Auto Channel

When Audi gets done with their corporate spiel at next year's Geneva Motor Show, it's likely that they'll pull back the curtain and unveil their newest attempt to steal market share from the MINIs and 1-series of the world.

The 2008 Audi A3 cabrio cabrio has been confirmed as the next drop top to come from the quad-ringed company, sporting four seats and an electrically controlled foldable canvas roof. According to AutoExpress, Audi has no intention of offering a hard top 'vert on its models anytime soon.

Power will come from the usual suspects, including the 3.2 V6, all the way down to the 1.6-liter FSI and diesels. At the low end, European customers can expect to pay around £18,500, while those heavy with the pen in the check boxes will top the Audi A3 convertible out around £28,000. Sales are expected to begin in 2008.

This friday Audi will hold a press conference in Györ, Hungary which will see the unveiling of the new Audi A3 Cabriolet. No further details have been released yet but we are not expected any major surprises from another addition to the Audi line up. The styling of the front end looks very much like the current generation A3, but the rear end styling appears to be based on the A5.

Production had been rumoured to commence in Brussels, Belgium, but judging by the location of the unveiling, it looks likely it will be built at their Hungary production facility.

We had expected the A3 Cabrio to debut in Geneva so this premature unveiling comes somewhat as a surprise.