The Audi Cabriolet was Audi’s dedicated four-seat convertible of the 1990s, introduced as a production model in March 1991 after a prototype appearance at the 1989 Frankfurt motor show. It was developed from the Audi Coupé and carried over the B3-era engineering, giving the open car a close family connection to Audi’s compact executive range rather than treating it as a separate sports car. That relationship helped define the Cabriolet’s character: refined, practical, and more grand-touring than flashy.
At launch, the Cabriolet was offered with Audi’s well-known five-cylinder engine, which suited the car’s relaxed but distinctive personality. Over time, Audi broadened the range with additional gasoline engines, including four-cylinder and six-cylinder options, reflecting the model’s role as a more accessible premium convertible rather than a one-specification enthusiast special. The car remained visually tied to the Coupé and later received updates that brought its styling closer to newer Audi models of the era.
The Cabriolet was notable for its unusually long life. While the underlying platform was replaced elsewhere in Audi’s lineup, the open model continued through the 1990s, and production was eventually moved to Karmann’s Rheine plant late in 1997. Final production ended on 27 July 2000, and Audi built 71,510 examples in total. Its successor was the Audi A4 Cabriolet, but the original Audi Cabriolet remains the best-known open-top Audi of its era and a recognizable bridge between the brand’s classic B3/B4 generation and its later premium convertible lineup.