Adding another model...
Adding another model to the growing convertible market, Audi has revealed its latest new drop-top. The Audi A3 Cabriolet goes on sale in the UK in the spring - and it will turn heads wherever it goes!
All share the same restyle...
All share the same restyle at the front as the mainstream hatches. How-ever, the changes go more than skin deep. When the cars seen here arrive later this year, economy-minded drivers will be able to opt for a diesel version of the coup탩-cabriolet for the first time.
The CC HDi will be fitted with the 136bhp 2.0-litre oil-burner from the hatchback. It promises strong performance and low fuel consumption, and complies with strict Euro IV emissions regulations. That"s due to the six-speed manual gearbox and advanced particulate filter. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but the diesel drop-top is expected to cost í‚á£22,000. The HDi joins the existing 180bhp 2.0-litre petrol motor, which - as revealed on the previous page - will be available in the 307 hatch for the first time as a result of the makeover.
The addition of a diesel should boost the appeal of the CC; it was the fifth best-selling convertible in the UK last year, and importantly outsold the folding hard-top Renault M탩gane. As that car already has an oil-burner under the bonnet, Peugeot bosses must be confident that 2006"s total sales will again outstrip their key rival"s. The Peugeot"s novel folding metal roof has not been modified and operates in exactly the same way on the revised model, while the interior benefits from detail changes and updated trim materials.
At the rear, the cabrio"s distinctive LED tail-lights are retained, having inspired the look of the lamps fitted across the rest of the range. Family drivers will be pleased to learn the two practical load-luggers - the standard estate and the SW - have got the new look, too. The pair might be identical from the outside, but the difference is obvious when you open the rear doors.
Inside, the estate has a conventional layout with a split rear bench that folds flat, while the SW has removable MPV- style chairs. Both variants get the new grille, but designers have left the back- end styling alone, with the exception of new tail-lights. Only minor revisions to the bumpers differentiate these two variants from the outgoing models.
The engine line-up hasn"t changed, although the 2.0-litre petrol unit has been revamped to provide 140bhp.
As with the hatch, prices and final specifications are yet to be confirmed. Even so, expect base models to cost close to í‚á£13,925, the current price of the entry-level 1.6-litre S.