Audi A3 Cabriolet Ambition 2.0-litre Turbo S Tronic 2008 Review

What we liked
>> Balance between practicality and prestige
>> Fast roof
>> Strong and rigid platform

Not so much
>> Usual minor ergonomic quibbles
>> S Tronic box not quite as smooth as expected
>> Marginal turbo lag

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
Audi can point to a decades-long history of soft-top tourers. The latest model to be introduced to the Australian market is the A3 Cabriolet, a vehicle broadly based on the A3 three-door hatch, but featuring additional reinforcing and a rapidly folding cloth roof that leaves plenty of boot space available.

Audi engineers, instead of relying on a metal folding roof to aid the car's torsional rigidity, developed the A3 Cabrio to be strong and bend-resistant, irrespective of whether the roof was raised or lowered. By virtue of its rigidity and strength, the A3 Cab can get by with a folding cloth roof -- which means a more compact fold than a metal roof and consequently, more boot space.

For this reason -- and others -- the A3 Cabriolet is a more practical small-car convertible for day-to-day driving than many.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Two models (across three variants) make up the A3 Cabriolet range. The range kicks off from $49,990 for the 1.8-litre Attraction, with six-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. The 2.0-litre turbo FSI engine powers the Ambition, priced from $54,990 with a six-speed manual transmission. This variant is also available with the S tronic transmission for $57,500.

The entry-level Attraction features 16x6.5 alloy wheels in a seven-spoke design with 205/55 tyres. Safety features in this grade comprise: dual front airbags, dual side-impact airbags (protecting head and thorax), ESP/ABS/EBD and an electronic brake differential.

Convenience and comfort features amount to a semi-automatic folding roof, remote central locking, space-saver spare tyre, cruise control, electro-chromatic interior mirror, auto-on headlights, rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, electric windows/mirrors, multi-function four-spoke steering wheel, cloth trim, split-fold rear seat and MP3-compatible single-disc CD audio system.

By comparison, the 2.0-litre Ambition models feature: 17x7.5 alloy wheels in a five-spoke design with 225/45 tyres, rear reverse-parking sensors with acoustic guidance, front fog lights, three-spoke sports-style multi-function steering wheel, wind deflector, sports front seats, leather trim and an MP3-compatible six-disc CD audio system.

MECHANICAL
Both DOHC engines (1.8 for the entry-level Attraction grade and 2.0 for the Ambition grade) are turbocharged, direct-injected petrol four-cylinder units and despite, substantial differences in power and torque yield the same fuel figures -- 7.6L/100km in accordance with ADR81/01 combined cycle testing. CO2 emissions are broadly similar: 180g/km for the 1.8, 182 for the manual 2.0 and 181 for the S tronic 2.0.

The base 1.8-litre engine produces 118kW of power between 5000 and 6200rpm. Peak torque of 250Nm occurs between 1500 and 4200rpm. The 2.0-litre engine develops its maximum power of 147kW in a range of engine speeds from 5100 to 6000rpm and torque plateaus at 280Nm from 1800 up to 5000rpm.

Audi's acceleration figures from a standing start to 100km/h are: 8.0sec for the 1.8, 7.4 for the 2.0 manual and 7.3 for the 2.0 S tronic.

One variant (the A3 Ambition) is sold with a six-speed manual transmission, but the entry-level model and the most expensive variant are both fitted with a six-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission (Audi's version of DSG).

The transmissions drive through the front wheels, supported by MacPherson struts. At the rear, the suspension comprises a 'four-link' IRS system. Ventilated discs up front and solid discs at the rear take care of the braking and the rack-and-pinion steering is electrically assisted.

PACKAGING
Kudos where it's due -- Audi has made the most of what the basic A3 platform has to offer in the A3 Cabriolet application.

The A3 is truly impressive for the luggage space available, which, at 260 litres is slightly above half that of a Ford Falcon -- not too bad for a small convertible. Audi's trick is to use a 'Z-fold' cloth roof, which folds flatter than the metal roof leaving a lot more room available in the boot, whether or not the roof was raised.

According to Audi, the cloth roof can be raised or lowered in nine seconds, which is 13 seconds less than the roof of the BMW 1 Series Cabrio -- the Audi's chief competitor.

We can confirm that the A3 offers better interior packaging (and boot space, of course) than the BMW equivalent. Even with the front seat back as far as it would go (providing more than enough front legroom for all but seven-footers), there was still some leg and kneeroom remaining in the rear seat, enough for small kids. This is not the case with the Beemer.

The practicality of the A3, from its relatively voluminous boot, the fast-deploying roof, ease of access to the rear seat and the relative simplicity of the folding wind deflector, all commended themselves.

Though no doubt they contribute to the car's overall safety, the A3 Cabrio's fixed rear roll loops are, in a word, ugly.

SAFETY
As already mentioned in the Price and Equipment section, the A3 Cabriolet is better than adequately equipped on the safety front. In addition to the dual front airbags and the side-impact airbags for front-seat occupants, the tiny soft-top is fitted with fixed roll-over bars behind the rear seats (see above), seatbelt pre-tensioners for the front seats and load-limiters for all four lap/sash seat belts.

In respect of active safety, the A3 Cabrio's very taut construction aids the car's dynamic prowess as well as its crashworthiness in the event of a collision. ESP, ABS, EBD, Brake Assist and an electronic differential lock also contribute to the car's ability to avoid a crash in the first place.

