| First Drive | Monaco | Audi A5 Cabriolet |

You know, you could have guessed exactly how this car was going to turn out before you even glanced at a picture or read a spec sheet; you could have guessed what engines it has; what gearboxes it comes with; what it looks like and how many of them Audi will shift (i.e. bucket loads).

Unfortunately, your best guess about the way it drives is probably also correct. We'll get into that, but the point is that Audi has become remarkably predictable. Sure, it's dabbling with its fair share of niche models, but there's a familiarity about its cars now that you just can't get past: the only thing that really changes is how big or small they are. They say familiarity breeds contempt, but if that's true, how come Audi is one of the brands least affected by the sales slump?

In the Metal

This is one handsome car. You've got to hand it to Audi's styling department these days. It might not be churning out the most aggressively styled shapes money can buy (R8 notwithstanding), but damn it Audi knows how to make heads turn when it fancies it: even in Monaco - home of ten thousand fops in six-figure convertibles - people were stopping to gawp at the new A5 Cabriolet.

The coupé's low, wide stance isn't lost with the departure of the roof. Where many cars lose a chunk of their character in the transition to convertible, and end up looking flat (including this car's forebear, the A4 Cabriolet), the A5 stays interesting - even more so than the fixed head from some angles. Inside it's standard A5 fare, which means it's a feast of A-grade plastic tactility and ergonomic delight. There's still no legroom in the back to speak of - and in fact the whole of the rear compartment is useless with the wind deflector in situ - but it still feels roomy with the roof up.

What you get for your Money

One of the best-engineered soft top hoods money can buy. At speeds of up to 31mph, the whole thing opens in a 15-second sprint from the time you press the button - and it'll close again in 17 seconds. The only crime is that the 'acoustic roof' doesn't come as standard. Close the acoustic roof - an option on all but S-line cars - and you're encased in a vacuum-like silence. It's quite freaky at first. S-line, as always, is the sporty spec (and the one everyone will want), with 18-inch alloys, a body kit, leather sports seats, Xenon headlamps, LED daytime running lights and various trim enhancements - all for £2,450. SE models gets leather, parking sensors, auto headlights and wipers, a 10-speaker stereo and three-zone climate control. And that leaves standard spec, which features 17-inch rims, cloth seats, a basic stereo, single-zone climate control and a leather wheel.

Three engines will be available from launch: a 2.0 TFSI petrol unit with 208bhp; a 3.2-litre V6 with 261bhp; and a 3.0-litre TDI with 237bhp - our pick. The former pair come with front-wheel drive as standard, and the last gets quattro four-wheel drive. All engines are strong, but the TDI unit is just so effortless in any gear - and economical - that it's the one to go for. Three gearboxes are there for the taking too: a seven-speed dual clutch auto, a Multitronic CVT auto and a six-speed manual. The manual 'box is slick and easy to negotiate and both autos are impressive - even the CVT avoids the usual whiney racket associated with many such transmissions.

So there you have it: as usual there's a myriad of options and combinations to consider when choosing the right Audi A5 Cabriolet for your good-looking self - and we haven't even mentioned Audi Drive Select yet. That's the 'concept', as Audi puts it, which allows you to control the optional adjustable damping or steering rack - or both. Using buttons on the dash, you can either firm or loosen the suspension for more or less 'feel', such as it is, and sharpen the steering rack, giving it a more precise, weighty feel.

Driving it

Guess what? The A5 Cabriolet is a cruiser; if you're looking for point-to-point twisty tarmac fun, look elsewhere - but then we're sure you'd guessed that already, right? Give Audi its credit, though: the Cabriolet is very refined whether the top is up or down. There's a distinct lack of chassis vibration - unless you encounter a soup bowl of a pothole - and even though the ride's a touch on the firm side with sports suspension and bigger wheels, it's always comfortable.

The problem is, we know courtesy of the Audi R8 that Audi can do steering feel - so why has the A5 got none to speak of? Audis have been criticised for this central flaw for years, but seem to have made progress of late. However, to our palms the A5 Cabriolet is a return to rubbery Audi steering feel at its most detached. Still, this car isn't built for on-limit handling trickery and its entertainment comes more from its value as a fashion item to be worn than a sports car. As such, and to return to our statement of a couple of paragraphs ago, your best bet is the effortless torque of the 3.0-litre TDI, because wringing the best from the petrol units isn't as much fun as it should be.

Worth Noting

We also drove a 2.0-litre 168bhp diesel version of this car that we reckon makes oodles of sense for the UK, given everything we've just said about the A5 Cabriolet's inert driving character. Sure, it was slow to the point of feeling underpowered, but it was quiet, revved freely and would happily return 50mpg. As an entry point it makes plenty of sense and of course Audi is bound to bring it here. Sadly, though, the maker prefers to get the halo models out first before bringing the 'cheap' stuff in - but if you can wait (probably only until the end of this year), we'd recommend you do, because what you'll lose in power and drag racing ability against people in 3 Series Convertibles, you gain in time not queuing at the petrol station. And, of course, that warm glow of very cost effective posing.

Summary

You know, we may appear to be disparaging the A5's driving prowess too harshly, and we don't mean to - it's far from a bad drive. In fact, it's a very nice thing to drive. Not exciting, but a very competent and well-engineered product that's a nice place to sit and, no doubt, will make a shrewd purchase in any form. Audi's 7,000-plus sales target may seem high during a recession, but we don't doubt there'll be plenty of potential coupé buyers who will change their minds once they've tried the Cabrio with the brilliant acoustic roof in situ.

However, after the surprise that was the A3 Cabriolet - a genuinely entertaining little convertible - and the dynamic prowess of the R8, it's disappointing that Audi has got both the ride and the handling a bit wrong with the A5 Cabriolet. BMW's convertible does the twisty thing better than this, but if you're looking for a sun-seeker with plenty of show, exquisite build and an iota of practicality thrown in, look no further.