Motor Authority - blog Tag: Soft Top

Unlike many of their competitors, the Belgians at Caractere don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention.

The design program for the Audi A5 Cabrio offers a range of front and rear fascias, side skirts and a roof spoiler. The new pieces are designed to fit and enhance the newly introduced drop-top, with special pieces for the high-performance S5 model.

An exhaust kit is also available, but only on non-quattro models, while the two-piece front spoiler kit only works on non-S-line models. Wheels in both 19 and 20in... Unlike many of their competitors, the Belgians at Caractere don't do the European version of tacky, flashy tuner cars. Instead, they focus on adding minor enhancements that give the owner a unique look without clamoring for attention. The design program for the Audi A5 Cabrio offers a range of front and rear fascias, side skirts and a roof spoiler. The new pieces are designed to fit and enhance the newly introduced drop-top, with special pieces for the high-performance S5 model. An exhaust kit is also available, but only on non-quattro models, while the two-piece front spoiler kit only works on non-S-line models. Wheels in both 19 and 20in sizes are available as part of the program, though since it's a piecemeal system, you can always opt for your own if Caractere's designs don't suit your tastes. Overall, the result is surprisingly tasteful, and a definite step outside the norm for the latest round of German car body kits. For more of Caractere's work, check out the firm's design program for the Audi A5 and S5 Coupes by clicking here.Audi A5 by CaractereCaractere Audi A5 and S5 Cabrios Read More

It's a weird world we live in, but Nissan is apparently going forward with its plans to build a convertible Nissan Murano crossover SUV. Why? No one knows, especially in this market.

Rumors initially popped up late last year, but nothing was heard since - until today. The report appears credible, indicating that the vehicle will be sold as a 2011 model, feature a soft top and get its power from the typical Murano 265hp (197kW) 3.5L V6, according to Edmunds.

Perhaps most interesting, the Murano 'vert will supposedly get a two-door configuration, making it a sort of SUV-crossover-roadster. It's beginning to sound like a venture into... It's a weird world we live in, but Nissan is apparently going forward with its plans to build a convertible Nissan Murano crossover SUV. Why? No one knows, especially in this market. Rumors initially popped up late last year, but nothing was heard since - until today. The report appears credible, indicating that the vehicle will be sold as a 2011 model, feature a soft top and get its power from the typical Murano 265hp (197kW) 3.5L V6, according to Edmunds. Perhaps most interesting, the Murano 'vert will supposedly get a two-door configuration, making it a sort of SUV-crossover-roadster. It's beginning to sound like a venture into mythical creature territory. But who can forget the stunning success that is (was) the Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible, or the Audi Cross Cabriolet quattro concept, which managed to take all the glory of German engineering and Audi design and still come up with something no one in their right mind would buy. Here's hoping Nissan manages to beat the odds with the Murano convertible - if it is in fact to be built.2009 Nissan Murano Read More

The new A5 and S5 Cabriolet range was quietly revealed late last year during the holiday period between the Los Angeles and Detroit Auto Shows, but with production of the handsome duo kicking off in Germany this month Audi has released a flood of new images and details.

