Audi A3 Cabriolet.

The latest A3 Cabriolet is now available to order (with deliveries expected to commence April 2014) and takes the recently introduced A3 Saloon as its foundation, ensuring the Cabriolet version of the A3 offers not only modern styling but also plenty of technology from the rest of the Audi range.

A choice of fabric roof tops are offered, both using a lightweight kinematic mechanism that opens in a little under 18 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph. When retracted either top (complete with heated glass rear window) stows away in a tray and barely affects the A3's luggage capacity (275 litres). All versions of the A3 Cabriolet have an active rollover protection system protecting occupants in case of a rollover accident.

The new A3 Cabriolet will be available with a choice of SE, Sport or S line specification and (in a novel and sensible approach) can be specified with one of three suspension options, standard, 15mm lower or 25mm lower at no extra cost.

The petrol A3 Cabriolet range will initially include the 1.4 TFSI (including Cylinder-on-Demand (CoD) technology) and the 1.8-litre TFSI engine, with a 300PS S3 version following later in 2014. Diesel engines will include the 2.0 TDI (150PS) from the outset with a 1.6 and more powerful (184PS) 2.0 TDI joining the model range later in the year.

Whilst the vast majority of A3 Cabriolets will be front wheel drive, the 2.0 TDI and 1.8 TFSI engines can be ordered with Audi's ubiquitous Quattro four-wheel-drive system - with the range topping S3 Cabriolet only available as a Quattro.