Audi A4 CABRIOLET QUATTRO RANGE
Quick question. How many cars can you buy that feature a drop top and all-wheel drive? Well done if you picked the Audi TT and the Porsche 911 Convertible. Even more kudos if you knew about some forthcoming lovelies from Lamborghini. But if you narrowed the brief to encompass rear seats, only one manufacturer can help you out.
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Its often said that if you dont like the weather in the UK, wait five minutes and it will change. Whilst this may be a slight exaggeration, it definitely helps to have a car for all seasons. The Audi A4 Cabriolet quattro offers the wet weather security of all-wheel drive coupled with the ability to turn itself into one of the most elegant sun loungers around. Three versions are now offered.
The first two are the more mainstream cars powered by either a 163bhp 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine or Audis magnificent 3.0-litre V6 powerplant thats good for no fewer than 226bhp. The third model in the Cabriolet quattro line up is bound to excite the enthusiasts.
For the first time, Audis S4 is available as a drop top and this edition is a stunner. Designed to spike the guns of BMWs M3 Convertible, the numbers for the S4 Cabriolet speak for themselves. With 344bhp on tap a crucial 1bhp more than the BMW the S4 was always going to offer sledgehammer performance but couple that with peerless traction off the line and the car will catapult through 60mph in just 5.7 seconds.
Power is deployed via a six-speed manual gearbox although there is a six-speed tiptronic option that adds a mere 0.3 seconds to the benchmark sprint. The turbocharged engine boasts a monstrous torque figure of 302lb/ft which is more than a Ferrari 360 Modena or a Porsche 911 GT3 can muster. Although quattro has become a powerful brand builder for Audi, its important to realise that not all quattro systems are alike.
The TT and A3 uses a system thats based on a Haldex differential, directing drive to the front wheels most of the time. A4 models, on the other hand, use a more rugged Torsen differential that is the true successor to the system used by the car that started it all, the Audi Quattro proper. This gizmo senses the amount of torque that each wheel can sensibly deploy and offers a more natural feel than the Haldex system for experienced drivers. For those without such subtlety, itll mean the end of wheelspin in the wet and a welcome absence of torque steer that tedious tugging at the steering wheel under hard acceleration.
"Even if you cant run to the S4, you wont be disappointed with the acceleration of the other A4 Cabriolet quattro models"
Even if you cant run to the £41,310 S4, you wont be disappointed with the acceleration of the other A4 Cabriolet quattro models. Even the £26,790 1.8T model is agreeably quick and the £30,330 3.0-litre V6 is good for over 150mph, knocking off the sprint to 60mph in less than eight seconds.
Although it is an accomplished ground coverer, dont go expecting a five seater TT roadster. The A4 Cabriolet quattro models are grand tourers albeit rather brisk ones. BMW still rules the roost when it comes to outright handling but these quattro Audis have overtaken Munichs best efforts as covetable ownership propositions. Owners of the soggy old 91-00 Cabriolet may well be shocked at how much better this one is.
Of course, it should be a lot better, given that the previous model was based on a car with a design dating back to 1986. Sure enough, the latest version is 112% stiffer and, more importantly, tauter than its two main German rivals. As a result, scuttle shake has been almost banished and general vibrations of all kinds should be virtually impossible to detect. Though the general set-up is soft, roll has been kept in check, enabling you to push on with vigour when the need arises.
The S4 is noticeably firmer but even then theres very little in the way of body flex. This sports flagship model can be identified by its 18-inch alloy wheels, colour coded bumpers with monster air intakes, xenon lamps with titanium inner housings, fat exhaust tailpipes and that S-car signature feature, the polished aluminium exterior mirrors. Inside youll e treated to grey instrument dials, electrically adjustable Recaro sports seats and a leather-trimmed steering wheel sporting the S emblem. The beautifully lined three-layer roof hides beneath an aluminium-trimmed solid tonneau cover when not in use.
Electrically operated of course, it opens or closes in 24 seconds and there are no fiddly manual latches to break your nails on before you can press the button. The whole thing can also be done from the outside of the car by using the remote control keyfob. Unfortunately, the wind deflector (essential if you want to comfortably drive with the roof down at speed) costs extra and, to add insult to injury, it effectively reduces your car to a two-seater. The rear window is a proper heated glass affair and there is of course an optional hard top, should you want to drive your car day-in, day-out all winter.
Theres something about an Audi with quattro transmission that feels so much more definitive than a two-wheel drive version. All-wheel drive is the bedrock on which Audi have forged their current success and even if it is of marginal benefit to you, the sheer reassurance of knowing youve got it if you need it will swing the balance for many. If you need a cabriolet that seats five and features all-wheel drive, theres only one place to go.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Audi A4 Cabriolet quattro range
PRICES: £26,790 - £41,310 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-20
CO2 EMISSIONS: 224-325g/km
PERFORMANCE: [3.0] 0-60mph 7.9s / Max Speed 151mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.8T] (combined) 30mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ESP, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4573/1777/1391mm
