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Monday, February 28, 2011

New Post Oscar Breakfast with Benjamin Millepied! - Natalie Portman



Natalie Portman steps out for a post-Oscar breakfast with her fiance and Black Swan co-star,Benjamin Millepied, on Monday (February 28) in Hollywood.
The 29-year-old pregnant actress won her first Academy Award last night! Nat wore a gorgeous violet silk chiffon draped gown by Rodarte on the red carpet.
Nat thanked her entire team, the cast and crew of Black Swan, her friends and her love during her speech.
FYI: Nat and Benjamin also brought along her beloved pup, Whiz, for breakfast.

Natalie portman oscars 2011 red carpet 01 New Images, or natalie portman oscar images.

Nice images og Jessica Alba & Ellen DeGeneres Pre-Oscar Party in Beverly Hills!


Jessica Alba: Breakfast with Cash & Honor!





Jessica Alba: Breakfast with Cash & Honor!






Natalie Portman - Oscars 2011 Red Carpet









Dragon Wallpaper Dark Theme

dragon art wallpaper dark theme myth lizard snake wings symbol
Blue Dragon Wallpaper Dark Theme
The dragon is a mythical creature that form reptiles such as lizards or large snakes that have wings. Many creations shape of a dragon, the shape of the dragon people apply anywhere with share a kind creations. Dragons are likely to form a giant winged lizards have horns and can remove the fire from inside the mouth is a creature feature legendari from Europe (Greece and the Middle Eastern), is the Dragon which has features like a snake that has legs, horns, mustache also issued a fire from its mouth is myth of Chinese dragons.

dragon art wallpaper dark theme myth lizard snake wings symbol
Dragon Snake Wallpaper

dragon art wallpaper dark theme myth lizard snake wings symbol
Dragon Lizard Wallpaper Dark theme

dragon art wallpaper dark theme myth lizard snake wings symbol
Dragon Cool Wallpaper

dragon art wallpaper dark theme myth lizard snake wings symbol
Gold Dragon Wallpaper

Wholesale Fashion Clothing

Wholesale Fashion Clothing


Wholesale Fashion Clothing


Wholesale Fashion Clothing
Wholesale Fashion Clothing

Salman Khan Wallpapers And Full Biography






















Salman Khan-Salman Khan is a Bollywood Actor

Born Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan

27 December 1965 (1965-12-27) (age 44)
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India

Occupation Film actor, Television presenter, Screenwriter

Years active 1988 – present

Parents Salim Khan

Salma Khan

Website

http://www.salmankhan.net

Salman Khan; born Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan on 27 December 1965) is an Indian film actor who appears in Bollywood films.


Salman Khan is the son of the legendary writer Salim Khan

Salman Khan, who made his acting debut with the film Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988), had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), and won a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for his performance. He went on to star in some of Bollywood's most successful films, such as Saajan (1991), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Judwaa (1997), Biwi No.1 (1999), having appeared in the highest earning films of six separate years during his career.

In 1999, Salman Khan won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his extended appearance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and since then has starred in several critical and commercial successes, including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Tere Naam (2003), No Entry (2005), Partner (2007), Wanted (2009) and Dabangg (2010), which has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time after 3 Idiots. Khan has thus established himself as one of the most prominent leading actors of Hindi cinema.[1][2]

Contents

1 Biography

1.1 Career

1.1.1 1980s

1.1.2 1990s

1.1.3 2000s

1.2 Personal life

2 Controversies

2.1 Legal troubles

2.2 Relationship troubles

2.3 Fatwas

3 Awards and nominations

3.1 Filmfare Awards

3.2 Star Screen Awards

3.3 Zee Cine Awards

3.4 Bollywood Movie Awards

3.5 IIFA Awards

3.6 Indian Television Awards

3.7 National Honour

4 Filmography

5 See also

6 References

7 Further reading

8 External links

Biography

Career

1980s

Salman Khan made his acting debut in the 1988 film Biwi Ho To Aisi where he played a supporting role. His first leading role in a Bollywood movie was in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic family drama Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). The film went on to become one of India's highest grossing films.[3] It also won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award, and a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor Award. Maine Pyar Kiya was the biggest hit of 1989 in India, one of the most successful Bollywood movies of the 1980s, and it established Salman Khan's status in the industry.

