After three years on the market, Audi introduced a facelifted version for its compact-segment contender, the A3, and the Cabriolet version received more features.

In the third generation of the A3 lineup, there was also the second generation of the Cabriolet version. It featured a larger trunk and an important, technological, evolution over its predecessor.

The second generation of the Audi A3 was introduced in 2003. In 2008, along with the facelift, it introduced the open-top version for the car. It was a well-expected addition but at the wrong time.