Design Car Audi A3 Cabriolet

Design Car Audi A3 Cabriolet

The new Audi A3 Cabriolet has been unveiled ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s set to go on sale at the end of October, with deliveries starting in March 2014.

The new model will be based on the A3 saloon, rather than the hatchback. That means the Cabriolet is 200mm longer than before, at 4,420mm, with a 20mm longer wheelbase.

But despite its larger footprint, the new MQB chassis it uses is much lighter, so Audi has achieved a 50kg weight saving.

Engine Car Audi A3 Cabriolet

At launch early next year, the Cabriolet will only be available with the most powerful engines from the A3 line-up: 138bhp 1.4 TFSI and 178bhp 1.8-litre TFSI petrol engines, or a 161bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel.

Other engines – including the 109bhp 1.6 TDI – will be offered shortly after first deliveries are made. An S3 Cabriolet will also follow later, using the same 296bhp 2.0-litre TFSI as the S3 and S3 Sportback. It’ll have quattro four-wheel drive and a six-speed S tronic box, and cover 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds.