Classic pearls of the future - Audi Cabriolet
07/01/2014
Audi was certainly not a pioneer with the 1991 Cabriolet based on the Type 89 Coupé. BMW had already presented a model half a decade earlier and Audi was able to observe and adopt what had proved successful.
A convertible with a 2.3-liter inline five-cylinder engine and an easy-to-install soft top that could be stowed away completely under a flap was launched on the market and then the drive side was increasingly expanded.
Visually, the open-top Audi was only subtly refreshed during its nine-year production period. No major changes were necessary, as the Cabriolet was appealing despite its relatively high sides.
With front-wheel drive, it was well equipped for summer and winter, and the lined soft top made a hardtop unnecessary. Even four people could travel open-top as long as there was no wind deflector on board. Gears were changed manually or automatically.
The not exactly modest base price (45,950 francs in Switzerland) already included everything a convertible driver needed to be happy. Leather, metallic/brilliant colors, air conditioning and heated seats cost extra.
The car does not yet have cult status, which is why the prices being asked today are relatively low, even for vehicles with low mileage. But there were some very iconic colors such as broom yellow or Gomera pearl effect. These in particular could perhaps turn the pretty Audi Cabrio into a classic pearl. However, the first open-top Audi of modern times is likely to become a coveted classic car anyway.
All the articles in the "Classic Pearls" series have now been brought together in a separate topic channel.
