Audi A5 Cabriolet

The February blizzards may still be fresh in our minds, but the truth is that spring starts a week today and with it – for the lucky few, at least – come thoughts of cruising with the roof down.

Convertibles account for almost 5 per cent of new car registrations, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders – more than twice as many as two years ago.

Indeed, despite our dodgy weather, the British buy more convertibles per capita than any other nation in Europe.

And it’s easy to see why. ­Earlier this month, I was in Monte Carlo to test drive the new Audi A5 cabriolet and, as I bowled along the coast road towards Nice with the roof down and the head-level heating taking the edge off the March chill, it was easy to appreciate the attractions of open-top driving.

The 3.0 TDI diesel model is a thing of beauty, accelerates from 0-60 in 6.4 seconds and has a top speed of 154mph.

What’s more, the roof opens in 15 seconds and closes in 17 seconds, so there’s no need to get totally drenched if there’s a sudden downpour (a significant ­benefit in a city as meteorologically temperamental as ­London). You can even put the roof down while moving at speeds of up to 30mph.

At £31,000 for the cheapest model, the A5 is hardly ­inexpensive. It is surprisingly green, however.

Cabriolets are built for performance rather than environmental friendliness but the A5 benefits from Audi’s pioneering FSI fuel injection technology, which has reduced fuel consumption by 15 per cent and lowered emissions significantly.

As a result, the two-litre version has a fuel consumption of 41.5mpg and gives off CO2 emissions at a rate of 159g/km (let’s not even think about the 3.2-litre petrol model, though. It does just 32.8mpg and has emissions of 199g/km).

The fact is, if you are prepared­ to sacrifice some ­performance, it is possible to feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your back and still keep the peace with the ­moderate green lobby.

The Citroen C3 Pluriel, for example, does 60mpg and emits just 125g/km (see box). The downside, of course, is that it limps to 60 in 16.1 ­seconds – almost 10 seconds slower than the three-litre A5 – and tops out at 98mph.

From June, drivers with close to £100,000 to spend will be able to buy a Tesla, the world’s first electric-powered sports car, which accelerates from 0-60 in less than four seconds and can travel up to 220 miles between charges.

Until it hits the roads of ­Europe, however, when it comes to cabriolets, you can buy a car with poke or you can salve your conscience. You just can’t do both.

green alternatives

For most drivers interested in cabriolets, fuel efficiency and emission levels are unlikely to be top of their agenda. However, there are convertibles on the market which combine good looks with an environmentally friendly drive. Here are the top five as identified by thegreencarwebsite.co.uk

1. Smart fortwo cabriolet

64.2mpg

CO2 emissions: 105g/km

0-60: 13.3 secs

Top speed: 90mph

Price: £9,203

2. Vauxhall Tigra 1.6 diesel coupe roadster

"At £31,000 for the cheapest model, the A5 is hardly ­inexpensive"

61.4mpg

CO2 emissions: 124g/km

0-60: 15.5 secs

Top speed: 104mph

Price: £15,546

3. Citroen C3 Pluriel 1.4 diesel convertible

60.1mpg

CO2 emissions: 125g/km

0-60: 16.1 secs

Top speed: 98mph

Price: £13,162

4. BMW 1 Series 118d convertible

58mpg

CO2 emissions: 129g/km

0-60: 9.5 secs

Top speed: 129mph

Price: £22,060

5.Peugeot 207 1.6 diesel coupe cabriolet

56mpg

CO2 emissions: 130g/km

0-60: 10.9 secs

Top speed: 119mph

Price: £17,763