Back in the late 1990s, when I was a foreign correspondent based in Germany, a lot of the demanding driving enthusiasts I met were switching from BMWs to Audis, which had fresher designs and comparable performance and handling. My guess is that these days those same people are having a tough time deciding which to buy.
Some think an Audi is just a glorified Volkswagen, but they've probably never been behind the wheel of the new A4 Cabriolet. It's a quick, beautifully designed coupe with a convertible soft top so artfully constructed you'll hardly know it's there (until, of course, you push the button that causes it to fold down into the car's trunk).
The big question: Should you wait until next March, when you'll be able to test-drive the A4 Cabriolet against the convertible versions of BMW's hot new 328i's and 335i's? The new Bimmers will feature the company's first electronically controlled retractable hard top, as well as the beefed-up engines that make them the speediest 3-Series models ever.
Tough choice. It's like having to decide whether to spend your holiday on the Riviera or in the Caribbean. Either way, you're going to have a lot of fun in the sun.
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