Audi suprises crowds with the A3 Cabriolet

Audi surprised everyone with the announcement that the A3 Cabriolet will be coming to India this year, along with the heavily anticipated A3 compact sedan. Poised to be a segment first — the short-lived India-spec BMW 330d was a CBU and did not sell well due to its high price — the convertible is a two-door, four- seater and utilises the next-generation VW Group MQB platform. The A3 sedan is quite a looker with all the traditional Audi design cues flowing into the A3 Cabriolet’s compact dimensions. Visually similar to the A3 sedan, it still manages to stand out due to the inclusion of aluminium finish A-pillars and chunky 5-spoke alloys.

All-black interiors are carried over from the sedan and look sporty thanks to the red stitching all around. The convertible also gets a sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel. As it is based on the A3 sedan, the compact dimensions mean that rear space is at a premium, so expect the rear seats for kids or small-sized adults. It still retains decent boot space due to clever packaging and the cloth roof. When it comes to India, the A3 Cabriolet will be available with the 1.8-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel engine which are already available in the Indian market under the Volkswagen umbrella. The gearbox will be Audi’s S tronic 7-speed.

Though the convertible has a ‘quattro’ version available overseas, it will be sold as a front-wheel drive in India. The luxury convertible segment has untapped potential; a unique and niche market. If Audi gets the pricing right, it could be the first ‘affordable luxury’ convertible and will be a pioneer in this segment.

On another note, convertibles have not been popular in Indian markets and the practicality of a soft-top in India is questionable so Audi will be taking a gamble with the Cabriolet — a gamble, we wish will pay off encouraging other manufacturers to usher in similar lifestyle products.