Audi drops the curtains – and the cloth top – on the new, tech-savvy A3 Cabriolet

By Nick Jaynes Published September 9, 2013

audi drops curtains and the cloth top on new tech savvy a3 cabriolet — The Audi A3 Cabriolet might not be fast but it comes with an LTE hotspot and Google Stree View navigation. Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s a new Audi A3 and S3 headed stateside soon. And now, in short order, an A3 and S3 Cabriolet will follow.

Audi is diversifying its engine lineup with the new A3 Cabriolet, offering three newly developed powertrains under the hood. Customers will be able to choose from two TFSI engines: a 1.6- and a 1.8-liter that produce 140 and 180 horsepower respectively. Although the 1.6-liter version won’t be the quickest, going 0-62 mph in 9.1 seconds, it will be rated to achieve 47 mpg on average.

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As for diesel, Audi offers a 2.0-liter TDI with a 1.6-liter TDI available after initial launch. While we love diesel and fuel-efficiency, we are a bit more stoked on raw power – can you blame us? The engine we’re most excited about: The 300 horsepower 2.0-liter TFSI under the hood of the S3 Cabriolet.

Even though the base A3 Cabriolet will be pretty darn slow by any standards, it will be offered with a slew of technology, including; adaptive cruise control; Audi side assist; Audi active lane assist; and even a camera-based traffic sign recognition. You know, for when you miss a stop sign while you’re voice-to-texting.

Able to seat four passengers, the Audi A3 Cabriolet can keep all occupants connected and entertained with a standard LTE WLAN hotspot that will allow passengers to connect their mobile devices on the go. Cleverly, Audi also uses this LTE connection to power Google Earth-based navigation with Google Street View, which will help the driver find their location from the street level.

We’ll admit the A3 Cabriolet is a bit ‘Real Estate Agent’ for our taste. But if going fast isn’t your bag and you’d rather have a tech-savvy, fuel-efficient German convertible, there’s virtually nothing that can touch it.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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