With a softer ride and the ability to lower the roof, this Cabriolet feels like a more cohesive package, and features some classy design touches
Pics/Audi
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The city of Jerez in Spain is known for its MotoGP race circuit. This was our first visit to Jerez, not to witness a MotoGP race but to drive the all-new Audi A5 Cabriolet.
The sporty front end of the car is dominated by a flat wide three-dimensional single-frame grille. The Matrix LED headlamps are positioned above the top edge of the grille and merge perfectly with the horizontal lines of the front end. The low-slung wide single-frame grille, Matrix LED headlamps and the extra width of the new car with the sculpted hood gives it a sporty look.
The front seat is wider and provides ample shoulder room
At Audi, they believe that a convertible should have a soft top and the acoustic top can be opened in 15 seconds and closed in 18 seconds on the move up to 50 km/h with a one-touch switch. The slender, three-dimensionally shaped rear lights come with LED technology. In combination with the LED headlights, the dynamic turn signals form a precise animated stripe in the top section. The wave line with the roof down or closed makes the A5 a real stunner.
The 2.0 litre in-line four gets a rework to produce more power and torque
The interior space has grown over the predecessor’s with 26 millimetres of extra shoulder-room and the knee-room at the rear gets and extra 18 mm. It can accommodate four adults comfortably. The virtual display and the MMI screen are easy to use. The leather seats give excellent support and have air vents in the head-rest will keep you warm when you have the roof open in cold conditions. The seat-belts have microphones for better voice command when you are speaking on the phone with the roof open. The quality of the interior is top-notch.
The spacious cabin can comfortably fit four adults
The Cabriolet is equipped with the first Car-to-X technologies. It uses cellular phone network to report detected speed limits or hazards such as a broken down vehicle or a slippery road surface to a server cloud. This collects the data, processes them and informs other Audi drivers. The in-car Wi-Fi hotspot was a real boon. Even while we were shooting the car from 20 to 30 feet away we still had Wi-Fi connectivity.
The new diesel V6 engine offers excellent refinement
The car has shed 40 kg and the torsional stiffness has increased by 40 per cent over the outgoing A5 Cabriolet. The front and rear suspension is a five-link setup with adaptive dampers which are incorporated into the standard Audi drive select and dynamism handling system allows the driver to choose between a highly dynamic or comfortable driving experience.
The A5 is available with two petrol engines — 2.0 TFSI and 3.0 TFSI — and two diesel engines — 2.0 TDi and 3.0 TDi. The two-litre engines are mated to the seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox and the three-litre ones are fitted with eight-speed tiptronic gearbox and the power is finally put down on the ground via the Audi Quattro all-wheel-drive system. Overall feel of the car is good, starting with the steering feel and feedback to the throttle response and ease of driving to the overall smoothness of the car.
The 2.0 TDI engine is more than adequate in terms of performance and cruising, as we were well past the 120-km/h speed limit before we could realise. We were impressed by the refinement of the 2.0 TDI, but the all-new 3.0 TDI engine is something else. Audi engineers have taken diesel engine refinement to an all-new level. It’s the turn of foot response from the engine that makes big difference between the two engines. In the 3.0TDI, the car literally flies on the slightest push of your right foot.
Every time we drive a new car from Audi, it feels it is not possible to make a better car but they make the old car feel dated. The new A5 has raised the bar in roof-down driving.
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