1990s

1990 saw only one film release starring Khan, Baaghi, alongside southern actress Nagma. The film was a box office success,[4] and was followed by another successful year in 1991 when he starred in three hit films, Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa and Saajan.[5] Despite these early successes, all of his 1992-1993 releases resulted in box office failures.

Salman Khan clawed back his previous success in 1994 with his second collaboration with director Sooraj Barjatya in the romance Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, co-starring Madhuri Dixit. This film was the biggest hit of that year, and turned out to be one of Bollywood's highest grossing films ever, becoming the fourth highest earner of all time.[6] Apart from being a commercial success, the film was widely acclaimed and Khan was praised for his performance, earning his second nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare. Three more films released that year featured Khan, none of which making a significant impact on the box-office as was the case with the previously mentioned title. He did however win praise for his performance in Andaz Apna Apna, alongside co-star Aamir Khan, which has gained a cult status since its release. In 1995 he cemented his success with Rakesh Roshan's blockbuster Karan Arjun, co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan.[5] The film was the second biggest hit of the year, and his role of Karan once again put his name among the nominees for the Best Actor award at the Filmfare, which was eventually won by his Karan Arjun co-star Shahrukh Khan.

1996 was followed by two successes. The first one being Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directional debut Khamoshi: The Musical, co-starring Manisha Koirala, Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas. Though a box office failure, the film was critically acclaimed. He next starred alongside Sunny Deol and Karisma Kapoor in Raj Kanwar's action hit Jeet.

He had only two releases in 1997: Judwaa and Auzaar. The former was a comedy directed by David Dhawan co-starring Karisma Kapoor, where he played a dual role of twins separated at birth. The film was a box office hit. The latter, co-starring Shilpa Shetty failed to do well, but developed a cult following after its video release.

Salman Khan worked in five different films in 1998, his first release being the comedy Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya opposite Kajol, one of the biggest commercial successes of that year. This was followed by the moderately successful drama Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai.[5] Khan played a young man who has to take a child who claims to be his son, under his custody. Khan's performance in the film earned him several positive notices and favourable reviews from critics. He rounded of the year with Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, he had only an extended cameo playing the role of Aman. However, it eventually turned out beneficial to him, as his performance earned him his second Filmfare Award under the Best Supporting Actor category.

In 1999, Salman Khan starred in three hit films: Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United, which reunited him with Sooraj Barjatya for the third time; Biwi No.1, which became the top grossing film that year; and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which was a major critical success, and earned him another Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare.

2000s

In 2000, Salman Khan acted in six films, most of which failed critically and commercially, except for the two moderately successful films, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, both of which co-starred Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta. His performance in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, the release of which was delayed until 2001, was received well. The film was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the issue of surrogate childbirth; Khan played the role of a rich industrialist, who hires a surrogate mother after his wife becomes infertile. Critics noted his turn towards a more serious role, which reportedly had more substance in comparison to his previous roles.[7][8] In 2002 he starred in the delayed release Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam which was semi-hit at the box office.

Salman Khan's following releases failed at the box office until he made a comeback in 2003 with Tere Naam. The film was a major earner and his performance was praised by critics, with film critic Taran Adarsh noting, "Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid..."[9] He subsequently continued his success at the box office, with comedies like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) and No Entry (2005).[5] 2006 was an unsuccessful year for him when Jaan-E-Mann and Baabul both failed to do well at the box office.

Salman Khan started 2007 with the ensemble film Salaam E Ishq which failed to do well at the box office. His next release Partner did very well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster verdict.[10] He next appeared in his first Hollywood movie, Marigold: An Adventure in India opposite American actress Ali Larter. Telling the love story of an Indian man and an American woman, the film was a major failure, both commercially and critically.

Salman Khan starred in three films throughout 2008, all of which underperformed,[11] though his second film of the year, Heroes, met with praise from critics.

