Sweet, Sweeter, Sweetest
The A4 Cabriolet is a beautiful car, perhaps one of the prettiest faces on the market. Powered by a lineup of silky smooth inline-4 and V6 engines, and driving only the front wheels through a slick CVT transmission, sun worshipers have come to know this convertible as one of the most relaxed environs on four wheels.
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| Considering the competition, Audi's decision to drop quattro all-wheel drive and the S4's big 4.2-liter V8 into the A4 Cabriolet is a smart move. (Photo: Audi) |
Given that the most powerful engine offered is a mere 220 horsepower V6, open-air enthusiasts have needed to turn to BMW's M3 Convertible and Mercedes-Benz' CLK Cabriolet for a more spirited drive. With M-B upping output in its new CLK55 AMG Cabriolet, and BMW expected to offer a version of the M5's V8 in its next-generation M3, Audi's decision to drop quattro all-wheel drive and a big honking 4.2 liter V8 into the A4's convertible body is timely.
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| Design wise, pretty much everything stays the same for the S4 Cabriolet when compared to the S4 sedan, other than the lack of a roof. (Photo: Audi) |
Not much has been done to the A4's pretty face to turn it into the S4 Cabriolet. Much of the car's front fascia stays the same - same headlights, grille and hood, although the air dam, which the new engine breathes through, is larger, and outlined in a thin layer of chrome. Side mirrors, in S tradition, are housed in polished aluminum, while in back two finely polished exhaust tips poke through the rear fascia. But other than a few tiny S4 badges around the car, and the 18-inch Avus wheels that it rides on, the S4 Cab is a rather plain looking Audi - it doesn't even have the odd gray plastic strips at the bottom of the doors!