Grand openings

Audi and BMW are old hands at making classy four-seat convertibles. Let’s see if BMW’s latest 4 Series drop-top can upstage its toughest rival

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NEW

Audi A5 Cabriolet

40 TFSI Vorsprung S tronic

List price £57,545

Target Price £54,450

The current benchmark recently received a subtle facelift and a heavily updated interior

BMW 4 Series Convertible

420i M Sport Pro Edition

List price £50,400

Target Price £46,485

Our reigning Coupé of the Year provides the basis for this striking new four-seat soft-top

WHEN MERCEDES BENZ launched its original SLK roadster in 1996, it revolutionised the convertible. Suddenly, everybody wanted an SLK-style folding hard-top; the traditional fabric roof was destined for the dustbin of history. Or, at least, that’s the way it seemed at the time.

In reality, folding hard-tops have turned out to be no more than a passing fad – the motoring equivalent of calculator watches, bum bags and Pokemon Go.

The trouble was that all those moving metal panels and their motors tended to leave you with a car that weighed more than the moon, hurting fuel economy, emissions and handling. And then, of course, there was the simple fact that you could fit your luggage or the roof in the boot, but not both at the same time.