Motors 01698 282222 Sunshine cruiser
perform well on even the worst road surfaces.
Chopping the roof from any car always compromises its ride and handling but in the A3 you barely notice the difference and it still feels agile, while the softer suspension provides comfortable journeys.
The test car was powered by the tried and tested 150PS 2.0-litre TDI engine which provides more than ample performance.
It takes 8.8 seconds to reach 62mph and is capable of 139mph although I would not think that you would want to do anything like that speed with the top down.
Stop/start technology allows the diesel to return up to 67.3mpg on the combined depending on the size of alloys fitted. In addition a light on the instrument panel gives you advice on what gear you should be in to extract maximum economy.
The engine is extremely smooth and performs without fuss with emissions of 110g/km.
The six-speed manual gearbox in the test car was easy to use although many purchasers will no doubt opt for the automatic version.
As you would expect the Cabriolet boasts the same excellent interior found in its siblings with top quality materials and finishes.
There is room for four adults to travel and the boot space is surprisingly decent at 320 litres with the roof closed and 275 litres with it down.
At £31,340 this 2.0 TDI S line model is well equipped and is good value for money.
Going mad with the options added more than ten grand to the price of the test car which finished at £41,705.
Some of the options were Nappa leather at £1,220, larger alloys at £1,100, rear view camera £375, driver assistance pack £1,950, Audi Magnetic Ride £995, heated seats £300, wind deflector £300, technology pack £1,395 and a super Bang & Olufsen sound system at £750.
The Cabriolet has a pop-up roll protection feature and all the other electronic safety aids are carried over from the regular A3 models.
I never seem to get convertibles during the summer months but I did get the hood down on a couple of crisp autumn mornings and with the heated seats on and the temperature turned up to full volume it was still a pleasant experience.
Its stylish elegant looks make the A3 Cabriolet more desirable than ever and it is sure to do well in the UK.