By Vince Bodiford Automotive Editor DANA POINT, Calif. - Convertibles are most often thought of in the Sunbelt and during the spring and summer. Even so, Audi has chosen to introduce its newest convertible offering this fall - perhaps to underscore the idea that this convertible is not just a fair-weather friend; it offers all-weather capabilities that are as sealed-up inside as any hard-roofed car. A true A4, the Cabriolet however does not share a single piece of sheet metal with any of the other A4 models. A two-door, four seat convertible, the Cabriolet was conceived to be its own individual car - with sweeping styling and innovative features. The power-operated soft top is a one-touch operation that fully opens or closes the top in just 24-seconds. Why 24 seconds? It’s about the average time of stoplights in North America - giving the driver of the Cabrio ample opportunity to close the top should inclement weather suddenly appear. And protecting that interior would be high on my priority list - inside, it is an expanse of fine leather, polished woods, machined metals and instrumentation. Powered by Audi’s venerable 220-horsepower 3.0-liter engine, the Cabrio is front-wheel drive, with the CVT multitronic automatic transmission. Audi’s 1.8-liter turbo is available, and the Cabrio will be offered with Quattro (all-wheel drive) next year. There is plenty of power in either of the engines. Both are smooth and quiet, and neither is a compromise. Driving the Cabrio reveals the nature of the car, and what the Audi designers were seeking. It’s an exciting, responsive drive that strikes a balance between aggressive performance and refined road manners. I drove the car over a two-day period in California, around the twisting and rolling roads of southern Orange County, and around the coastal enclave of Dana Point. I preferred to motor with the top-down. With the top stowed, the car seems to be at its prettiest, and the most fun to drive. Retracting the soft-top, I headed onto some of Southern California’s busy freeways, and I was impressed with how effective the top dampened the outside road noise. Auto Union (Audi) is famous for exceptional design and construction, and the A4 Cabrio is no exception. In fact, it may be the finest in its class, with an updated interior, dash facia, instrument cluster and seats. The large, polished metal wraparound ring brings together the outside features with the inside. Audi employs an array of new and innovative safety features that make open-air motoring in the A4 as safe as any hardtop car. Concealed rollover bars automatically deploy in the event of a rollover, and the front-windshield (A-pillar) is super reinforced. That, together with crumple-zones, a full compliment of air bags, and other safety features offers peace of mind. Looking closely at the car, I noticed no antennae protruding from the body. Audi has very cleverly concealed all of the vehicles antennae under the rear composite trunk lid, making for a very clean exterior appearance. Generally, the A4 is equipped similarly to an A4 sedan, but adding power retractable cloth top with heated rear glass window, automatic rollover protection, side airbags, special color and trim, special wheels, optional wind deflector, concealed antenna, Symphony II Bose 6-disc audiophile system, 3-spoke steering wheel, and all-wood interior trim. Altogether, it’s an outstanding package. COMPARISION VEHICLES: Audi seeks to move into the top-rung with cars like Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and BMW. VEHICLE PRICING: $41,500 suggested retail price expected. Prices and equipment vary, see dealer for details. Not including shipping, government fees and taxes. HIGHS: Exceptional build-quality. Very rigid body. Powerful engine. Magnificent driving pleasure, especially with the top down. LOWS: Quattro (all-wheel drive) not available until next year. FUEL ECONOMY: Not available at press time, but our testing revealed a range of about 18-mpg to the high 20’s. LIFE’S A TRIP - Enjoy the drive. Be a safe and courteous driver, never drive impaired, obey all highway laws and buckle everyone up. Copyright © 2002 The Weekend Drive®.

By Bill Keller (OUT ON THE OPEN ROAD) -- "Nice car", from a teenaged boy corraling shopping carts from the parking lot as I walked into the store. "Thanks." I was on the final leg of a 370 mile trip, the point of which was having lunch with dad, featuring his famous potato soup. The new 2003 Audi A4 Cabriolet had performed flawlessly. I had chosen a route, known to me, that included winding hills, 110-miles of interstate travel, and $200 straight-a-ways - not a misprint - in this State the fine for +21 over the speed limit is $200 plus court costs, (The Weekend Drive does not advocate speeding,) the reference refers to unlimited visibility, smooth, straight roads with wide shoulders and no traffic. A sunny Saturday morning when I left, the temperature was to stay in the 30's and 40's the whole trip, so no top down driving, yeah I'm a wuss. But I did lower and raise the top just to see how it easily it was done. I loaded the CD player with 4 favorite disc's, 2 short of the 6 CD capacity, plenty of seating adjustment options, with a bad back this is invaluable. The drivers information display was clear and very readable with several programable aspects to suit individual driving needs. Climate controls were within easy reach and the sporty steering wheel featured several buttons for stereo controls, all instrument panel controls were within easy reach. I set the drivers automatic climate control for 68F, turned up the volume, engaged the transmission, and pulled away. The response was smooth, the car was rock-on stable and the noise levels were more than acceptable. At highway speeds I especially noticed how the Cabriolet seemed to absorb rough road surface when I was on more patch material than original road surface and how flat curves could be taken. This thing is fun to drive. It was a little disconcerting at first to look at the dash panel and only see P R N D - where are the other letters? You know, OD 3 2? But, with the Mutitronic® transmission, the transmission automatically selects the appropriate gear ratio depending upon economy or sporty presets based on acceleration, load, and fuel efficency. Just move the gear selector to the right from the Drive position and 6 5 4 3 2 1 appear, and with a tap up or down on the shifter you can move through the shifting sequence. Use the cruise, or you will lose... points, money (or your license) as without the cruise control this car wants to go faster. Not hold-on-to-your-hats it is taking off fast, but stable, solid, and it sure feels more comfortable to drive at higher speeds than what the State had determined the speed limit should be. It's all about grip, equipped with Electronic Stabilization Program the Cabriolet will determine the direction of travel, using steering angle and speed, and using the Anti-Lock Brakes, Electronic Differential Lock, and the Anti-Slip Regulation System will adust automatically to brake the appropriate wheels, for understeer the rear wheel inside the curve, and for oversteer - it will brake the wheel outside of the curve and as cautioned by Audi - the ESP cannot overcome the laws of physics. Which leads to the next safety aspect of the Audi A4 Cabriolet - the automatic rollover protection system. Depending upon the severity of a crash, automatic rollover bars, from behind the rear seats may deploy and the seat belt tensioners tighten up. Some songs demand higher volume, and the Cabriolet does not disappoint, with Bose®, rest assured your music will come out clear at volume levels that parents would call, "turn that damn thing down or I am taking it away." Night came upon me after leaving my dad's place. The road was well lit by the Xeon bulbs. I drove 100 miles, and just before the Interstate on-ramp was a large discount store. I was thirsty so I stopped. "Nice car", from a teenaged boy corraling shopping carts from the parking lot as I walked into the store. "Thanks." I came out with my water, the kid was taking a break, smoking a cigarette, leaning against the front of the building, we waved to each other as I left and he was right, it is a nice car. A damn nice car. IN SUMMARY: Was a joy to drive, I did not want my trip to end. It has everything that I want in a car. Sleek, fast, elegant, and a soft top. LIFE’S A TRIP - Enjoy the drive. Be a safe and courteous driver, never drive impaired, obey all highway laws and buckle everyone up. Copyright © 2003 The Weekend Drive®.