Vigo Motor Show: Audi A3 Cabrio

The honor of being the first new release we cover at Highmotor from the Vigo Motor Show has fallen to the Audi A3 Cabrio. It may not make much of an impact on the market, it may largely go unnoticed overall, and the fact that it is a version of a model that has already been on the market for some time more than justifies it.

Audi set itself a clear goal several years ago, when it began to rise from its ashes with a new image and a spirit of old to show its cards to BMW and Mercedes without fear. Variety of models is one of the keys that have brought it success and continue to do so, and the Audi A3 Cabrio is nothing more than a reflection of this.

Its design ventures the features of the update with which the Audi A3 will reach the market in a few months without overshadowing its leading role. It is not groundbreaking but absolutely not unpleasant, it oozes sportiness, but when you see it you cannot picture it as a convertible model: it is a compact convertible.

What I mean by this is that while other models in its same segment adopt longer bodies closer to the coupé figure for their convertible versions, the A3 remains the compact as we knew it. Many will say it is a matter of taste—I do not doubt it—but for me it already represents a point in its favor over the competition.

Another story will be whether that competition can offer a car with similar finishes, a name and design that sound and appeal just as much at a similar price. The Bavarian, I assure you, not by excess. And the rest perhaps not by lack.

The star of the photos is a Audi A3 Cabrio 1.9 TDI Attraction in Brilliant Red, the diesel entry version, which at bare starts from 29,800 euros. Needless to say, its equipment is the minimum acceptable to customers in compacts of this level: air conditioning, electric windows… and that at Audi, as at many other German brands, few leave the dealership without adding a number of costly extras.

I do not mean to say it is expensive; its price is clearly beyond the reach of many and above the offers of the—in theory—rivals, but I do not think it is wrong given the car we are talking about. The finishes are genuinely good, comfort is guaranteed, and it looks like every creation with the four rings.

It leaves a bland taste in the sense that it seems like an intermediate step between lower and higher range convertibles, but the customer who knows how to appreciate its qualities will not make a bad purchase in my opinion. Safety, driving, quality, name… everything stays at good levels and these are always good arguments.

Photos | Eduardo Mariz
Thanks to the dealership Ferauto S.L.