Salman Khan hosted the second season of 10 Ka Dum in year 2009 which turned out to be even more successful than his first season as host of the game show in year 2008. The show got very high TRPs for Sony Entertainment Television and according to reports, the show helped Sony TV regain its third position in the Indian television ratings.[12]

Salman Khan's first film of 2009, Wanted directed by choreographer turned director Prabhu Deva was declared a smash hit in its first weekend of release itself. The action film turned out to be a huge success. The movie got more recognition for its slick action sequences performed by the actor himself. In the same year, he appeared in two other films, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna and London Dreams, both of which were failures at the box office.

His first release of 2010, Anil Sharma's Veer underperformed at the box office. Khan's recent film, Dabangg produced by his brother Arbaaz Khan, was released on September 10, 2010. It made a record opening at the box office[13] and was declared an all time blockbuster which is Khan's 4th time.[14]

Personal life

Salman Khan is the eldest son of celebrated screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Salma Khan (maiden name Sushila Charak). His stepmother is Helen, a famous former Bollywood actress, who has co-starred with him in Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). He has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, and two sisters, Alvira and Arpita. Alvira is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri.

Salman Khan studied at The Scindia School, Gwalior for a few years along with younger brother Arbaaz.

Salman Khan is a dedicated bodybuilder, and is famous for taking off his shirt in movies and stage shows alike. In 2004, he was voted seventh best-looking man in the world and the best looking man in India by People magazine, U.S.[15] Khan has been involved in several charities during his career.[16]

On 11 October 2007, Khan accepted an offer from Madame Tussauds wax museum in London to have a wax replica made of himself. His life-size wax figure was finally installed there on 15 January 2008, making him the fourth Indian actor to have been replicated as a wax statue in the museum.[17][18]

Controversies

Legal troubles

On 28 September 2002, Salman was arrested for rash and negligent driving. His car had run into a bakery in Mumbai; one person who was sleeping on the pavement outside the bakery died and three others were injured in the mishap.[19] Charges of culpable homicide were laid against him, but later dropped, and he was found not guilty. However, he will still have to stand trial for a series of lesser charges pertaining to the incident.[20]



On 17 February 2006, Khan was sentenced to one year in prison for hunting an endangered species, the Chinkara. The sentence was stayed by a higher court during appeal.[21] On 10 April 2006, Salman was handed a five year jail term for hunting the endangered Chinkara. He was remanded to Jodhpur jail, and remained there until 13 April when he was granted bail.[22] On 24 August 2007, the Jodhpur sessions court, upheld the 5 year jail term for Khan in the Chinkara poaching case by turning down his appeal against the 2006 judgement. At the time of the hearing, he was busy with a shooting elsewhere, while his sister attended the proceedings.[23] The day after, he was placed under police arrest in Jodhpur after a Rajasthan court upheld a prison sentence passed upon him for poaching. On 31 August 2007, Khan was released on bail from the Jodhpur Central jail where spent six days.

Relationship troubles

His turbulent relationship with actress Aishwarya Rai was a well publicised topic in the Indian media, and had constantly filled gossip columns.[24] After their break-up in March 2002, Rai accused him of harassing her. She claimed that Khan had not been able to come to terms with their break-up and was hounding her; her parents lodged a complaint against him.[25]

In 2005, news outlets released what was said to be an illicit copy of a mobile phone call recorded in 2001 by the Mumbai police. It appeared to be a call in which he threatened his ex-girlfriend, Aishwarya Rai, in an effort to force her to appear at social events held by Mumbai crime figures. The call featured boasts of connections to organized crime and derogatory comments about other actors. However, the alleged tape was tested in the government's Forensic lab in Chandigarh, which concluded that it was fake.[26][27]
Fatwas

In September 2007, a Muslim organisation issued a fatwa against Khan for attending a Ganesh puja. Stating that Islam prohibits idol worship, the organisation stated that unless Khan reads the kalmas — the declaration of faith — all over again, he will not be considered a Muslim. In addition to that, Khan celebrated the Ganesh Mahotsav with his family in Bandra; they brought a Ganesh idol for one day for the sake of his stepmother, Helen. Khan was among the group who danced in the procession. His father responded by criticising the fatwa and stated that Salman had done nothing wrong.[28]

