Audi vs BMW is a common comparison, with buyers and road testers having been comparing the two German marques for decades. Normally though, its in the sedan market where the two battle each other for honours. Today its a little different as weve got a pair of drop tops at our disposal and the top of the range models at that.
Where should you spend your money if youre looking to expose yourself to the great outdoor experience of wind in the hair driving and boulevard cruising? We pitted two of the newest vehicles in the segment head to head and discovered an interesting result was on the cards.
The roof, the roof, the roof .
Drop-top driving is all about the getting the roof down as quickly as possible when the conditions are favourable. On the other hand, getting the roof back up as quickly as possible if you happen to run into some inclement weather is also important.
The side by side roof race was won by the Audi as our video shows, but the BMW was only a mere second behind. Audi claims its roof lowers in just 17 seconds and can be dropped or retracted whilst on the move at speeds of up to 50kph. The BMW claims 20 seconds for its roof and these mechanical acrobatics can be done at speeds of up to 50kph. Both cars use a cloth style roof to keep the weight down. Boot space in both cars is decent with the roof up or down and will easily swallow a short weekends worth of luggage.
Back seats?
Both the Audi and BMW have back seats, but its a cramped place to sit in either. However, it’s the BMW which definitely has more room for legs. The Audi has almost nothing on offer in the way of rear legroom so if you intend on putting passengers in the back, they best be adept at some form of yoga.
Interior
Germans build interiors brilliantly and both cars are extremely well put together and exude a premium feel and aroma yes, they even smell expensive. Turn up the speed with the roof up and the BMW is noisier inside, with wind noise and a slight shake from the window and roof seals definitely more noticeable than in the Audi that feels torsionally more rigid. Neither are a match for their hardtop counterparts in this department, but thats something you just have to live with in a convertible. Theres loads of options to choose from on both brands’ spec sheets so theres no real point in comparing spec for spec here, just know that if you tick all the boxes you can add close to 50% onto your cars base price.
Vocal Engines
The two powertrains on display here are both petrol, both turbocharged and both put out similar amounts of grin-inspiring power. The Audi uses a 2-Litre, four-cylinder unit to churn out 206 kW and 380 Nm of torque. The BMW goes the straight-six route with a 3-Litre capable of developing 240 kW and 450 Nm. The BMW howls nicely in the upper echelons of the rev range, making for an inspiring soundtrack to listen to with the roof down on a great road. The Audi has more of a deep bass induction thrum to it and relies on the S-tronic gearshift pop to inspire the aural senses.
The BMW is certainly the faster of the two thanks to its kilowatt advantage, but neither is slow and will get the blood flowing the second you go near the throttle. Both use dual-clutch gearboxes to good effect and have the option of paddle-shifters if you want to manually get involved with shifting duties. When testing the gearboxes back to back its the Audi box that feels ever so slightly faster. Its more willing to shift down aggressively.
The open (top) road
Out on the sweeping curves of a mountain pass or the tight sinewy twists of a coastal tour road, or even on the boulevard cruise of a seaside city, convertibles will turn heads. For the driver though it can be uncomfortable as the lack of a key structural element (the roof) makes things difficult for engineers to get around. Here the Audi wins hands down, with the S3 Convertible doing a much better job of staying plush when the road gets jittery. Theres also less crashing noises when you have to deal with the holes and craters in our roads.
Out on the sweeping, faster roads the S3 Convertible feels nimbler and easier to drive. The BMW on the other hand is a bumpy ride and demands your full attention and skillset, especially when nearing the limit. It can become quite tiresome as an everyday driver, but for the enthusiast who knows how to properly exploit a rear-wheel car, it’s very enjoyable.
Verdict
The Audi feels the better built and more rewarding of the two convertibles to drive. Its the complete package as far as a convertible goes and the one I kept grabbing the keys of to go out and drive. The BMW M235i Convertible is the faster car and has more space for people, but it lacks in the ride quality department and it really doesn’t deal with uneven tarmac as well as the Audi. It also happens that the S3 Cabriolet is R30k cheaper than the BMW M235i Cabriolet at base price.
S3 Convertible vs M235i Convertible Quick Specs
