Cloth-top convertibles aren't generally called allweather vehicles. Yes, they are ideal for enjoyment within the sun, and may guard residents from the small rain, but it really is time to swap to a different vehicle and park for the winter once it gets chilly. Right?

Not with Audi's A4 Cabriolet. With its wellinsulated threelayer accessible and top quattro allwheel drive setup, the A4 Cabrio is helpful yearround. For the high 30s. While not one of this is severe to anybody in, say, Fargo ND or Prudhoe Bay AK, using the A4 Cabrio's leading up at 40 degrees, it's as comfortable and wellinsulated like a sedan. 100 degrees outside? Not a problem, heatstroke isn't a pleasure, place the very best up and change in the air conditioner.

And as always, that best goes up and down instantly at the bit of the button, no guide latching crucial. In regular trim, with Audi's 2.0liter, 200-hp FSI direct fuel-injection fourcylinder engine and FrontTrak? frontwheel drive or quattro? allwheel drive drivetrains or the 3.2liter, 255-hp FSI V6 engine and quattro, this is an excellent sportoriented luxury-car. Both engines critical improve upon the preceding 1.8T and 3.0 V6 choices of the past several years. Require more energy? Then there is the S4 Cabrio. "S" denotes Audi's highperformance line, and S4 Cabrio means 340horse V8 under the hood, driving all wheels via a sixspeed manual gearbox or sixspeed automatic with "Tiptronic" manual shifting.

My 3.2 V6 quattro evaluation car was wellequipped for allseason duty, and not just within the comparatively moderate climate where I reside. Probably the greatest is the acoustic convertible top, discretionary with the 3.2 V6 and regular in the S4 Cabrio. Made from new, denser components, it generates an even quieter and betterinsulated topup inside experience than the already commendable standard top. Include quattro allweather grip, and there's no reason to maintain the A4 Cabrio in the garage for the wintertime.

LOOK: Topup or topdown, it's identifiably and Audi because of its form, and obviously now the big "single-framework" grille featured throughout the firm's line. Strong character lines within the hood and in the shoulders cancel the curved body contour. It got two doors for the sedan's four, so all body panels vary only a little between the two, however there's no doubt the Cabrio is an A4. When down, the best entirely vanishes beneath a hard tonneau.

RELAXATION: Inside as outside, the A4 Cabrio's styling is clear and easy, with a sophisticated geometric design. The arch over the instruments continues to the type of the center stack and console, and also the air and instruments ports - five - are highlighted with aluminum bezels. Aluminium can also be located on the door sills. The steering-wheel hub now includes a representation of the grille, with all the fourring Audi emblem inset. It got a thick leather rim, ideal for a hold, and is manually - flexible for both tilt and reach. Convenient roller-knob auxiliary audio controls are mounted in the steering-wheel spokes. The back seat resembles that of the sedan, and holds two moderate - sized adults comfortably. Topdown, while the deflector covers all the rear seat, unless there are rear passengers wind buffeting is minimal, and could be reduced by means of a wind deflector. The best goes up or down fast - controlled, and is fully power. The conventional top provides outstanding insulating material when up; the new "acoustic best" is even better. Visibility with the best up is much better than typical for a convertible. The top folds in the place behind the back seats, and does take-up some trunk space.

My test vehicle had the optional navigation system, which moves the CD changer via an unit to at least one hidden within the glovebox. Using the nav system, there are only two slots for SD cards on the other side of the LCD display, to play MP3 audio files.

SAFETY:

RIDE AND HANDLING: The chassis alterations that raise security also enhance the Cabrio's ride comfort and handling precision. There's almost no cowl shake, even on ill-paved roads, and just-upgraded steering enables more feedback from the street. As in the A4 sedan, suspension is entirely separate, by Audi's "Four Link" altered double-wishbone system in-front as well as their trapezoidal link rear system. In normal form, it really is tuned fairly, within the European luxurysport fashion. The quattro allwheel drive system is really a proven system which makes optimum utilization of the grip and power available in all circumstances, wet or dry.

FUNCTIONALITY: Who will argue with more energy, specially with no adverse effect on fuel-economy? FSI direct fuel-injection, which enables greater compression for enhanced power and effectiveness, and much more displacement total up to noteworthy power increases for both the 2.0liter fourcylinder and 3.2liter V6 engines, which are both 200cc larger-than their predecessors. My test vehicle had the V6. A sixspeed automatic transmission also advantages economy and functionality. It functions properly in daily-use in "D", and also better for sport driving in manual mode, when it may be shifted by paddles mounted in the steering-wheel spokes or perhaps a lever in the console. Integration between the transmission and motor electronics leads to revmatching during downshifts, for faster, smoother shifting.

2008 Audi A4 2.0T Cabriolet Quattro