Audi Confirms RS4 Cabriolet for North America

Until the R8 arrives in dealerships, Audi's best performance machine availablefor purchase is the awesome RS4. This compact luxury sedan, based off the popular A4 Sedan, is a phenomenal performer thanks to its high-revving V8 engine, and the inescapable grip of its quattro all-wheel drive system. If that weren't enough, the RS4 is now a permanent member of the Audi range! What could be better? No, Audi doesn't have any plans to offer the Avant version on this side of the Atlantic, but they will be bringing over a cabriolet instead. Previously Audi stated that it would not be bringing the RS4 Convertible to North America, but Ingolstadt has thankfully changed its mind and will bring approximately 300 units of the open-topped RS4 for model year 2008.

Essentially the RS4 Cabriolet will feature the same mechanical content that the four-door RS4 is endowed with, including the wonderful magnetic ride suspension system and the rear-biased 40:60 quattro all-wheel drivetrain. With its strong, 420 horsepower engine producing 317 lb-ft of torque, plus itssix-speed manual transmission, this new Audi will be one of the quickest ways to motor about under open skies. Besides the Porsche 911 Turbo and vastly more expensive Lamborghini Gallardo and Murcielago, the RS4 Cabriolet is the only all-wheel drive high-performance convertible on the market.

What can't be had are the RS4's Recaro sports seats, as they do not tip forward for access to rear of the car. Instead it gets the normal A4 Cabriolet seats, which are not as well bolstered. The car will also feature the excellent Acoustic Roof system which is so good at isolating road and wind noise that it's as quiet as the sedan. It makes you really wonder if having a folding hardtop roof is necessary.

With deliveries starting this autumn, you can bet that all 300units will be spoken for by the time that 2008 rolls around. We estimate that pricing will start somewhere in the vicinity of $80,000.

And speaking of the regular RS4, two new option packages have surfaced for the super-sedan. The first is the Titanium Package which we've seen and tested on the regular A4. It includes titanium-colored wheels, and gloss black exterior trim instead of the matted aluminum. The car also receives piano black trim instead of carbon fiber as well as a black headliner. The second package is the Exclusive package that consists of crimson-colored leather seats with black bolsters, crimson-colored piping and stitching, plus Audi Exclusive badges. Starting in 2008, all RS4s will also receive Bluetooth hands-free cellphone connectivity plus satellite radio as standard equipment.