Audi A5 Cabriolet vs BMW 4 Series Convertible

[JacobOlivia]

These are interesting times in the convertible class. A whole host of new premium drop-tops are arriving this year, so the class crown is there for the taking.

Audi has already proved capable of providing luxurious interiors and a pleasing driving experience with the A5 Coupé, and this latest A5 Cabriolet has the same great innards and underpinnings. Looking to keep the A5 in its box, though, is BMW’s recently facelifted 4 Series Convertible, which benefits from tweaks to its interior, kit list and suspension in a bid to stay competitive.
Both cars have 2.0-litre petrol engines that pump out a whisker under 250bhp, but BMW’s choice to give the 4 Series a folding metal roof gives it a considerable weight penalty over the fabric-roofed A5. It’s not surprising, then, that the latter builds speed more swiftly when you need to overtake a lorry or join a motorway. The fact that the A5 has four-wheel drive also means it can scamper away from the mark quicker than the rear-wheel drive 4 Series – especially when the road is damp.

The 4 Series’ engine sounds gruff when you accelerate and you feel vibrations coursing through the steering wheel and pedals; you could almost mistake it for a diesel. By comparison, the A5’s petrol engine is silky smooth at any revs and sounds much sweeter when you work it hard.

However, there’s nothing wrong with the 4 Series’ automatic gearbox, which flicks between its eight gears intelligently when left to do its own thing and is quick to oblige when you want to change gear manually by pulling paddles behind the steering wheel. The A5’s automatic gearbox may have one fewer gear to call upon, but most of the time it’s an equally impressive companion whether you take control or not. It can be slightly more jerky when you’re parking, though.



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