The Audi A3 Cabriolet will be a four-seater convertible and will come to the country as a CBU with prices expected around Rs. 45-50 lakhs.
After successfully launching the A3 sedan earlier this year, Audi India is now gearing up to launch the Cabriolet or convertible version of the A3 in the country. The company had promised at the time of A3 sedan’s launch that the cabriolet and hatchback versions are included in its Indian plans, which will be launched over the course of next few months. However, while the A3 has been assembled in India from day one of its sales, the A3 Cabriolet will be brought in as a Completely Built Unit (CBU) by the Ingolstadt based manufacturer.
The Audi A3 cabriolet will be a four-seater convertible sharing much of design details with the A3 sedan, but will see a marginal weight increase. Nonetheless, the new generation model comes with extensive use of ultra high-strength steel and aluminium that ensures the weight is at a minimum. In terms of aesthetics, the rear doors have been ditched along with the roof, which gets replaced by a lighter soft-top folding roof instead of a metal folding roof to reduce the additional weight. The company states that it takes 18 seconds for the roof to open and close with driving speeds up to 50 km/hr.
On the inside, there are no changes to the cabin that is same as the regular A3 and comes loaded with the pop-up display unit for the Audi MMI as well as the Bang and Olufsen sound system. You do get wind deflectors and neck warmers for the front passengers. In terms of engines, Audi will be offering the same 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol with 180 PS of power and 350 Nm of torque, while a diesel variant could also be a possibility with the 2.0-litre TDI engine performing duties, like the sedan version.
The Audi A3 Cabriolet will come loaded with safety features including airbags, ABS, ESP, traction control and much more. Being brought in as a CBU, the model is expected to be priced at a premium of around Rs. 45-50 lakhs (ex-showroom) and will be the new top-variant in the A3’s lineup. The launch of the cabriolet version will be followed up by a hatchback variant that will be launched next year.
Source – Economic Times
