cabriolet’s engine performance range runs from 77 kW (105 bhp) to 147 kW (200 bhp). One of the things optional about this model is the S-tronic dual-clutch gearbox. The standard found on engine versions starting at 140 horsepower and above is the six-speed manual transmission.The Audi A3 cabriolet sports a soft top, which is like most Audi convertible models. The trademark soft top is quite remarkable due to its light weight and excellent fitting on the car. Opening hydraulically in just nine seconds and closes in eleven seconds, the soft top is available in both semi-automatic and fully automatic versions. The fully automatic version comes with a specially soundproofed acoustic hood. What move the soft top are a high-pressure pump and two hydraulic cylinders and this is for both versions. The acoustic top can be opened and closed even while driving up to 19 mph.
The interior of the car can be aptly described as “sporty elegance.” It has enough space for four occupants and the rear seat can be folded down. When the rear seats are folded down, the luggage capacity is increased from 260 to 674 liters whether the hood is closed or not. The design of the interior is offered in two different types: the Ambition Line and the Attraction Line. The Ambition Line has a tailored leather sports steering wheel which is slip-proof and has a three-spoke design. The leather seats are optional. For the Attraction Line, the cabin has touches of decorative inlays. These inlays are made of pearlescent granite. Optionally, the inlays could also come in aluminum, burr walnut, micrometallic silver and Vavona wood.
Combining class and comfort, style and ease, the new Audi A3 cabriolet is, indeed, the “premium option in the compact class.”
source: The Motoring