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03/09/2008 22:44. When, earlier this year, Audi launched its smallest-ever open-topped car, the A3 Cabriolet, it provided enthusiasts of this sort of vehicle with a premium alternative to similar models such as the Ford Focus , Peugeot 307  and Vauxhall Astra , as well as a rival to the BMW 1-Series .

I don't think it would be too controversial to suggest that if you parked all these cars in a line, the A3 would be the one that caught your eye last. Audi operates on the basis that its customers prefer subtle styling, and if that's true they certainly get it here.

There are four engines in the range, and the 1.8 TFSI turbo petrol tested here is second from the bottom in terms of price (only the 1.9 TDI is cheaper) but second from the top in the power stakes (at 158bhp it produces more power than the two... // CARkeys