Audi A3 Cabriolet facelift launched at Rs 47.98 lakh

Audi India has launched a facelift of the A3 Cabriolet, priced at Rs 47.98 lakh. The sedan is expected to be launched sometime later this year along with a diesel variant of the A4.

Primarily, the major change is a departure from the 188bhp 1.8 TFSI to a 145bhp 1.4 TFSI, which also does duty in the A4 that was launched recently.  However, the torque remains the same at 250Nm. Audi claims that the downsizing has not made the car slower and even the fuel efficiency is now improved. There is also a Cylinder-On-Demand feature that shuts off a cylinder when the engine is running on a partial load.

When it comes to the exterior, the popular Matrix LED headlamps and dynamic turn indicators (that swipe in the direction you turn in) have made it to to the A3 too. The lightweight roof can be closed at speeds up to 50kmph. Besides that, Audi’s new trapezoidal grille has been incorporated into the design and the bumper has received large air vents.

On the inside, the Audi A3 Cabriolet is loaded with a host of features like the electrically retractable 7-inch MMI infotainment system, a new flat bottomed steering wheel, Milano leather seats, dual zone air conditioning and an optional Bang and Olufsen sound system. Among the safety features, there are now 5 airbags on offer along with a new parking assist system.

The Audi A3 Cabriolet currently faces no competition from its arch rivals, BMW or Mercedes-Benz. In India, it goes up only against the Cooper S Convertible. We drove the new A3 Cabriolet in Germany last year and here is the detailed review.