S3 Cabriolet in Full Production Trim Spotted in Ingolstadt

[JohnC]

French language Audi enthusiast site Audipassion.com were in Ingolstadt recently and spotted a definitely not-yet-in-production car casually parked in the underground parking garage off of the Audi Forum:

Full story and pictures here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?&id=4018846&postid=51272796

 

[jamiekip]

Discussion underway already over here:
http://www.tt-talk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4613&pid=27536&st=0&#entry27536
Suspicion is it's a normal cab dressed as an S3.
Audi have already stated they can not get the quattro system in to the A3 cab, so front wheel drive S3...
I maybe proved wrong in time though......

 

[Metalex]

Bucket seats and cabriolet just don't go together.

 

[S3 LTN]

The buckets look shweet!!!!

 

[Trev241]

Discussion underway already over here:
http://www.tt-talk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4613&pid=27536&st=0&#entry27536
Suspicion is it's a normal cab dressed as an S3.
Audi have already stated they can not get the quattro system in to the A3 cab, so front wheel drive S3...
I maybe proved wrong in time though......

Teeside Audi did state recently that the S3 cab would be available sometime this year, the plot thickens.

 

[jamiekip]

Hmmmm, let me try and find the Audi release I saw....

 

[JohnC]

Discussion underway already over here:
http://www.tt-talk.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=4613&pid=27536&st=0&#entry27536
Suspicion is it's a normal cab dressed as an S3.
Audi have already stated they can not get the quattro system in to the A3 cab, so front wheel drive S3...
I maybe proved wrong in time though......

Interesting! 'S3IZZO' over there says that "The seats don't have the tilt handles on them" and "Also the dials don't look like S3 dials" yet if you look closely at the photos on the link he is wrong in both cases.

I wonder why they're saying they can't incorporate quattro into the A3 Cab in view of the fact that the TT Roadster is available with it and (as far as I know) the two cars share the same platform.

 

[Deleted member 21388]

Those buckets are slightly different to mine - they have what looks like the seatbelt guide on the side. - Wish mine hads those on !
White / cream does look different - would be better with 1/2 leather & alcantara in my eyes.

Richard

 

[jonnyc]

Also looks like its DSG!!

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

Also looks like its DSG!!

nah, they've just parked it in third gear:

 

[PNH80]

I have no reason to think this is a fake and i can't see why Audi would really struggle to get quattro into a Cabriolet S3?! I'm sure there have been greater achievements in automotive design over the years!!

 

[L60N]

Those buckets are slightly different to mine - they have what looks like the seatbelt guide on the side. - Wish mine hads those on !
White / cream does look different - would be better with 1/2 leather & alcantara in my eyes.

Richard

Im sure the reason for the guider is that when u have a soft top car, the seatbelt cannot be mounted high up (above the shoulder) so they tend to come from the rear quarter, up and through the guider, so you dont get major chaffage

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

nah, they've just parked it in third gear:

although it does have the paddle shift steering wheel.... not sure why somebody would go to all the trouble of fitting the s3 bumpers, mirrors, floor mats, handbrake cover and seats and then just not bother about the steering wheel.

the gear lever also looks to have a different top than the standard S3 one.

EDIT - Wait a minute.... it doesn't have the S3 handbrake cover. The plot thickens!

 

[Matt]

are the wheels chromed? look like it

 

[Khufu]

although it does have the paddle shift steering wheel.... not sure why somebody would go to all the trouble of fitting the s3 bumpers, mirrors, floor mats, handbrake cover and seats and then just not bother about the steering wheel.

the gear lever also looks to have a different top than the standard S3 one.

EDIT - Wait a minute.... it doesn't have the S3 handbrake cover. The plot thickens!

There is no way Audi would put out a car with paddles you couldn't use. Do the S3's all have white stitching on the handbrake lever? (this one doesnt match gear change & steering wheel) The person has done it themselves for sure.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

could those seats be out of the RS4 cabrio? That would explain the seatbelt guide thingy.

Perhaps it belongs to someone who works at the factory and did it up themselves out of the seconds bin.

 

[jamiekip]

The plot really does thicken!
Question though - who would actually want an S3 cabrio????

 

[JohnC]

A French guy over on Fourtitude who appears to be from Audipassion (where the pictures originated) says he has more information about the car. I quote:

"At the moment, it is about a series limited for Germany. But it is the system quattro as on S3 and A3 3.2.

I guess we'll see...

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

still doesn't explain the dsg wheel and non-s3 handbrake cover - not something you'd expect the boffins at Audi to overlook.

can't see why Audi would make an S3 Cabrio only for the German market. Given that the UK is probably the biggest cabrio market in Europe they'd be missing out keeping it for herman the german.

 

[JohnC]

I agree. I've posted on there asking him to clarify further.

 

[matmaxedout]

2 other differences to a normal A3 cab are the badge on the door cards and the rear difuser, where the grey part seems to be sticking out that bit more from the rest of the bumper, not like that on my s-line cab

 

[matmaxedout]

The plot really does thicken!
Question though - who would actually want an S3 cabrio????

why wouldn't you??? they do a S4 cab best of both worlds

 

[mitch78]

:thumbsup: