Which Is The Best Mid-Sized Luxury Cabrio?- Audi A5, vs. BMW 328i, Infiniti G37, Or The Lexus IS350C?

Let’s dispense with jingoism right here at the starting line. There aren’t any American entries in this four-seat-droptop derby because there aren’t any that fall into this price category. Okay, almost none. 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.

More significant, we suspect that guys attracted to the Shelby’s overtly outlaw persona and 540 horsepower are unlikely candidates for any of these more sedate rides. 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 . . . well, how do you bark in German and Japanese?





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MSP6 - 3/26/2010 11:22:07 AM

-3 Boost

Since I prefer soft tops, I'll have to go with the Audi.
The BMW looks good, the G is so-so with the top on but looks very good without, and the Lexus is plain ugly.

America - 3/26/2010 10:19:20 PM

+1 Boost

"Which Is The Best Mid-Sized Luxury Cabrio?- Audi A5, vs. BMW 328i, Infiniti G37, Or The Lexus IS350C?"

According to CAR and DRIVER its the BMW 328i and I agree, but only because I love cars and think they should have great design and be fun to drive.

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 3/27/2010 4:24:20 PM

0 Boost

In the Article they show a Picture of the IS 350C with top open and a Golf Bag in the trunk.
Then you see a Picture of the BMW with roof open and Golf Bag outside on the floor as there is no space for it.

Yet the reviewer states the BMW has the Best Trunk Space amongst the Folding Hard Tops.

I am not attempting to claim any of the above mentioned vehicles is superior {Co...BMW...ugh} but Logic tells us the Lexus has much more Trunk space than the BMW with roof UP or Down.

NannerPus - 3/30/2010 1:14:17 PM

+2 Boost

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS, you are basing your assertion on the photo?! Hilarious!! rotflmfao! And then you say "logic tells us, blah blah blah". The human being who was there reviewing the cars and had the opportunity to use and measure them stated very clearly that the BMW has the best trunk space. LOGIC would tell you that the BMW has the best trunk space and the photo was chosen based on how pretty it was.

NannerPus - 3/26/2010 9:03:38 PM

+1 Boost

For everyone who doesn't have the time to read the Car and Driver article for themselves, here are the results:

Fourth: 2010 Lexus IS350C
Third: 2009 Infiniti G37
Second: 2010 Audi A5 2.0T Quattro
First: 2010 BMW 328i


Not only was the 328i best in braking and on the skidpad, it trumped the others in the lane-change exercise as well. So when the pace picked up, heading out toward the charmingly named Skull Valley, no one was really surprised when the BMW emerged as the car that was easiest to guide through fast corners, decreasing-radius turns, and rapid transitions.

There were nondynamic kudos as well. Front-seat comfort and support are outstanding—no surprise there—...Rear-seat space—tops in test—was a pleasant surprise, as was trunk volume, which is best among the folding hardtops.

PerformanceGuy - 3/26/2010 11:38:39 AM

-1 Boost

Not really a convertible guy, prefer coupes, but the G37 wins here.

M35MT - 3/26/2010 12:59:00 PM

+2 Boost

Best Looks: G37
Best Drive: 335
Best Overall: A5
Best J-Lo Butt: IS350

LexSucks - 3/26/2010 1:20:12 PM

-1 Boost

A5 last. Because of its old-school, outdated cloth-top.

IS350 second to last just because its a lexus. And Lexuses never fair well in comparison tests.

G37 Runner up. Not the best looking too round looking

335 Winner. Decent looks, Looks the best with the top up, performs the best.

NSXR - 3/26/2010 3:51:43 PM

+4 Boost

...and the teacher being?

528i - 3/26/2010 5:28:02 PM

-4 Boost

Mercedes Benz.

quizz - 3/26/2010 5:49:13 PM

-2 Boost

The Benz E cabrio looks sharper than its coupe counterpart I think.

Lexus - 3/26/2010 8:49:00 PM

+1 Boost

I think they're good looking cabrio. Here how I would rank them,

1. Infiniti
2. Audi (barely beating the BMW 3-Serices)
3. BMW 3-Series
4. Lexus IS250/350 (least attractive of the four)

I wish the Lexus IS250/350 look like the photo we have on this website a couple of years ago. Here is the link of what the Lexus IS250/350 Cabrio should've look like http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.autospies.com/images/8-18-05/IS_convert/1.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.autospies.com/news/First-look-at-the-Lexus-IS-convertible-3689/&usg=__xMfK6lDpZBN-jJFiqQX5NahtAWw=&h=600&w=800&sz=51&hl=en&start=21&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=U0WYp5PoE49KhM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlexus%2Bis%2Bconvertible%26start%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

XYZZ - 3/28/2010 6:36:06 AM

-1 Boost

"More significant, we suspect that guys attracted to the Shelby’s overtly outlaw persona and 540 horsepower are unlikely candidates for any of these more sedate rides."


given that everyone knows C&D will NEVER rate a bmw below any competitor, and the likes of "outlaw persona" are already discounted, these are the road test scores by those staid but eminently sensible people at CR:

Infiniti G 77
Lexus IS 77
BMW 328i 76
Audi A5 74

and these are BEFORE reliability considerations are factored in. which of course, would further WIDEN the gap between the japanese and the germans.