By: Henrie Geyser

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There is always something special about whizzing around in a convertible…it's a wind in the hair, Easy Rider kind of feeling one used to get back in the wild old days when riding old British motorbikes much too fast and without sensible kit such as boots, jackets, gloves or helmets.

Not clever at all, I know, but a gas when you're young, footloose and itching to party.

Every time I hop into a convertible, blip the engine and pump up the music, I get that same “let's have fun” feeling.

And part of the enjoyment of driving a rag-top such as the new Audi A3 Convertible is to know that it comes with impressive accident-avoidance and life-saving equipment just in case some idiot on the road tries to take you out.

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Which is precisely what happened to fellow motoring editor Les Stephenson and I while we were winding along a scenic stretch of road between the N2 and Theewaterskloof Dam in one of the new Audi convertibles on the media launch.

Coming around a blind corner on a mountain pass we came face-to-face with a white Ford Sierra whose brain-dead driver had decided to overtake a large, long truck across a single white line.

With brake smoke pouring out of the Sierra's tyres as the panicked driver tried to get the car out of our lane and back behind the truck, we had no choice but to aim for the tight space between the approaching car and the rugged mountainside on our left.

Les hit the brakes hard and even with our left wheels on the gravel shoulder the Audi held a straight line and we managed to squeeze through the gap unscathed, swearing loudly, but safe.

Thanks to the Audi's amazing roadholding and Les' driving skills (honed by numerous advanced driving courses) we narrowly avoided what could so easily have been a very ugly head-on collision.

It's at times such as those when you really appreciate life-savers such Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), anti-lock brakes, pin sharp steering, good tyres, race track-tested suspension and excellent roadholding.

And you get all of that, plus a lot more in the alfresco A3.

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It's very re-assuring to know that about 54% of the car's body consists of high-strength steel in the A-post, sides, doors, floor and back; that a box-shaped steel structure separates the passengers from the boot; that there are two steel tubing roll bars permanently in place (in some cars they pop up in an accident), that the A3 is equipped with head-thorax side airbags, front airbags, integrated head-support in the event of a rear-end collision, three-point belts and Isofix child seat mountings for the back seats.

But the Audi doesn't only excel in the safety department.

It's a good-looker, albeit it in a conservative rather than cute way, with neat clean lines, low crouching stance, trademark slit-eyed headlights and bold grill.

But even more importantly, it's a very practical four-seater with a reasonable boot and back seats that can topple forward to create even more packing space.

And for bragging rights it has a canvas top which folds out of the way behind the rear seat (not into the boot like others do) in just 9 seconds, which impresses the hell out of tin-top drivers at the traffic lights and the chaps sipping their Scotches on the balcony of the golf club.

There are two engine sizes to choose from, both turbo-charged - a 1.8-litre and a 2.0-litre, each available with a six-speed manual or with the more expensive, but really outstanding S-Tronic auto-manual shift which comes with shift paddles on the steering wheel.

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The 1.8 TFSI produces 118kW and 250Nm and thanks to the kick of the turbo it's got the punch of a six-cylinder. It will clock the 0-100km/h dash in 8.6 seconds and get to a top speed of 218km/h.

Audi claims a general fuel consumption of 7.3 litres/100km, although we never got below 9 litres on our (admittedly quite enthusiastic) launch drive.

The bigger two-litre spurts out 147kW and 280Nm, does the sprint in 7.3 seconds and will only run out of steam at 231km/h.

Both models handle with dignity even if you drive them like you've just stolen them. They feel sturdy and sure-footed and even on badly pot-holed stretches there is no scuttle-shake or tail-wagging.

The windows and mirrors are electrically adjustable, but the seats need a human hand to move them back or forwards and up and down.

The interior is finished according to Audi's usual high standards, with lots of leather and shining metal to add lustre to the cabin.

The A3's specifications list is long and as is the trend these days there are also many optional extras to choose from, depending on the degree of melt-down of your credit card.

I drove both models in bitterly cold weather with gales and torrential rain adding to the fun and believe me, the heating system works as well as an old Aga stove.

Even with the canvas top down once the rain stopped the interior remained as cosy as grandma's feather bed.

Many rag tops tend to leak, but after two days of storm driving not a drop had found its way into either of the two models we drove.

Audi makes no secret of the fact that they are putting the two new A3 convertibles into the ring with BMW's 120 and 125 convertibles.

And they certainly are capable of upstaging the Blue Propellers when it comes to punch and price. The 1.8 A3 has more torque and power than the 120 Beemer and it's quicker over the 0-100km/h sprint.

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Price-wise Audi also outboxes the BMW's. The 1.8 A3 manual comes in at R303,500 and the auto at R319,500 against the BMW 120's tag of R321,000.

The two litre manual A3 sells for R342,500 and the auto for R358,500 compared to the R368,500 of the 125 BMW.

But to pick a winner out of this lot is not easy, with much depending on driving style and practical needs.

BMW has always made good-looking, exciting driver's cars and in looks the 120 and 125 are slinkier than the Audi A3.

But when it comes to extended boot-size, four-seater accommodation, finish quality, practicality, price, user-friendliness and traditional soft-top convertible looks (rag-top and roll-over bars et al), the A3 gets the gold.

Audi says it does not intend bringing any other A3 convertible models to South Africa, so if it sounds like your kind of fun then perhaps you should make your way to an Audi dealer near you before the 150 or so Audi plans to sell by December are gone.

The A3 is not the kind of rag-top that will be gathering dust on showroom floors.

[23 Sep 2008 12:23]

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