What a quandary. You’re head over heels in love with the new Audi A5 but you’re a sucker for that wind-in-your-hair feeling and just can’t resist getting the roof down at the slightest trace of direct sunlight.
Well, here’s some great news: Audi has taken a tin-opener to the A5 saloon and its souped-up S5 sibling with open-top versions due to hit UK showrooms in 2017.
Pretty much everything you know about the latest A5 and S5 remains unchanged with these cabriolets; the dimensions and interior equipment are the same and it even uses some of the same engines.
The key difference is obviously the addition of a soft-top roof, which can be automatically opened and packed away at the flick of a switch in 15 seconds. Should the wet stuff start falling, it can be closed again in 18 seconds and the roof can now be operated on the move too at speeds up to 31mph.
Like the standard A5, the cabriolet is 47mm longer than its predecessor, stretching for 4,673mm. However, in the absence of a fixed roof, the car’s body has been strengthened by 40 per cent to make it the stiffest yet lightest in its class. Rollover hoops and head-thorax side airbags have been developed especially for the cabriolets to maintain safety.
There’s plenty of boot space, offering 380 litres with the roof up. The 50:50 folding back seats can be collapsed to extend that further if required, while an automatic tailgate now comes as standard too.
Engine options for the A5 Cabriolet include a 249bhp two-litre TFSI petrol, while diesel drivers can choose from a 187bhp 2.0 TDI or a 3.0 with 215bhp.
The S5 comes with the same 3.0 V6 TFSI unit as its fixed-roof coupe and sportback counterparts, developing up to 349bhp of power and 500Nm of torque. From a standstill, it can get up to 62mph in 5.1 seconds, which isn’t as swift as the 4.6 secs in BMW’s drop-top M4.
It comes on 19-inch alloy wheels, with permanent all-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard. The interior is blessed with ‘Super Sports seats’ in the front, while standard A5 Cabriolets gets xenon or LED headlamps, the Audi smartphone interface, leather upholstery, front seat heating, and three-zone climate control.
The A5 and S5 Cabriolets will be officially unveiled in the metal at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 18th.
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