Audi raises the roof

When it comes to Audi's A5 Cabriolet, there is only one number that you need to remember: 15. That's the time in seconds it takes for the car's powered roof to retract. Once done – and you can do it on the move – you better be prepared for envious looks from those around you.

It was only a matter of time before Audi took the top off its well received A5 Coupé. Although it shares more than a few design cues with its infinitely more sensible A4 saloon, it's obvious which one is likely to attract buyers with no need for two extra doors.

If anything, the A5 Cabriolet moves the coupé up the aspirational ladder a few rungs. It's hardly surprising as the original 80-based convertible created a similar stir when it was launched.

This time around the formula might be the same – svelte styling, room for four, fabric roof – but there's nothing formulaic about the A5 Cabriolet.

All around it other makers are shoehorning folding metals roofs into their once streamlined coupés but Audi has chosen the more stylish path. With a fabric roof there's no need to engineer an aircraft carrier-style boot lid to accommodate the panels.

Then there's the weight issue; a cloth roof – even a powered one – is unlikely to upset the car's balance. And, crucially, it's much easier to make it so that you can open and close when on the move. Can you imagine having to shift all that metal?

This Audi, like so many, is all about style and the feel-good factor. Built to last and to a level that must have rival engineers lying awake at night in a cold sweat, once you slide into the A5 Cabriolet it just feels right. From the contours of the supportive seats to the elegant switchgear, ergonomic fascia and clear instrumentation to the overall ambience, it would be a very cruel man indeed who found fault with the surroundings.

It's hard to complain about the roof. In simple terms it just works; you press a button to lower it and it folds away without fuss. It will open in 15 seconds and close in 17, and this can be done at speeds of up to 50kph – no more embarrassing situations at traffic lights when they turn green but the car's not finished doing its thing.

You'd be right to expect the Cabriolet to perform much like the Coupé on the road. That it does is a testament to the work done to banish any flex or rattle in the cabin, even when driving on the harshest of roads.

The car's overall performance is helped in no small measure by the polished collection of engines and transmissions on offer. The 2.0T with 211bhp will launch in the Middle East in October, however, 3.2-litre and a 3.0-litre TDI diesel engines are available in Europe. But as with previous new Audis you can expect to see the range of engines expand over time, with an affordable four-cylinder diesel likely to prove especially popular.

Cleaner and greener than previous offerings, the engines promise much on paper and thankfully deliver the goods on the road; the 265 horsepower petrol V6 is especially potent, the 211 horsepower four-pot petrol unit surprisingly good for its size and the V6 diesel is smooth, quiet and powerful in a subtle kind of way.

And with manual, twin-clutch DSG (S tronic) and CVT-style multitronic auto gearboxes available plus Audi's famed quattro all-wheel drive as standard on the diesel and an option on the other variants. A variety of engines and trim will be available in the UAE making it easy to tailor the car to your requirements. Audi is famous for offering a generous array of optional kit and the A5 Cabriolet is no different – there's the usual stuff – sat-nav, audio and the like.

If you sense a distinct bias towards the aesthetics of this drop-top A5 then you would be right. Cars like this are all about image, and this convertible succeeds where many rivals can only come close. Whether it's build quality, looks, image or the draw of those four rings, it's hard to find a better all-round package. That it's also an entertaining steer is the icing on the cake.

For all the fuss that's made about cars with folding metal roofs there's much to be said about the traditional fabric alternative.

Granted, the A5's roof is far from simple – the levels of refinement with the roof up are impressively coupé-like – but it does make the car look appealing when raised, which is a rare achievement. Being an Audi this is no coincidence and the A5 Cabriolet is a great all-rounder, roof up or down.


The Rivals

BMW 3 series

The convertible is well built and a great drive but is let down by a lack of space 

VOLVO C70

It has mastered the aesthetics but doesn't carry it through to performance 

MERCEDES CLK 

The CLK is one of the most practical cars in its class but it is also one of the most expensive