2010 Audi A5 2.0T Quattro vs. 2010 BMW 328i, 2009 Infiniti G37, 2010 Lexus IS350C - Car and Driver (blog)
There aren’t any American entries in this four-seat-droptop derby because there aren’t any that fall into this price category. The base MSRP for Ford’s Shelby GT500 —$53,575—does slide in below the as-tested ticket for one of our four contestants. But even though it has rear seats, the super-Mustang lacks an automatic-transmission option, whereas our four test cars were all self-shifters with manumatic function. Though our four sun dogs are far more sophisticated than the superpony, to someone whose idea of convertible fun involves big longitudinal g-loads every time he tramps on the throttle, the cars in this test look like. Moreover, their luxury quotient is distinctly higher than that of any Mustang, and each represents a brand imbued with a healthy dollop of prestige (some dollops healthier than others). The repeater is the BMW 328i, defending champ from our last entry-luxury-convertible tournament [June 2007]. In that one, the 3-series’ folding hardtop was brand-new. This time, it’s the veteran, which tells you something about the pace of change in this game. Speaking of change, the title of that ’07 test—“40-Somethings” —referred to dinero. The base price of those five cars was right around $40,000, with the Bimmer topping the as-tested chart at $49,575. This time they’re 50-somethings. Source: www.caranddriver.com
