Trust Audi to do things just a little differently. While just about every other manufacturer is scrambling around creating hi-tech folding metal roofs, the fashionable German brand is happy with old-fashioned black canvas.

The motto, it seems, is ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

There’s no doubt that metal folding roofs are good. They have inspired more people to try convertibles as they are perceived to be quieter and more secure.

No doubt memories of old cabriolets from the 1960s and 1970s with billowing roofs put some people off wind-in-the-hair motoring. Tales of craft knives being used to vandalised soft-tops also frightens some people away.

But, as Audi is quick to point out, metal-topped roofs are not always the answer. They’re heavy (not good for a sporty brand like Audi) and they’re cumbersome.

They also detract from showing the car to be a cabriolet. What’s the point driving a fashionable open-topper if people think it’s a bog-standard saloon when the roof is up?

Audi has really joined the soft-top brigade in a big way recently. The A3, A4, A5, TT and R8 all now come with soft-top versions.

Tested here is the A5 Cabriolet, a model which has a £5,000 or so premium over the hard-top A5 Coupe models. It’s a premium price for a premium car, but it is cheaper than BMW competitors. More than that, it’s a very capable car with great engines and fantastic practicality.

It isn’t perfect. There is some wind noise and the ride and handling is compromised a little by the lack of a roof, but I guess that’s the price you pay for having a gorgeous motor.

One of the key features is the ease of opening and closing the roof. It takes 15 to 17 seconds, which is fast; very fast.

It was only a matter of time before Audi took the top off its well-received A5 Coupe. Although it shares more than a few design cues with its infinitely more sensible A4 saloon, it’s obvious which one is likely to attract buyers with no need for two extra doors.

If anything, the A5 Cabriolet moves the Coupe a few rungs up the aspirational ladder. It’s hardly surprising, as the original 80-based convertible created a similar stir when it was launched.

This time around, the formula might be the same – svelte styling, room for four, fabric roof – but there’s nothing formulaic about the A5 Cabriolet.

Other makers are shoehorning folding metals roofs into once streamlined coupes, but Audi has chosen the more stylish path. With a fabric roof there’s no need to engineer a huge boot lid to accommodate the roof panels.

Then there’s the weight issue: a cloth roof – even a powered one – is unlikely to upset the car’s balance. And, crucially, it’s much easier to make it so that you can open and close when on the move. Can you imagine having to shift all that metal?

Anyway, this Audi, like so many, is all about style and the feel-good factor. Built to last, and to a level that must have rival engineers lying awake at night in a cold sweat, once you slide into the A5 Cabriolet it just feels right. From the contours of the supportive seats to the elegant switchgear, ergonomic fascia, clear instrumentation and overall ambience, it would be a very cruel man indeed who found fault with his surroundings.

It’s certainly hard to complain about the roof. In simple terms, it just works; you press a button to lower it and it folds away without any fuss. It will open in 15 seconds and close in 17, and this can be done at speeds of up to 31mph – no more embarrassing situations at traffic lights when they turn green but the car’s not yet finished doing its thing.

You’d be right to expect the Cabriolet to perform much like the Coupe on the road. That it does is a testament to the work done to banish any hint of flex or rattle in the cabin, even when driving on the harshest of roads.

The car’s overall performance is helped by the polished collection of engines and transmissions on offer. The tested version is a 2.0 litre petrol, a small engine for a pretty substantial car, but it zips to 150mph and reaches 60mph in 7.5 seconds.

The V6 diesel alternative is smooth, quiet and powerful in a subtle kind of way.

With such a variety of engines, trim and gearboxes to choose from, the ability to tailor the car to your requirements is easy. Audi is famous for offering a generous array of optional kit. Aside from the usual stuff – sat-nav, audio and the like – there’s even a heater built into the seat at neck height, designed to blow warm air for when it’s cold and you’ve got the roof down.

If you sense a bias towards the aesthetics of this drop-top, you would be right. Cars like this are all about image, and this convertible succeeds where many rivals can only come close. Whether it’s build quality, looks, image or the draw of those four rings, it’s hard to find a better all-round package. That it’s also an entertaining steer is the icing on the cake.

For all the fuss that’s made about cars with folding metal roofs, there’s much to be said about the traditional fabric alternative.

Granted, the A5’s roof is far from simple – the levels of refinement with the roof up are impressively coupe-like – but it does make the car look appealing when raised, which is a rare achievement.

In fact, it’s a car which looks equally refined with the roof up or down. That’s unusual in the world of convertibles.

Audi A5 Cabriolet 2.0 TFSI S-line: PRICE: £34,840. Model spans £30,840 to £43,160.

ENGINE: A 2.0 litre unit generating 208bhp via front wheel drive.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 150mph, 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds.

COSTS: Average 42.2mpg.

EMISSIONS: 156g/km.

INSURANCE: Group 37.

WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles.

Steve’s ratings: Performance: 3/5 Ride/Handling: 3/5 Space/Practicality: 3/5 Equipment: 4/5 Security/Safety: 4/5 OVERALL: 3/5