Another fatwa was raised against Khan by a Muslim cleric in India, mufti Salim Ahmad Qasmi, for allowing Madame Tussauds in London to make a wax model of himself. The mufti said the statue is illegal and the Sharia forbids depictions of all living creatures. This created speculation in the press, as no fatwa was released against fellow Muslim, Shahrukh Khan who also has a wax model in the museum. Salman responded by saying, "These fatwas are becoming a joke".[29]

The fatwa was raised upon Khan again in September 2008, for celebrating the Ganeshotsav Hindu ceremony at his home with the family. The fatwa was raised by the member of the Advisory Council, Jama Masjid, in New Delhi. On this occasion, his father, Salim, again questioned the fatwa and criticised those who raise it






Volkswagen Golf GTI Pictures


On the whole, employees of car manufacturers reside in one of two camps: the hardcore petrolheads who’ve spent a lifetime dreaming of creating the ideal driving machine, and the number-crunching bean-counters that spend their days observing and analysing statistics and market trends, optimising sales and crushing the dreams of the first group. This is a successful formula in general terms, encouraging development and evolution within the industry whilst maintaining consistent sales through models that have a broad appeal. For aftermarket tuners and DIY mechanics, it’s a positive joy to tweak the aspects of a car that have been softened for mass consumption; stiffer suspension, lower profile tyres, less restrictive exhaust systems that would run the risk of pleasing a few but offending many if they were fitted in the mainstream.

So, everyone’s happy, yes? The accountants have lovely graphs where all the lines go upwards, Demon Tweeks are doing a roaring trade in spikey cams and carbon-fibre airboxes… but what about the in-house enthusiasts; the designers, developers and engineers? How do these poor souls react to having their vision diluted so callously.
They rebel, that’s how. Look at the original Golf GTI: VW bosses wanted the Golf to be a sort of upmarket take on the Mini, with low weight, diminutive dimensions and maximised interior space. The engineers wanted it to be quick and fun. They built the prototype in their spare time… and management loved it. Absolutely loved it. And you know how successful that was Fast-forward a few decades and the cheeky scamps at Wolfsburg were at it again. OK, the goalposts had shifted somewhat – this wasn't so much an engineer-led project as the latest manifestation of the spiralling and ludicrous power war dominating the German motor industry – and we knew not to get our hopes up too high. They didn't actually build the W12-650 for public consumption.

Imagine if they did, though. Until the launch of the mkV, the Golf GTI had come under enormous criticism for its loss of focus; what began as a pure and playful thoroughbred evolved into something lardy and sluggish. The mkV GTI was a return to form, but some people wanted more. More grunt, more attitude, more thrust. The R32 addressed these issues, with a juicy V6 and a hateful disdain for other hot hatches. VW then wanted to show just how far they could stretch the formula… and it got really rather silly.

This may look like a Golf GTI that’s been tampered with by a backstreet chop-shop, but this is no trailer queen. Strolling past it, you might notice the twin fans in the back. Er, yes, there’s a 6-litre biturbo W12 under there. Which produces 641bhp. And that’s just ridiculous.The W12 isn’t really a W-configuration in the same way that the VR6 isn’t really a V; indeed the W12 is basically two VR6 engines bolted to a common crank. The most common application of this engine in a similar state of tune? That’ll be the Bentley Continental GT. OK, so we have a Volkswagen Golf with a Bentley engine mounted in the middle – a Bentley engine that has been significantly tuned, no less – with 641bhp. Silly enough for you? How about if I mention that it will hit sixty in 3.7 seconds, going on to a v-max of 201mph? The lunatics, if not actually taking over the asylum, had certainly distributed a few propaganda leaflets.

The real bitch was that this was just a mule, a showcase of what VW could achieve when they put their minds to it. (Some might argue that it’s a glimpse of what would happen if the artisans had a freer reign, others that it serves to validate how fearful VW are of alienating their consumers by behaving in too extreme a manner.) By this token, unfortunately, it didn’t really achieve what it should have. Sure, it looked superb, the performance was brutal and genuinely impressive, but there was a lack of finesse that ruined the whole project. While it worked to their credit that journalists were allowed to drive the car – by no means a given with your average one-off prototype – reports of questionable brakes and downright dangerous handling dynamics were rife.Still, who gives a toss about that? It’s a 200mph Golf with a fucking Bentley engine. The world needs more behaviour like this. We need to regain faith that these colossal conglomerates are still based on boundless enthusiasm and a genuine desire to excel. The passion exists, it just needs to be nurtured




Suzuki Grand Vitara TMR Wallpapers


Suzuki has announced that its updated-for-2009 Grand Vitara will hit showrooms Australia-wide in September, bringing with more power, better economy and greater safety than the outgoing model, along with a few minor cosmetic upgrades.