COMPETITORS
For the money, there's a surprising number of cars that come close to comparing with the A3 Cabriolet. Audi has cleverly priced the upmarket variants at about the price where the BMW 1 Series starts. Of course, the 125i also musters more power and torque than the 2.0-litre A3 Cabrio, but only just.

Ford's Focus CC and Holden's Astra TwinTop both undercut the Audi on price, but then follow in the Audi's wake for power and torque. The MINI Cooper Cabrio is not long for the world in its current form and whilst it's a lower cost alternative to the Audi, would be a bit more squeezy. Not everyone is going to love the retro looks or the sport-focussed ride either.

Peugeot doesn't currently offer a small-car-sized convertible, but we believe the 308 CC is not that far off and, if the 307 CC is any basis for speculation, the pricing may well be in the same general ballpark as the Audi's.

Probably the greatest threat to sales for the Audi comes from the Volkswagen Eos. Eos is currently top of the pile for sales in the sports car segment; it slips under the Audi on price and it offers similar drivetrain options.

ON THE ROAD
For the media launch of the A3 Cabriolet, Audi shipped a contingent of journalists to Far North Queensland, providing an ideal (winter) environment to test the car, top-down. The Carsales Network sampled the A3 Cab in manual and automatic ('S Tronic') variants of the Ambition grade.

As is common with Audis generally, the interior was excellent. Seats were beyond reproach for grip, support and comfort. Instruments both looked good -- combining chrome and aluminium highlights -- and were easy to read.

If you're familiar with the conventions of German switchgear placement and operation, there's nothing startling or depressing about the A3 Cabriolet's controls. But that doesn't deter the de rigeur whinging about the transmission paddle shifters that turn with the wheel or the blessed handbrake located closer to the front-seat passenger.

The folding wind deflector sold with the A3 Cab doesn't work quite as well as wind deflectors in some two-seat convertibles driven recently. There's a little more buffeting in the Audi.

Somewhat surprisingly, there was a metallic squeak in the dashboard that persisted for a while over rough bitumen, but then ceased as immediately as it had started. Whatever it was must have fallen off!

The 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine (direct-injection) was highly refined and quiet. Even at around 4000rpm, it was barely audible and in some ways, that defined the A3 Cabriolet.

The engine was sports-oriented, developing healthy torque across a broad range of engine revs, but didn't feel like that on the road. For the most part, the engine has plenty of poke, but it felt stronger above 4000rpm.

Part of the 'illusion', if you like, that it isn't that grunty at lower engine speeds can be attributed to its very quiet running. With the roof down, the engine was inaudible until it reached 4000rpm and unless you remember specifically what gear the car was in at the time (easy enough with the manual, not as straightforward with the S Tronic box), the engine may not be revving fast enough for overtaking manoeuvres.

According to Audi's torque figure for this engine, the peak occurs from as low as 2000rpm and remains at that point right up to 5000rpm -- yet it only feels demonstrably 'peaked' over the last 1000rpm of that range. Again according to Audi, the peak power figure arrives at 5100rpm, just as torque is starting to drop off. The engine certainly does feel like it's on the cam at around 5000rpm.

There's minimal turbo lag from the 2.0-litre engine, manifesting itself more as a slower, but progressive response when accelerating out of a corner. Leave the boot in it on longer corners (wider radius corners) and there's a distinct pick-up in the car's acceleration -- but it's progressive, as already mentioned.

The engine in one car driven was coupled to a six-speed 'S Tronic' transmission, basically Volkswagen's DSG box by a different name. This type of twin-clutch transmission works like a sequential-shift auto, but is fundamentally a transmission more akin to single-clutch manuals of our acquaintance.

In the A3, it was lacking the ultimate smoothness of DSG boxes tried in the Skoda Superb a couple of months ago. Even so, not many people would pick the Audi's box as a DSG unit specifically. It's better than many conventional (epicyclic) automatic transmissions, not thumping into gear under high loads or changing up/down when least expected.

In the case of the manual A3 Cab driven, the gear-shift was light and precise; the whole transmission complemented the engine very well in respect of gear ratios.

Fuel consumption for the manual variant was under 8.0L/100km at open-road speeds, with an average starting off at 13.2L/100km after a fast blast uphill around winding bends, but then settling back to 9.7L/100km by the end of the run from Port Douglas to Cairns (not as the crow flies). We would expect the S Tronic variant to return similar figures.

Despite being a tidy handling car, the A3 Cabriolet is aimed more at touring and luxury than balls-and-all sports motoring. The car was quite apparently a front-wheel drive and the weight of the drivetrain in the nose made itself felt through the tyres and steering. That's not to say that the A3 couldn't be driven in a 'press on, regardless' way, if the mood took the driver.

Surprisingly good for a car of this type, the ride was very compliant and balanced nicely with the neutral handling, yet the Audi also felt like it was built rock-solid -- with no discernible scuttle shake or general sogginess in the monocoque body.

Whilst the steering response was up to par, feedback, despite being better than some Audis, was still lacking. Around the apex of fast bends, drivers will find themselves winding off lock to correct the car's attitude, because they've taken too big a bite of the cherry in the first place -- and then need to re-correct slightly.

In spite of these points of criticism, we came away from the A3 Cabriolet impressed. Audi has nailed a nice little niche with this car. About the only serious threat we can see comes from the Volkswagen Eos -- and yet, it might be argued that despite hailing from the same stable, the Eos has the wrong badge on it.

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