The lid has been lifted...

The lid has been lifted on Audi’s new drop-top. Meet the A3 Cabriolet, which gets an electric roof and looks that will turn heads wherever it goes.

Arriving here in March, the newcomer will go up against BMW’s 1-Series Convertible and the new MINI Convertible, providing style-conscious sun-worshippers with a cheaper option to the A4 Cabriolet.

Thanks to the hood’s super-fast set-up, it will be ideal for Britain’s unpredictable weather. And that’s because the new A3 goes from topless to top up in only nine seconds – considerably faster than its 1-Series rival’s 22-second figure.

Completely automatic and requiring no catches to be released, the mechanism is controlled by a switch on the centre console, or via the key fob. It folds flush behind the rear seats, and can be raised or lowered at speeds of up to around 20mph.

All A3 Cabriolet models get a fresh look, with a more pronounced single-frame grille, sportier lower splitter and new headlights – the flagship Sport model’s will feature LED running lights, which debuted on the R8 supercar. Meanwhile, at the rear, there are sleek tail-lights, which draw their inspiration from those on the A5 Coupé. The styling tweaks will appear on the rest of the A3 range towards the end of 2008.

Inside, there’s space for four, with the same amount of rear legroom as the three-door hatchback offers. The roof does steal 90 litres of the boot’s 340-litre capacity, though. However, thanks to the rear seats, which can be split 50:50 and folded flat, there’s 674 litres of maximum luggage room. And to cope with the loss of the roof, the A-pillars, side sills and floorpan have been reinforced, plus there are high-strength steel rollover hoops.

Under the bonnet, power comes from a choice of 158bhp 1.8 TFSI or 197bhp 2.0 TFSI petrol engines, while the diesel line-up consists of 104bhp 1.9 TDI and 138bhp 2.0 TDI units. And Audi’s S tronic twin-clutch semi-automatic will be available as an option. Prices for the range are expected to start at ?18,500.