The all-new Audi A5 Cabriolet has arrived in the UK to join its brothers-of-the-road Audi A5 Coupe and 5-door Audi A5 Sportback, bringing the range up to a full compliment.
And it is also joined by the powerful S5 Cabriolet, powered by the same, brand new 3.0-litre TFSI engine seen first in the latest S5 Coupé and S5 Sportback, "bringing 354PS, 500Nm of torque and quattro-enhanced agility to the fore."
The exterior
When it came to styling the new Audi A5 Cabriolet, the designers took the sleek lines of the Coupé for inspiration, so the rear window is now flatter, it has short overhangs and a long wraparound bonnet - meaning that the new A5 Cabriolet is 47 millimetres longer than its predecessor.
At the front, we find a three-dimensional Singleframe grille, before following the wave-shaped shoulder line and wheel arch flares back to the rear horizontal lines in realisation of the elegance of the new model.
A third brake light is integrated into the surrounding trim strip of the hood compartment cover, with LED rear lights and optional LED or Matrix LED headlights with dynamic indicators at the front and rear make sure that, even after dark, the high-end technology of the car is visible.
And finally there is the classic soft top that operates with one touch of a switch, opening in 15 seconds and closing in 18, at speeds of up to 31mph.
The drive
When it comes to the design side of the drive in the new A5 Cabriolet, Audi have taken a look at all aspects.
When it comes to the suspension, the carefully balanced tuning of the five-link configuration on both front and rear axles (with adaptive dampers as options) is as important as the wide track and the long wheelbase. The Audi drive select dynamic handling system allows the driver to choose between performance and comfort-orientation, and the newly developed electromechanical power steering offers greater steering precision and great road reaction. Dynamic steering which varies its gear ratio depending on the speed and steering angle is available as an option.
The body of the new Audi A5 Cabriolet is the stiffest in its class and yet is among the lightest in the segment, courtesy of a smart mix of materials and geometric lightweight design. It is 40% more rigid than before, yet 40 kilograms lighter, even with the addition of struts and sills to make up for the lack of a fixed roof.
The engines
At launch, there is initially a choice of three engines for the new Audi A5 Cabriolet – a 2.0 TFSI with 252PS, a 2.0 TDI with 190PS and a 3.0 TDI with 218PS, with both a 2.0 TFSI with 190PS and a 3.0 TDI with 286PS joining up at a later date - and both fuel efficiency and power have been improved, offering 17% more power while using 22% less fuel. This is best demonstrated in both 3.0 TDI six-cylinder engines.
Tailor-made drivetrain technology in the shape of six-speed manual transmission, seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission or eight-speed tiptronic transmission, is available for every engine version, with quattro drive with ultra technology and permanent all-wheel drive also available as options - although all-wheel drive will come as standard on the upcoming 3.0 TDI with 286PS.
When it comes to the Audi S5 Cabriolet, we are talking different league, with its newly developed 3.0 TFSI six-cylinder engine that features quattro permanent all-wheel drive and the eight-speed tiptronic transmission as standard. Producing 354PS of power, the top-of-the-range model accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 5.1 seconds up to an electronically governed top speed of 155mph.
The interior
Inside, there is more space for the driver and passengers with front-row shoulder room increased by 26 millimetres and kneeroom in the rear by 18 millimetres.
Designers have made the instrument panel horizontal to increase space awareness and high-grade materials in different colours ensure an overall feel-good atmosphere, with the ambient lighting able to adjust to 30 different shades to create whatever mood is required.
With the hood closed the luggage compartment has a capacity of 380 litres, and the rear seats a 50:50 split that can be easily folded forward using levers in the luggage compartment. The tailgate on the A5 Cabriolet now opens automatically as standard using the remote control key or the button in the driver’s door, with gesture control available for the tailgate as an option.
Interior technology includes:
- Standard seat belt microphones for driver and front passenger
- Analogue instrument dials
- Audi virtual cockpit
- Large, high-resolution 12.3" TFT monitor with optional head-up display
- MMI navigation plus with MMI touch via an 8.3" 1024 v 480 pixels monitor with DVD drive, 10 GB flash memory, two card readers, AUX-IN connection and USB connection with charging function.
- Access to Audi Connect online services
- Audi smartphone interface
- Bang & Olufsen Sound System
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Stop&Go system including traffic jam assist.
- Predictive Efficiency Assistant
- Collision Avoidance Assist
- Turn Assist
- Park Assist
- Rear Cross Traffic Assist
- Exit Warning
- Traffic Sign Recognition
- Audi Active Lane Assist
- Audi Side Assist.
All UK A5 Cabriolet models (depending on models) bring features such as 17" or 18" alloy wheels, xenon or LED headlamps, the Audi Smartphone Interface, leather upholstery, front seat heating, acoustic parking and three-zone climate control, with Sport models adding in appropriate upgrades such as front sport seats with electric adjustment (Sport and S line) and sports suspension (S line only – optional for Sport).
The S5 Cabriolet has its own exclusive specification that includes 19" alloy wheels, S specific styling, front Super Sports seats in Fine Nappa leather and chassis settings and hard disc-based MMI Navigation Plus including a three-year subscription to Audi Connect.
For more information about leasing the new Audi A5 Cabriolet from Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, contact one of our Customer Service Representatives now.
