Auto Trader's 2009 Geneva Motor Show Homepage

Car enthusiasts in Britain are an enigma. Not only do we fail to experience weather good enough to provide plenty of chances to drive a convertible hood-down, but our pothole-ridden roads make it difficult to drive fast.

But that doesn't stop us buying quick drop-tops by the truckload. Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar…the list goes on.

And now Audi has upped the ante with another big, fast convertible – and this time it's not an Audi A4.

When we drove the Audi S5 Coupe last year, we were won over by its mini-GT abilities, but left feeling pangs of disappointment that it wasn't a better drivers' car.

Maybe that's because the Coupe has a monkey on its back in the shape of the BMW M3. OK, it might be a more expensive and hardcore monkey, but it somehow detracts from the fact the S5 has plenty of talent.

Audi A5 Cabriolet car review

Suave and sophisticated

So pushing the knowledge that lopping the roof off a coupe can upset a car's handling to the back of my mind, I took to the sunny roads around Monaco.

And immediately I found the Audi S5 Cabriolet is no longer a car at odds with itself – and its rivals.

The more laid back feel of the Cabriolet suits the GT demeanour of the S5, and a host of changes make it easy to live with too.

Firstly the Coupe's big 4.2-litre V8 engine has been replaced by a supercharged 3-litre V6. Power is down from 349bhp to 328bhp, but it gives away just half a second to the Coupe's 5.1 second 0-62 time, while the top speed is unchanged at 155mph.

Purists might bemoan the loss of the rumbling V8, but there's still aural pleasure to be had from the V6 when strung out, especially through tunnels with the roof folded. And, there are clear fiscal benefits, with the Convertible's 29.1mpg bettering the Coupe by 6.3mpg and emitting 64g/km CO2 less. The Convertible's 224g/km is remarkable given the performance on offer.

Power is transferred to the road via an all-new version of Audi's fast-shifting S Tronic gearbox, this time with seven – rather than the Coupe's six speeds. A manual gearbox won’t be offered when the car launches.

Intelligent handling

Thanks to an extended chassis, with a repositioned front axle and an optional sports differential, the S5 Cabriolet feels wonderfully composed through the bends. It also features the ability to transfer power between the rear wheels, and directs it to the outer rear wheel to push the car out of corners.

The active suspension system firms the suspension and makes the steering more responsive and heavier – perhaps too heavy for slower bends on the move. Like the Coupe, the steering feels a little too artificial, particularly after cycling through the different modes.

However, there's none of the nose-heavy feel that older fast Audi's displayed, and there's plenty of fun to be had.

Refined cloth hood

Like the standard Audi A5 Cabriolet, the S5 features a cloth roof that folds in 15 seconds, and offers plenty of luggage space, if not huge rear legroom. Sadly for fans of the S4, there will be no Cabriolet version, as Audi says the configuration suits the sweeping looks of the Five.

The driver and front passenger sadly do without the neck-level heating system which blows from below the headrest in the A5 Cabriolet, but do benefit from some lovely S5-branded sports seats. They feel like they'll be supremely comfortable over long distances, but lack the lateral support needed for fast b-road driving.

But these are minor criticisms. The Audi S5 Cabriolet is a stunning looking machine, which is more than a match for its key rivals. It will be competitively priced too; around £500 less than the BMW 335i and £8,000 less than the Mercedes CLK 500.

It might not be the last word in performance driving, but for rapid wind-in-your-hair thrills, little comes close.

Check out this video review of the Audi A5 Coupe...