Bahnstorming Audi Drop Top

By Motoring Channel Staff - 21/04/2005

Audi's long-awaited S4 Cabriolet has just gone on sale in Australia, in an effort to put the brakes on sales of BMW's M3 Convertible and bolster its burgeoning Cabriolet range.

The new sports drop top, first unveiled at the 2005 Melbourne International Motor Show, is priced at $143,800 - almost $10,000 less than the M3 Convertible, whose asking price is $153,700.

Like its S4 saloon and Avant siblings, reviewed here, the S4 Cabriolet boasts impressive performance figures thanks to its 4.2-litre V8 engine.

It develops 253kW of power, and in contrast to the S4 sedan features an electro-hydraulic drop-top which opens up in under 30 seconds.

Expected to appeal to well-to-do drivers who love the sense of freedom that top-down motoring brings, the S4 Cabriolet driver will benefit from the practicality of four usable seats, a very high level of quality and standard equipment and of course an extremely sporty engine response.

Gripping performance is not in dispute here, thanks to Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive technology, a key feature of all Audi 'S' models.

Audi Australia’s big chief, Mr Joerg Hofmann, says that although the S4 Cabriolet is a niche model for Australia, it is nonetheless an important addition to the range.

"The Audi Cabriolet is admired both for its style and the strong performance from both the 1.8-litre Turbo and 3.0-litre V6 engines.

"The Audi S4 Cabriolet takes this concept one step further, adding supreme ‘S’ model performance to the beautifully-designed vehicle body, plus feel-good factors such as its throaty engine note, quattro all-wheel drive and [motor]sports-derived steering wheel paddles for faster gear changes and responsiveness," Hofmann concluded.

The new Audi S4 Cabriolet adopts a deliberately restrained appearance – a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

A closer look, however, reveals that this stylish, sporty body is indeed subtly different in its basic form and proportions to its sibling - the Audi A4 Cabriolet.

The front bumper features larger air inlets, the xenon headlights have a titanium-coloured surround behind the glass and the outside mirror housings have been given an aluminium finish, just like the S4 sedan.

A glance at the rear reveals the powerful exhaust tailpipes on both sides that are so typical of the Audi S models.

The Audi S4 Cabriolet runs on 18-inch cast aluminium wheels of S design with 235/40 profile R18 tyres.

Inside too, the Cabriolet is immediately identifiable as an S4. The instrument cluster has the grey dials that are characteristic of S models, complete with special needles, and there is a choice of carbon fibre, piano finish, brushed aluminium and birch wood for the inlays.

The car’s sporty character is emphasised by the three-spoke leather-covered sports steering wheel with S emblem and there are the mandatory shift paddles behind the steering wheel on cars with the 6-speed tiptronic transmission.

The Alcantara and leather sports seats, with lumbar support and adjustable thigh support, like the M3 Convertible, can be electrically adjusted in several directions, providing firm lateral support and excellent comfort on long journeys.

The Audi S4 Cabriolet’s 8-cylinder engine develops 253kW (344hp) @ 7000rpm, and delivers a welcome 410Nm of torque to the crankshaft @ 3500rpm. The Audi S4 Cabriolet sprints from 0 to 100km/h in only 5.9 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 250km/h, at which point the electronic governor cuts in smoothly.

Power is delivered to the road via a 6-speed tiptronic transmission with dynamic shift program, plus an additional Sport program. Shift paddles on the steering wheel combine sports-style driving with the convenience of an automatic transmission, and are ideal for smooth, relaxed travel in an open-topped car.

The lightweight aluminium chassis consists of four-link front and trapezoidal-link rear suspension, and is designed to ensure maximum steering precision and clearly defined road behaviour with excellent lateral stability, though the lack of a roof means that structural rigidity is not quite as good as in the S4 sedan.

Servotronic steering is another standard feature, varying the degree of power assistance according to road speed so that the correct combination of steering precision and light action is always obtained.