As good as Audi claims?
Back in 1979, my first good paying job provided me the means to buy a new car. Having always adored the Triumph TR6, I decided a British roadster was mandatory despite residing in the midst of a rain forest. Coinciding with my newly acquired purchasing power was the introduction of the "wedge," that being Triumph's TR7. Bamboozled by advertising and a desire to own one of the first units in my town, I laid $9,975 down on a white ragtop sporting blue plaid upholstery, custom pinstripes and optional sport wheels.
I recall reading advertising literature highlighting the TR7's leak-proof fabric roof and boasting about its built-in rain gutters that directed water away from the side windows. The gutters were fabricated of canvass. They lined the edge of the roof where it met the side glass. As you may have guessed, the car leaked. Perhaps not as badly as some roadsters of the era but leak it did, especially around the side windows- so much for Triumphs gutter technology.
In addition to inviting water into cockpits, early fabric roofs did little to insulate passenger compartments from wind and road noise. They were also ineffective at keeping any semblance of warmth in the vehicle during the winter. It wasn't unusual during sub-zero weather to feel drops of water on my head as the heater in the TR7 finally warmed the vehicle's interior and melted condensation frozen to the inside of the roof. You could say that such shelter inadequacies gave character to old convertibles, but that's like romanticizing dental work before the advent of anesthetic.
To overcome many of the problems inherent in placing nothing more than a glorified umbrella over the heads of occupants, many manufacturers are resorting to retractable hardtop roofs. These works of engineering genius meld the benefits of a fixed roof with those of a soft-top. They are however expensive, complex and bulky. Audi has bucked the trend by re-inventing the fabric roof. I had the good fortune of driving an S4 Cabriolet during one of the wetter weeks this winter. Where's the good fortune in that you ask?
Well, it gave me the perfect opportunity to test Audi's new Acoustic fabric roof against the elements of wind, rain and cold. The Acoustic version of Audi's ragtop is optional over their basic fabric top. Audi claims the Acoustic roof provides the same insulation against wind and road noise as a fixed hardtop. They also claim that it keeps the warmth in and the cold out. Like any good consumer, I exercise healthy skepticism when a manufacturer makes such bold claims.
Back in 1979, my first good paying job provided me the means to buy a new car. Having always adored the Triumph TR6, I decided a British roadster was mandatory despite residing in the midst of a rain forest. Coinciding with my newly acquired purchasing power was the introduction of the "wedge," that being Triumph's TR7. Bamboozled by advertising and a desire to own one of the first units in my town, I laid $9,975 down on a white ragtop sporting blue plaid upholstery, custom pinstripes and optional sport wheels.
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I recall reading advertising literature highlighting the TR7's leak-proof fabric roof and boasting about its built-in rain gutters that directed water away from the side windows. The gutters were fabricated of canvass. They lined the edge of the roof where it met the side glass. As you may have guessed, the car leaked. Perhaps not as badly as some roadsters of the era but leak it did, especially around the side windows- so much for Triumphs gutter technology.
In addition to inviting water into cockpits, early fabric roofs did little to insulate passenger compartments from wind and road noise. They were also ineffective at keeping any semblance of warmth in the vehicle during the winter. It wasn't unusual during sub-zero weather to feel drops of water on my head as the heater in the TR7 finally warmed the vehicle's interior and melted condensation frozen to the inside of the roof. You could say that such shelter inadequacies gave character to old convertibles, but that's like romanticizing dental work before the advent of anesthetic.
To overcome many of the problems inherent in placing nothing more than a glorified umbrella over the heads of occupants, many manufacturers are resorting to retractable hardtop roofs. These works of engineering genius meld the benefits of a fixed roof with those of a soft-top. They are however expensive, complex and bulky. Audi has bucked the trend by re-inventing the fabric roof. I had the good fortune of driving an S4 Cabriolet during one of the wetter weeks this winter. Where's the good fortune in that you ask?
Well, it gave me the perfect opportunity to test Audi's new Acoustic fabric roof against the elements of wind, rain and cold. The Acoustic version of Audi's ragtop is optional over their basic fabric top. Audi claims the Acoustic roof provides the same insulation against wind and road noise as a fixed hardtop. They also claim that it keeps the warmth in and the cold out. Like any good consumer, I exercise healthy skepticism when a manufacturer makes such bold claims.
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