AUDI is gracefully withdrawing the current A3 Cabriolet models - with the help of new high spec Final Edition versions.

Work is continuing on the new generation soft-top, in the meantime these Final Edition cars are based on the familiar Sport and S line specification levels, with prices from £23,775 to £30,615.

They replace the Sport model's cloth upholstery with Vienna leather and add front seat heating, rear parking sensors, auto headlight and wiper activation, cruise control and a Bluetooth mobile phone interface.

That's in addition to existing Sport trimmings like 17-inch alloys, sports suspension, dual-zone climate control, a Concert CD audio system with auxiliary iPod/MP3 socket and automatic acoustic hood.

S line Final Edition models go further, replacing the original 18-inch S line alloy wheels with a new five-spoke design, adding Vienna leather upholstery and boosting the safety and entertainment features to include xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lamps, DVD-based sat-nav, Audi Music Interface iPod connection and a BOSE sound system.

The premium for the new A3 Cabriolet Sport Final Edition model is £2,340 over the standard A3 Cabriolet, which is also continuing in this final production run and compared with adding the extras individually the premium represents a saving of £1,605.

The step up to the S line Final Edition from the Sport Final Edition costs another £2,435, effectively saving £3,640 compared with choosing its additional equipment separately.

Power options for standard Cabriolet models, and both Final Edition variants, include three direct injection petrol units - the 1.2 TFSI with 105PS, the 1.8 TFSI with 160PS and 2.0 TFSI with 200PS - or two turbo-diesels - the 1.6 TDI with 105PS and 2.0 TDI with 140PS.

Prices for the final Cabriolet range start from £21,435 for the 1.2 TFSI standard model. Sport Final Edition versions start from £23,775 and S line Final Editions from £26,210.