On Friday we got the first press shot of the 2015 Audi A3 Cabriolet. Due to a funky watermark we weren't sure it was the real deal, but now we know it is. That's a good thing, because this is an attractive 'vert, and the S3 version packs a ton of power and Quattro all-wheel drive.
The roofless Audi A3 is set to debut this week at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It will launch in Europe next year with three engines at launch — 1.4- and 1.8-liter gasoline turbo engines packing 140 and 180 horsepower, respectively, and a 2.0-liter TDI diesel with 150 horsepower and an unspecified but likely gracious amount of torque.
The good news for enthusiasts is that the S3 is coming in Cabriolet form for the first time ever. That version will have 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque sent to all four wheels, good enough to hit 62 mph in 5.4 seconds while also achieving close to 40 mpg (though that's on the European cycle, so your American results may vary.)
On the downside, it is wider and longer than its predecessor, though it is also lower. Audi also reduced weight to just a sprightly 3,000 pounds. Not bad at all.
No word yet on when this A3 and S3 will reach our shores, but since word is it was designed specifically with the American market in mind — which is why it's based on the A3 sedan instead of the hatchback — we should expect it fairly soon.
The 2015 Audi S3 Cabriolet Loses A Roof And Gets 300 HP And AWD