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Why it won...
The 3-Series retains its crown. In this category, we’re looking for the strongest four-seater cabrio line-up on the market, and the BMW is a brilliant all-rounder.
It answered the challenge posed by the new Mercedes E-Class and saw off the heavily revised Volvo C70 with a range of subtle tweaks, including sharper styling, upgraded engines and extra equipment.
What hasn’t changed is the drop-top’s clever three-piece roof, which is one of the most compact around. It opens in only 23 seconds, transforming the 3 from a classy coupé into a cool cabrio at the press of a button.
And you get the clever EfficientDynamics hardware, too. The line-up includes a range of excellent petrol and diesel engines, and all four-cylinder models feature stop-start technology to help cut CO2.
Commended:
Mercedes E-Class
Despite the marque’s pioneering use of folding metal hard-tops in its SLK and SL models, its latest E-Class uses an efficient fabric hood instead. A huge range of hi-tech gadgets in the cabin boost roof-down refinement for driver and passengers, too.
Audi A5 Cabriolet
The A5 maintains the German manufacturer’s allegiance to the traditional fabric hood, and you cannot argue with the results – the model is both smartly styled and refined on the road. Smaller-engined variants provide the best mix of handling finesse and performance.