Two new petrol engines join the Grand Vitara range, with a 2.4-litre inline four replacing the old 1.6 and 2-litre units and a new 3.2-litre V6 taking up residence in the Grand Vitara Prestige. Both engines are equipped with variable valve timing (intake cam only on the 2.4-litre and both intake and exhaust on the 3.2) and both are smoother, quieter and more refined than the outgoing motors.

The 2.4-litre engine also features a variable-length intake manifold, which can change the length of the inlet tract to help improve torque production across the rev range and improve efficiency. Combined with the VVT system, the 2.4-litre four is capable of busting out a respectable 122kW while delivering an admirable fuel consumption figure of just 8.8 litres per 100km when equipped with the 5-speed manual gearbox.

With an extra 500cc over the outgoing 2.7-litre V6, the 165kW 3.2-litre donk in the Grand Vitara Prestige still manages to deliver an ADR economy figure of 10.5 litres per 100km, which makes it 9 per cent more frugal than its smaller predecessor. Power is also 22 per cent higher than the old engine and with its variable valve timing, roller rockers and silent drive system for its timing chain, it's easy to see why the 3.2L V6 is the flagship motor for the 2009 Grand Vitara. The 1.9-litre turbodiesel four carries over from the old model, and has been warmed over by Suzuki's engineers for an improved fuel economy figure of 7L/100km.

The 2.4-litre engine is available with either a 5-speed manual or a four-speed automatic, while the V6 comes with a 5-speed slushbox as the only option. All engines come hooked up to Suzuki's excellent 4x4 system, which features a dual-range transfer case and locking centre differential for when the going gets really tough. The Prestige V6 also comes equipped with hill descent control and hill hold control as standard.





Sunday, February 27, 2011

Bridal Catalogs

Bridal Catalogs


Bridal Catalogs


Bridal Catalogs
Bridal Catalogs

BMW 750 li Pictures


Among folks fortunate enough to live outside the Snowbelt, all-wheel drive is usually brought up only in conjunction with pickup trucks and Jeep Wranglers. For those of us who have to deal with snow and freezing conditions for months every year, though, an all-wheel-drive car can be the difference between getting to work and getting stuck at the end of your driveway. Indeed, here in Michigan, just about every luxury ride on the road wears an “x” or “4MATIC” or “Quattro” badge on its rump, signifying four-wheel power, with the BMW 7-series being one of the only cars in its competitive set not to offer all-wheel drive. Until now.

Fitting all-wheel drive to a big rear-drive car, however, can run the risk of upsetting driving dynamics. Take the current BMW 535i xDrive. Like all xDrive systems, its variable torque split defaults to 40 percent front and 60 percent rear, with the ability to shuffle up to 100 percent of the available power to either axle should slippage occur. Yet, it understeers like a baseball player barreling headfirst into home plate because it's primarily focused on achieving maximum traction, rather than improving vehicle agility. Now imagine if the 7-series, which in short-wheelbase form has over seven more inches between the axles and at least 600 pounds on the 535i xDrive, were fitted with the same system. Dynamic disaster. So the engineers at BMW took that previous version of xDrive—currently used in the 3-series as well as the 5-series—and reconfigured it in such a way that the all-wheel-drive 7 handles just as well as, if not better than, its rear-drive sibling.

Big and Agile

Throw even the extended-wheelbase 750Li xDrive into a corner, and you’d think you were driving something the size of a 335i, with nicely weighted steering that gets a bit heavier as you go through a corner and the front wheels pull you through. Gone is the fun-killing understeer that was exhibited in the 535i xDrive, replaced by more neutral behavior.

