British summetime might almost be over, but Volkswagen has given
soft-top fans something to look forward to with the UK
introduction of the new cabriolet version of the popular Golf.
With sales of 1.42 million units, Volkswagen has to be one of
the most successful producers of iconic convertibles. Part of
this success was down to the Golf Cabriolet, of which 684,000
were sold between 1979 to 2002.  Now the Golf soft-top is back,
with a clever electric roof that only takes 9.5 seconds for the
soft top to open fully, making it one of the fastest systems
available. It can also be opened or closed at speeds of up to
around 20mph, allowing continued operation at low speeds.  So,
can the Cabriolet reassert its authority against modern rivals?
I headed to Marlow for the first UK drive to find out.  The
Cabriolet might be lower, with a more sportier, swept back
windscreen, but at the front the grille, headlights and bonnet
are still distinctively Golf.  Move to the side and the
convertible hump of the fabric roof ha