On the go, you are never left asking for more power and torque as this combination of brilliant engine and marvellous gearbox propels the 1.4-tonne Cabriolet from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.76 seconds. Need more numbers? Well, it goes from 40 km/h to 120 km/h to overtake a very long trailer in less than 10 seconds. Still need more? Here is the top-speed figure of 220 km/h, which should suffice your need for speed.
Making this whole experience even better is the ride and handling of the cabriolet. I drove it on a beautiful winter morning when the air was still a bit cold, making it a perfect time to pull the roof down. With the roof down and with wind in my face, I headed straight for the hills. First thing that caught my attention was the superb seat: ample support and highly comfortable. Next thing was the superb electro-mechanical steering and the perfect suspension set-up. Audi’s famous Drive Select comes as standard and it has three modes on offer: Comfort, Economy and Dynamic. The first two are aimed squarely at providing a relaxed, slow-paced drive experience with lighter-than-usual steering and relaxed response from the engine and the gearbox. However, I left it in the Dynamic mode. It sharpens the overall response, adds some extra weight to the steering and holds the revs longer. By doing so, the whole car somehow transforms into an eager feline ready to show off its charismatic moves. Acceleration goes from brisk to brisker, the exhaust note changes as the A3 Cabriolet cuts through the air rapidly. The steering weighs up just enough and it literally talks to you in order to provide excellent feel and feedback. All you have to do is simply point it in the direction you want to go and it dictates the sticky Dunlops at the front to turn with precision.
You can use the flappy paddles on the steering wheel to command the shifting of cogs. I moved the shifter stick to the manual mode and worked the cogs in the old-school way, using my left hand. The gearbox still intervenes but it’s all right since the overall feel is incredible. After covering a good 60 kilometres with the roof down, I was finally at the base of a nearby mountain with the sun now shining at full intensity. I simply pressed a button on the centre console and the roof was up. With the car in the Dynamic mode and the gearbox in manual mode, I fed it some revs and off we went. The acceleration was smooth and quick, but it doesn’t shove back in your seat like a sports car. It moves forward with enough gusto, so that you are never really left asking for more beans from that can underneath that hood. It feels charismatic and has the grace of a feline while traversing the smooth terrain.
