Audi S4 Cabriolet 2005 Review

There is servotronic steering that varies the degree of power assistance according to road speed, drive-by-wire computerised throttle control, a modern aluminium chassis, trapezoidal-link rear suspension, traction control, six-speed tiptronic paddle shifters, and, of course, Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive technology which celebrates its 25th birthday this year.

That's a lot of technology crammed into this open-top beauty.

Yet from the outside and even inside, there are no overt signs that this is such a technological or high-powered weapon. The differences are subtle.

Two tell-tale pipes stick out the rear, burbling away with ominous intent.

Subtle S4 badging on the front, rear and the instrument panel hint at the extra performance and sports-tuned suspension. Reverse mirrors are aluminium-backed and the air dams on the front are a little larger.

The kind of person who buys a Tag Heuer watch in aluminium instead of gold might also appreciate the S4 Cabriolet.

It costs $143,800, yet from the outside, it doesn't look any different from the 3-litre A4 Cabriolet at $101,000 or even the 1.8-litre turbo at $81,200.

But the S4 driver isn't so much about show as performance and fun.

And you get lashings of both here. Performance has to be tickled out of this one, though. With so much technology, it almost gets in the way of a spirited drive. Plant your foot and the supernanny makes you sit on the naughty step for what seems like an eternity but is only a nano-second. Throw the car into a corner and you get the same punishment.

Yet if you gently feather the throttle and steer with light hands it rewards with lightning speed and efficiency. And there is no doubting the fun to be had in a convertible.

Yet I have a number of concerns about open-topped cars: They are noisy, hot in summer, cold in winter, glary for the driver, a skin cancer concern, they lack security and cargo/passenger space, and they don't handle as well as a sedan.

Drop-top fans will say that the intrusion of the elements and the cramped conditions are all part of the fun and I can see that. Plus the air-conditioning and seat warmers take the edge off. However, the handling can still be a worry.

A sedan's chassis is like a tough peanut shell. Take half the shell away and it is easy to squeeze.

To prevent this chassis flex and provide extra crash protection, makers strengthen the chassis with extra intrusion bars and bracing. The result is a heavier car.

However, Audi has strengthened the chassis with lightweight aluminium so it's not as bad as some convertibles.

Having come to terms with the cabriolet side of things, I was hooked by the car's aural and visual character, its obvious fun factor and its thrilling acceleration — 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds.

My only disappointment was with the electro-hydraulic drop-top which opens in about 30 seconds. That's long by modern standards.