Review of the new Audi A4 Cabriolet 2.0 TFSI S Line Special Edition

Sometimes, the most expensive option isn't necessarily the best one. Take Audi's desirable A4 Cabriolet. If you're looking at one, you'll find it difficult not to be attracted by the flagship 414bhp V8 RS4 version. The problem is, it's £60,000 and an even bigger issue is that for exactly half that price, you can get a very fast A4 Cabriolet that is arguably a better car.

Yes, the V8 has an awesome soundtrack but in real world driving, the 2.0-litre TFSI is probably as quick over most journeys. Rest to sixty takes 7.9s on the way to an artificial maximum of 155mph. Exactly how much faster do you need to go. Of course, the RS4 really looks the part and has many more of those special touches that really make you feel good about ownership. But even here, the 2.0 TFSI variant has an answer - for the time being at least in the form of the S line special edition model we look at here.

This car rides on exclusive 18-inch 7-arm double spoke design alloy wheels with 235/40 R18 tyres and lowered sports suspension. Visual impact is added by an S line exterior styling pack, which brings a highly polished black painted grille and unique front and rear bumper design with rear diffuser. Xenon head lamps also add to the visual impact.

Inside, the S line specification, which normally includes trimmings such as Pearl Nappa leather-upholstered sports seats, a perforated leather trimmed S line sports steering wheel and brushed aluminium inlays, is enhanced by an upgraded Symphony audio system with six CD changer, a BOSE speaker system, rear acoustic parking sensors and aluminium foot pedals. Combined, the extra equipment fitted inside and out would normally cost an additional £2,035.Standard 2.0T FSI variants start at £28,585. The upgraded Special Edition specification supplements range-wide features such as fully automatic soft-top operation, electric front and rear windows and electronic climate control.

On the road, it's soon clear why this powerplant has won its class so often at the 'Engine Of The Year' awards. It's a turbocharged 2.0-litre which incorporates the Volkswagen Group's increasingly ubiquitous Fuel Stratified Injection technology. This is a system for the direct injection of unleaded straight into the combustion chamber at high pressure for improved atomisation. The fuel-air mixture burns more efficiently as a result of this and the driver benefits from significant boosts to performance and responsiveness as the engine adapts to the demands being placed upon it.

"For half the cost of the flagship A4 Convertible, this version's probably a better bet."

Any thoughts of the pistons, fuel injectors, camshafts and engine management systems all working together in harmony under the bonnet quickly dissipate once you get behind the wheel of the Audi A4 Cabriolet. It's a car that majors on emotion and sensation, even if the Germans do go about delivering them in a mercilessly efficient kind of way. The key questions in the thinking of prospective buyers on a test drive as the wind hits their hair and the engine note soars are likely to include: how does it look? How do I look driving it? And, how fast does it go? The answer to the final is, as already suggested, pretty damn fast.

The 2.0-litre TFSI features in the acclaimed Golf GTI remember, and here it produces an identical 200bhp. The A4 Cabriolet does have more roof and metalwork to lug about that the comparatively lean hot hatchback but that doesn't take the edge off too much. When you're sitting at a red light, the acceleration can be savage if you really give it some and there's an eye-opening 280Nm of torque at just 1,800rpm. It's this hefty pull from low revs that defines the car's character more than its outright speed. Forget the peeks and troughs of power and the need to keep the revs on the boil that you experience in some other turbocharged cars: the A4 Cabriolet 2.0 TFSI offers excellent flexibility from low revs with acceleration on tap when you want it.

On the road, the car never feels less than solid and the front-wheel-drive transmission has no problems getting the 2.0 TFSI's power down. The ride is smooth as a cabriolet should be, although this S line model does firm things up a touch for buyers wanting a sportier experience. Most of the feedback that reaches the driver comes through the suspension as the steering feels quite dead.

Drive the 2.0 TFSI model back to back with the 255bhp 3.2-litre FSI V6 and the difference isn't as great as you might imagine. The 2.0-litre's smooth, linear power delivery makes it feel very much like a larger six-cylinder unit. It's a little noisier and pulls less strongly at higher speeds but there's only just over a second difference in the 0-60mph acceleration. You certainly wouldn't feel like you were missing out too drastically if you opted for the cheaper 2.0 TFSI over the V6. When they factor-in the difference in fuel economy and emissions, it's a choice that many will probably take.

In a class full of particularly pretty cars, this one stands out, even against drop-top versions of the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes CLK. And with competitive pricing counting in the Audi's favour, this A4 looks set to continually reprise the sales success of its predecessor. Unlike BMW, Audi has continued with a soft top for its convertible, arguing that the engineering compromises required to fit a folding hard top force designers into all sorts of other knock-on issues regarding weight and packaging. This electro-hydraulically operated hood features a heated glass window and there's even an option of a special acoustic hood with fabrics of greater density to further insulate the driver from wind noise. With this additional insulation, noise in the cabin is impressively limited. Wind noise picks up at around 80mph but overall, it's little different to the A4 saloon.

The hood is folded away neatly and without fuss at speeds of up to 20mph by holding a switch next to the handbrake. There's a button to raise and lower all four windows simultaneously on the driver's door and elsewhere, the cabin is predictably well built. Audi seem to have successfully addressed many of the complaints often levelled at drop-top models. There's little evidence of scuttle shake and the handling is composed on twisty roads but even they couldn't satisfactorily address the age-old problem of rear legroom. With a driver of around 6ft at the wheel, any normal-sized adult sitting behind is going to have a particularly uncomfortable time of it. There is space to get two people in the back but long 4-up journeys are best avoided unless they're small children or you've drugged them in advance. Boot space is fairly generous with the roof up and may even be sufficient for an old family friend under heavy medication but when the hood goes down, so do your stowage options.

Let's cut to the chase. What should you buy if you're looking for a prestigious, yet relatively affordable sporting convertible that's as comfortable on the school run as it is on the Riviera? The quick answer is that Audi's Cabriolet remains the best choice. Of its rivals, the pricey Mercedes CLK is anything but sporty, the BMW 3 Series has looks compromised by its metal folding roof and Saab's 9-3 can't match the A4's build quality. When it comes to choosing from the A4 Cabriolet range, the issue is equally clear cut. Unless you do the kind of annual mileage that will justify the premium being demanded for the 3.0TDI, then the 2.0 TFSI is the best bet. And when it comes to the 2.0 TFSI, this S line Special Edition version is the one to have. There. That was easy wasn't it?