Auto News 5

It's hard to make a case for the Audi RS4 Cabriolet on a rational basis. With destination charge and gas-guzzler tax, it costs nearly $85,000. That's almost $20,000 more than the RS4 sedan, and roughly $27,000 more than the S4 Cabriolet. It's convertible top means that it doesn't have the structural rigidity of its sedan sibling, so - as any car magazine geek will tell you - it doesn't handle quite as well. It's based on the outgoing version of the A4, which for the sedans and wagon has already been replaced, so it's not the latest-and-greatest. Oh, and it gets 12 mpg, city.

The BMW 1-series, available as a coupe and a convertible, seems poised to be a very exciting addition to the company's lineup. The 1-series uses the same, highly regarded mechanicals as the benchmark 3-series, but wraps them in a smaller, lighter, and less expensive package. From a driving standpoint, one can hardly argue with the results. But what is open to debate is whether the cost and weight savings of the 1-series are significant or does the car too closely overlap to the 3-series.