Yorkregion.com - Wheels - Audi A3 Cabriolet will bow in Europe this spring
Audi A3 Cabriolet will bow in Europe this spring
Audi has announced it is adding a four-seat cabriolet to the A3 range. A new soft-top design allows it to open in nine seconds.
Leisure
Dec 10, 2007 04:59 PM
By: ROBINSON/BEINTEMA AUTOFILES
The new A3 Cabriolet is the first ever premium compact class "open top" from Audi which will offer four engine options when it bows in Europe this spring. Audi's latest convertible lines up alongside established soft tops in the A4 and TT ranges.
The A3 range will be available with either a semi or fully automatic hood specification while crucially for an open car, its advanced body structure features a high proportion of high-strength steel reinforcing measures that provide maximum rigidity and optimum crash safety.
The A3 Cabriolet comfortably seats four occupants while the rear seat backs can be folded down for optimum practicality.
The A3 Cabriolet is equipped as standard with responsive electromechanical power steering. Strong steering response and a compliant ride are achieved with the advanced four-link rear suspension.
The car is launched with both standard suspension, and the option of sports suspension.
Specifications at launch (Standard or Sport)' can be chosen for the Audi A3 Cabriolet. In both cases its equipment specification is generous and extensive; the Sport model includes 17-inch aluminum wheels, sports suspension and sports seats.
An S line exterior package and S line sports package will also be available later in the year to UK customers from quattro GmbH.
Thanks to the hood's compact folding design, Audi's designers were able to create a comfortable four-seater with subtle lines measuring up 4,238 millimetres in length, 1,765 mm in width and 1,424 mm in height. The car is shorter than the A3 Sportback (4,286mm) but longer than the existing three-door A3 (4,214mm).
Easily identifiable as an Audi, the exterior design creates strong presence, making the A3 Cabriolet visually typical of current Audi family of models. The face of the A3 Cabriolet is dominated by the large single-frame grille while the headlights are also an eye-catching, distinctive feature.
The fabric hood keeps its shape thanks to the mechanically moved metal linkage, which assures an excellent close fit, perfect tightness and the silhouette of a coupe. A large, heated glass rear window provides a good view to the rear.
Audi can supply the fabric top in two versions, the semi-automatic soft top and the fully automatic acoustic hood.
In both cases, a high-pressure pump with two hydraulic cylinders moves the hood. They open the large soft top in an extremely rapid nine seconds.