Most economical engine choice from launch is the 2.0-litre TDI diesel with average fuel consumption of 67.3mpg.

It’s joined by a 1.6-litre TDI in February 2014, with average fuel consumption forecast to potentially approach the 70mpg mark.

The 138bhp 1.4-litre TFSI petrol can average up to 56.5mpg according to Audi, partly thanks to its clever Cylinder-on-Demand technology explained in the Performance section.

Even for the top 178bhp 1.8-litre TFSI version, Audi A3 Cabriolet running costs in terms of fuel consumption are not bad at all at a claimed 48.7mpg average.

Lower weight and more efficient engines have helped make Audi A3 Cabriolet emissions far lower than the previous-generation model.

From launch, the 2.0-litre TDI diesel offers the lowest CO2 emissions of the range at 110g/km.

We can expect that to be beaten by the 1.6-litre TDI available from February 2014. Figures are yet to be released for that variant but in other versions of the A3 it emits less than 100g/km.

The top 1.8-litre TFSI petrol chucks out 133g/km of CO2, which is still a relatively low figure given its performance.

Since this the fourth model variant to join the main A3 line-up, there should be little to worry you about Audi A3 Cabriolet reliability. All the major mechanical parts are well proven and the roof mechanism appears durable.