The Mercedes family of compact cars will soon have a new addition in the form of the convertible A-Class, following the 3- and 5-door variants that are going on sale next year. To help it achieve its goal of becoming the top selling premium car manufacturer and to rival the BMW 1-Series Convertible, VW Golf Cabriolet, and the Audi A3 Cabriolet, it is hoped the convertible A-Class will have a big impact on the market.

During the launch of the B-Series, Mercedes CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche announced that five new compact cars would be released in the coming years, four of which we were already aware of, namely: the A-Class Hatchback, B-Class, baby CLS 4-door coupe and an SUV. Now we have the missing piece of the puzzle. The A-Class Cabriolet will sit on the new front-wheel-drive platform with 7-speed dual clutch transmission that all the compacts will be based on and that uses multi-link rear suspension to afford drivers better handling and a more comfortable ride. A fabric roof instead of a folding hard-top is expected given its lighter in weight and more cost-efficient.

The A-Class range will include a 1.6-liter petrol turbo, a 1.8-liter diesel, and a turbocharged 200hp 2.0-liter petrol motor. For those in need of bigger thrills, there will also be a 4-wheel drive AMG version producing 350hp from the twin-turbo 2.0-liter engine. However, patience will be required as sales of the A-Class Cabriolet aren't expected to start until 2014.