Audi A3 Cabriolet to rock Indian Roads

Audi A3 Cabriolet Preview

Audi will launch the A3 Cabriolet for the Indian market in December 2014. Based on the hard top A3 sedan, the two-door, four-seater vehicle with a retractable roof top will be targeted at consumers looking for joy and style while driving with the roof down. The German carmaker showcased the car at the Indian Auto Expo at the start of this year.
Exterior
The A3 Cabriolet is sportier than the A3 sedan and has a large wheelbase of 2.60 metres. The car measures 4.42 metres in length, 179 metres in width and 1.41 metres in height. The fascia sports a single frame radiator grille surrounded by the flat headlamps. Further down, the bumper gives it a sharp and sporty look. This car being a soft top gets an aluminium windscreen frame with another aluminium strip that runs around the roof aperture. The two doors and the new design of the alloy wheels set the Cabriolet apart from the four-door A3 sedan.
The main highlight of the A3 Cabriolet is the soft fabric roof that is stretched over a lightweight kinematic mechanism made of magnesium steel. The top can open or close electro-hydraulically at the press of a button, in less than 18 seconds, at speeds of up to 50kmph. The car still has a luggage carrying capacity of 60 litres which is quite decent for a cabriolet version of a car.
Interior
Inside the cabin, the sporty yet elegant look is maintained with the high quality material and neat design of the interior. The instrument cluster with two large circular inserts and a rectangular screen in between looks subtle and displays the information clearly. The centre console is angled towards the driver displaying the carmaker's driver-centric approach. While the air vents get a large circular jet propeller design, the car features a retractable 5.8-inch screen that displays information including the air conditioning system of the vehicle. The company will offer an optional lighting package, which for the first time, includes a touch-sensitive switch for the reading lights.
Engine and Gearbox
Globally, the Audi A3 Cabriolet is available in two petrol and one diesel engine option. The 1.4-litre TFSI churns out 140bhp of power and the 1.8-litre TFSI produces 180bhp of power. The former model accelerates to 100kmph from standstill in 9.1 seconds, while the latter does that sprint in just 7.8 seconds. Both these engines come mated to a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. The oil-burner is powered by a 2.0-litre TDI engine producing 150bhp of power and does the 0-100kmph sprint in 8.9 seconds.
Price and competition
The Audi A3 Cabriolet is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 45 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. Since BMW has phased out their 330d Convertible, Audi's topless model does not have any other competitor in the Indian market and will serve as a niche segment in our country.