The most exciting variant, the S5 Cabriolet, gets a new supercharged 3.0L TFSI V6 engine with direct injection, good for 333hp (245kW) and 324lb-ft (440Nm) of torque. Quattro all-wheel drive, a sport suspension and 18in wheels plus a range of special equipment features peg the S5 Cabrio as the clear head of the new range. The car vaults from a stop to 62mph (100km/h) in... The new A5 and S5 Cabriolet range was quietly revealed late last year during the holiday period between the Los Angeles and Detroit Auto Shows, but with production of the handsome duo kicking off in Germany this month Audi has released a flood of new images and details. The most exciting variant, the S5 Cabriolet, gets a new supercharged 3.0L TFSI V6 engine with direct injection, good for 333hp (245kW) and 324lb-ft (440Nm) of torque. Quattro all-wheel drive, a sport suspension and 18in wheels plus a range of special equipment features peg the S5 Cabrio as the clear head of the new range. The car vaults from a stop to 62mph (100km/h) in just 5.6 seconds, carries on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph (250km/h) and still manages fuel efficiency of 24.5mpg (9.6L/100km). Pricing for the S5 variant hasn't yet been released. Base A5 Cabrios will feature a 1.8L TFSI engine rated at 160hp (118kW) and will come with a manual transmission as standard, for a base price of €37,500 ($47,625) in Europe. There's no word yet on when the first models will arrive in U.S. showrooms. Performance figures for the mid-range 265hp (195kW) 3.2L FSI V6 rate at 6.9 seconds for the 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint, with a top speed of 153mph (246km/h). The standard 2.0L TFSI manages 8.9 seconds 0-62mph with its 180hp (132kW) engine and a top speed of 136mph (219km/h), while the uprated 2.0L TFSI unit, rated at 211hp (155kW) cuts acceleration time by 1.4 seconds and raises top speed to 150mph (241km/h). Fuel efficiency of the petrol range is respectable, starting at 27.3mpg (8.6L/100km) for the standard 3.2L V6 FSI, rising to 31.8mpg (7.4L/100km) for the standard 2.0L TFSI and - somewhat counterintuitively - 34.5mpg (6.8L/100km) for the more powerful variant. A pair of V6 TDIs are also available, featuring 240hp (176kW) in 3.0L guise and 190hp (140kW) in 2.7L form, and both are suitably efficient, rating 34.6mpg (6.8L/100km) for the larger of the two, and 37.3mpg (6.3L/100km) for the smaller. Unlike many of its competitors, the A5/S5 cabrio won't come with a folding hard top, instead favoring the traditional Audi soft top, which requires just 15 seconds to open and 17 seconds to close. An acoustic top, which reduces wind noise to near-hardtop levels is available as an option. The automatic raising or lowering functions can be triggered whether moving or stopped as long as speeds are below 31mph (50km/h), obviating the need to pull over to change between open and closed modes. When the top is down, it folds into an area at the top of the rear luggage area, absorbing 2.12cu ft (60L) of the 13.4cu ft (380L) available space, leaving 11.3cu ft (320L) for gear, placing near the front of the class of its competitors. Other standard features of the A5 cabrio include 17in alloy wheels, automatic climate control, and CD stereo system with the third-generation MMI operating system, offering a range of navigation and entertainment functions. In terms of exterior design, the new A5 Cabriolet gets most of the familiar cues of the hardtop sister car, plus a slightly redesigned rear deck to accommodate the folding top. The overall length of the car is 15.2ft (4.6m) and width is 6.1ft (1.85m) while it sits satisfyingly low at 4.5ft (1.4m) tall. A trunklid spoiler lip is standard. Rigidity has been preserved, though likely at the cost of some additional weight, as is usually the case with open-top cars made from hardtops. A range of three transmissions are available: the six-speed manual, which can be had with the 211hp 2.0 TFSI; the multitronic continuously variable automatic available as an option on 2.0L and 3.2L FSI variants; and the seven-speed S tronic which is standard on the 3.0L TDI model, and optional on the 2.0L TFSI and 3.2L V6 FSI.2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet2010 Audi A5 Cabrio driving footage Read More

Europe's Office for Harmonization of the Internal Market (OHIM) maintains a trademark database that helps to ensure a minimum of conflict and easy filing for claims. That same database also lets slip basic sketches of car designs before their official unveiling on a regular basis, and this time the Nissan 370Z Roadster gets its unofficial debut.

Though the simple line drawings reveal nothing in terms of materials, the key details of profile, function and outline are all present. The last-generation 350Z Roadster was often criticized for its top-up looks, with a soft top that looked like a complete after-thought, ruining the good lines and... Europe's Office for Harmonization of the Internal Market (OHIM) maintains a trademark database that helps to ensure a minimum of conflict and easy filing for claims. That same database also lets slip basic sketches of car designs before their official unveiling on a regular basis, and this time the Nissan 370Z Roadster gets its unofficial debut. Though the simple line drawings reveal nothing in terms of materials, the key details of profile, function and outline are all present. The last-generation 350Z Roadster was often criticized for its top-up looks, with a soft top that looked like a complete after-thought, ruining the good lines and meaty proportions of the car. This time around, the Roadster appears to have been designed as such, and though none of the examples give the car's profile in top-down mode, it looks remarkably more svelte and thought out than its predecessor. The odd rear decklid proportions appear to be gone, replaced instead by a much curvier, more coupe-like roof line with the top up. The illustrations also seem to indicate the car will have ground clearance in the neighborhood of 8in, however, so take the illustrations with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, they are officially sourced images and can be expected to at least foreshadow what will come when the Roadster is officially unveiled. For details on the expected performance and pricing of the new Z Roadster, check out our own preview story and image here.2009 Nissan 370Z Coupe2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster previewNissan 370Z Roadster OHMI Sketches Read More