In all my test drives, I have not seen a car that evokes the feeling of playing with a toy car more than Audi’s A3 S3 Cabriolet.
For some reason, I was taken back to my childhood and the feeling of getting a new toy car is what I felt when I was handed the keys to the A3 S3. A one-hour wait at the Audi centre gave me ample time to explore its functions such as infotainment and music, open its roof and doors and get acquainted before driving off in the sunshine.
The A3 is a small family/subcompact car produced by Audi AG since 1996; it was made to take on the likes of VW’s Golf and was initially only available as a three or five-door hatch. It’s line-up has grown to include a four-door sedan and a two-door convertible. The A3 Cabriolet followed the same trend; hatch then sedan.
From as early as the 90s, I’ve been an ardent fan of Audi cabriolets – there is something uncanny about Audi drop-tops that makes them stand out. There is something they keep doing right; Audi makes very charismatic convertibles. Perhaps it’s their proportions and sleekness that sets them apart. Personally, I find Audi’s cabriolets to be their best offerings.
Audi introduced its first drop-top in 1990 – the A80 Cabriolet. Based on the A80 Coupe, it was sleek and clothed in a tonneau cover folding top, the undisputed epitome of premium travel and style. The A80 was then replaced by another road marvel – the A4 Cabriolet in 2000.
It was a case of two for one or diversification due to massive success for Audi’s A4 cabriolet; in 2007 Audi added a smaller alternative, the A3 Cabriolet, to its line-up, and in 2009, it added a slightly larger and bolder A5 Cabriolet, replacing the A4 Cabriolet.
Our test car the second generation A3 Cabriolet had was introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show of 2013.
On the interior is an irresistible red stitching on black leather, comfortable but not as refined as what we are used to from Audi, it has a tougher feel in most places. Convertibles have a different quality build; exposure to the elements is considered, otherwise it would be a disaster.
At the press of a button, the sound absorbent acoustic soft top folds down in 18 seconds, and it can be operated up to speeds of 50km/h.
It is not new that Audi is big on ease of use and flaunts the best media interface and we have confirmed it many times – the MMI is like a walk in the park to operate and synchronise. With handwriting recognition, it includes a seven-inch retractable screen, Bluetooth, DAB radio, USB and broadband internet, to name a few. Bang and Olufsen partner with Audi to offer 625 watts of power in a 5,1 surround configuration via 13 speakers – it will take you straight to Cloud 9.
It’s unavoidable to talk Audi without mentioning its stricter lightweight approach: Lightweight design, space frame, aluminium engine, panels and components sum up to 1 620kg, over 150kg lighter than its closest rival, the BMW M2 Convertible which weighs 1 770 kg.
It’s important to note that convertibles weigh more than their closed versions because they are bolstered with stiffening materials to compensate for their lost structural integrity. The A3 saloon weighs 1 430kg which is 190kg less than the convertible.
Our test car is driven by 1984 cc four-cylinder engine producing 295 bhp translating to 380 Nm torque. It’s capable of a ferocious 0 to 100 km/h sprint in five seconds. This is sports car territory. This engine is mated to a six-speed S-Tronic gearbox.
The safety features include adaptive cruise control, active lane assist, side assist, pre-sense front/basic radar guided collision avoidance system as well as hidden roll-over hoops that deploy in a split second to protect occupants should there be an accident. Our test car is a mobile fortress with a five-star crash test rating under the world’s strictest safety body, the Euro NCAP.
Nothing beats the wind blowing through your hair, premium comfort, the lightweight feel, high tech features and power on demand. It’s a big boy’s toy in every sense.
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