Among the systems that help the all-wheel-drive 7 dance better than previous xDrive sedans is “performance control,” a torque-vectoring system already featured on the two-wheel-drive 7-series that applies light braking to the inside rear wheel while adding power to the outside rear wheel, correcting for understeer without the driver ever knowing. Additionally, the 7-series is fitted with active front and rear anti-roll bars that adjust to keep the pitch of the big sedan going in its intended direction. Remember the 535i xDrive’s sole focus on traction at the expense of dynamics, and the resulting push? Perhaps the most important characteristic of the new 7-series version of xDrive is that it will variably adjust from the normal 40/60 torque split to, say, 20/80 or 30/70 or whatever when cornering—the car knows when you're trying to push it hard, unlike the 5-series—further accentuating the feel of rear-wheel-drive agility while maintaining the benefits of four driven wheels. Additionally, the system can switch to a 0/100 split when parking (to avoid binding), while also maintaining the ability to send up to 100 percent of available power fore or aft should one set of wheels completely lose traction. The front-to-rear power ratios are not fixed, though, which allows the car’s computer to adjust back to the normal 40/60 torque split as it deems necessary. The result is, as we said, one seriously fine-handling luxo-barge, although it must be noted that only eight-cylinder 7-series customers will be able to opt for xDrive. It will not be offered on the forthcoming 12-cylinder 760i and 760Li.

The xDrive system adds 187 pounds over a standard 750i, with the car’s overall heft redistributed in such a way that only one additional percent of the car’s weight sits over the front axle, which assists the 7 in its handling prowess. The xDrive 750 will command a $2300 premium when it goes on sale this October—which is just in time to help us Snowbelters escape our snowy driveways.




Audi S5 Wallpapers


On a recent trip to Canada I had the opportunity to drive a 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet for a few days. Prior to hopping into the car in Toronto, I had gotten myself all pumped up about the fact that I’d soon be luxuriating in the power and beautiful noises courtesy of Audi’s 354-bhp 4.2-liter V-8, just like the one found in the S5 coupe we had at the R&T offices for our Road Test in the November 2007 issue. Imagine my surprise when I sat in the S5 cabrio’s superbly supportive driver’s seat, popped the canvas top, fired up the engine…and didn’t hear a rumbly V-8 exhaust note, but rather a V-6. Somewhere along the line this intrepid journalist missed the memo from Audi that the S5 cabrio would use the same supercharged 3.0 TFSI V-6 as our long-term S4 sedan, while the S5 coupe continues (oddly) to be powered by a normally aspirated V-8 (also of interest, the S5 coupe continues with the choice of either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed Tiptronic automatic, while the S5 cabrio comes only with a 7-speed dual-clutch S tronic gearbox).

No matter, the 3.0 TFSI is one of the best supercharged engines in the world, delivering 333 ultra-smooth horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque, which meant there was always plenty of passing power on hand while traversing Canada’s woodsy two-lane roads.

Personally I prefer the 6-speed manual in our S4 sedan, as that setup allows for you to become much more “one with the car” than the S tronic, which can be a little bit jerky in manual mode in stop-and-go traffic. I also don’t like that the S tronic automatically upshifts for you at redline, but it’s a decent gearbox regardless, with small paddle shifters on the steering wheel and great exhaust reverberations with each upshift.

The handling of the S5 cabrio, aided by standard Quattro all-wheel drive, is excellent. Aim the S5 through a corner and it goes exactly where you point it, with minimal body roll and lots of grip, while returning a more than reasonable ride for those times when you’re not pushing the pace. As to be expected, there is a bit of cowl shake.

The interior is first rate, capable of transporting four adults in comfort, although the rear-seat passengers suffer the usual top-down toussled hair syndrome, which afflicts pretty much all convertibles other than the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. I found the S5 cabrio’s single button to raise or lower all four windows quite handy. Trunk space is semi-reasonable.

In the end, while I had a great time driving the S5 cabrio and very much enjoyed the 3.0 TFSI V-6, I must admit I still prefer the S5 coupe’s thundering V-8. But probably not that car’s thirstier nature—14/22 city/highway mpg for the manual and 16/24 for the automatic, versus the S5 cabrio’s V-6/S tronic combo which returns 17/26 mpg.