Audi A5 and S5 news - Twin Cab' - 2008

In these cold, icy winter days, one’s thoughts naturally turn to log fires, woolly hats and, erm, convertibles.

Audi has chosen this dark December day to launch the A5 Cabriolet, the soft-top version of its 3-Series rival.

It’ll go on sale next spring – just as temperatures start to soar to Saharan levels – armed with a folding soft-top… no clunky big-arsed hardtop here, thank you.

The roof will open in 15 seconds and close in 17 seconds, and can be operated at speeds of up to 31mph. Audi says that noise levels are impressively low with the roof raised, but for even more quietness you can spec the intriguingly-named ‘acoustic roof’, which reduces sound levels to that of the hard-top coupe.

In the battle against the UK’s ever-fluctating meteorological conditions, Audi has equipped the A5 Cabrio with heat-reflecting upholstery (for when it’s all hot) and optional neck-level heating (for when it’s cold, or you need your hair dried in a hurry).

The launch engines will be a two-litre turbo and a 3.2-litre V6 petrol, along with a 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel. Shortly after the launch of the A5 Cabrio, we’ll see an S5 Cabrio with the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 from the S4. Like the diesel A5 Cabrio, this will get ‘quattro’ four-wheel drive – the other A5 Cabrios will remain front-wheel drive.

Prices are expected to start at around 30 grand for the A5 Cabrio, and 42 grand for the S5 Cabrio.