We review the Audi A5 Cabriolet from price to economy and all its features
BIGGER, sleeker, sportier, economical, practical - five words that perfectly sum up the new Audi A5 cabriolet.
The Germans have ditched producing their A4 drop-top and replaced it with the new A5 cabriolet. By doing this they now have an even more accomplished convertible cruiser.
Mean streets ... S5 looks awesome with big bumpers
For a start it’s now not based on a saloon like the A4 was, the design platform is its sleeker brother A5 coupe.
And that also means more luggage space and practicality. It’s the largest cabrio Audi have ever built.
It sits directly between the TT Coupé and R8 supercar in size and you can certainly recognise the family design cues.
There is much of the TT in the nose, with a prominent grille outlined in chrome.
However, the profile is so sleek, traditional coupe, with a long bonnet and short tail. A rakish back screen and thick rear pillars are finished off by a high boot with neat tail-lights - finished off by the fabric roof.
Undoubtedly the most eye-catching feature is the optional LED day-time driving lights along the bottom of each headlamp, borrowed from the R8, and à la KITT from Knight Rider.
They give a piercing gaze and the car an even more menacing personality, but despite this the A5 is still more elegant Duffy than Lady GaGa in style - although Audi have made understatement an art form and a huge sales winner.
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But for real wild-child looks the S5 is the version you want. The double mesh grille gives it buckets of aggression and turns this cabrio from classy cruiser into belting bruiser.
Inside, the A5 is functional and fashionable without being flash with Audi's dial-controlled Multi Media Interface (MMI) the main focus on the centre console, with a classy mix of piano black and chrome trim - but I was disappointed that proper iPod compatibility wasn’t standard.
And it is a four-seater, although there's only just enough head and legroom for a six-footer like me in the back.
Like all Audi drop-tops, the A5 Cabriolet has a fabric roof, chosen for reasons of packaging compactness and style.
And it loses just 60 litres of its 380-litre boot space when the roof is down, a best-in-class figure over the BMW 3 Series cabrio and Mercedes CLK cabrio.
Lowering the roof takes 15 seconds, and reversing the process takes 17 seconds - and both can be done at speeds up to 30mph. The range will initially feature two FSI direct injection petrol engines and one TDI diesel.
The new S5, with its 3-litre supercharged V6 TFSI will follow in September.
I drove the 2-litre petrol, diesel and S5. Obviously the sporting flagship is the pick of the bunch with 328bhp, 0-60mph in only 5.6 seconds and onto an electronically limited 155mph top speed.
The supercharged V6, is simply breathtaking. With the roof-down you are greeted by the glorious exhaust note with the extra blip of the throttle when shifting through the seven-speed S-Tronic gearbox.
But I was really impressed with both 2-litre models which will be the biggest sellers - both with stop/start technology, which lowers fuel consumption on the petrol version to an excellent 41.5mpg.
On the twisty roads of Monte Carlo the A5 and S5 models felt smooth and handled with absolute precision - but on uneven surfaces the ride felt a tad hard which may feel worse on UK streets.
Three specification levels will be available at the standard car’s May launch - Standard, SE and S-Line.
All include power-hood, alloy wheels, climate control and split-folding rear seats with solar-heat reflecting upholstery and neck heating systems - like the Merc SLK Air Scarf - available as options.
Prices start at £30,000 for the 2-litre petrol going up to £42,000 for the S5.
For all the S5’s macho class, it’s very expensive. I’d go for the 2-litre diesel. It’s over £10,000 less, cheaper to run, is an effortless drive and still maintains this cabrio as the ultimate summer cruiser.
What to look out for when buying a used Audi A5 (2007-)
A5 owners are increasingly complaining about gearbox and clutch problems. Once an A5 is outside its warranty, these could be hugely expensive to resolve, so keep a look out before you buy.
It also fared poorly in the 2009 What Car? survey, with most complaints being about electrical faults.
Some owners are critical of the car’s ride on larger alloys, and low-profile tyres make damaging the rims painfully easy. However, there have been no recalls to report at time of writing.