Audi debuts A5 and S5 Cabriolets
Creative features include microphones in seatbelts to allow calls with the top down
The top has finally come off Audi’s new A5 with the premiere of the Cabriolet.
Arriving in European dealerships in March 2017, the new convertible promises more space, less noise and, like its hardtop brethren, more power and efficiency.
Thanks to a new chassis designed to be lighter and stronger, the new A5 Cabriolet is 40-per-cent stiffer than the outgoing model and 40 kilograms lighter, weighing in at 1,689 kilograms. Audi claims the car is stiffer than any of its competitors, despite being among the lightest in its segment.
Despite that, comfort and safety haven’t been sacrificed. The headthorax airbags will keep your melon in one piece in the event of a rollover and extending aluminum profiles will keep the rest of you from being squished. That’s even if features such as collision avoidance, turn assist, park assist, rear cross-traffic assist and exit warning don’t prevent the accident in the first place.
The A5 Cabriolet is also 50 millimetres longer than its predecessor, so passengers get more space inside to the tune of an extra 25 millimetres of shoulder space and nearly as much extra knee room.
The real improvements to comfort are audible, though. An aero-acoustic roof makes the new A5 Cabriolet exceptionally quiet with the top up and microphones in the seatbelts mean you can make hands-free calls even with the roof down.
Getting the roof down takes one touch of a button and just 15 seconds. It can be done at speeds of up to 49 km/h. Same goes for getting the roof back up, though that takes an extra three seconds.
The new A5 Cabriolet will initially be offered in Germany with three engines: the 2.0-litre TFSI four-cylinder with 252 horsepower, a 2.0L TDI with 190 horsepower and a 3.0L TDI with 218 horsepower. After that, another 2.0L TFSI with 190 horsepower and a 3.0L TDI with 286 horsepower will join the lineup. It’s likely that the diesel options won’t make it to North America.
Each will come with a choice of six-speed manual, seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch or eight-speed tiptronic transmissions. Power will go the front wheels as standard, or to all four wheels optionally.
The S5 Cabriolet, meanwhile, will come with the new 3.0-litre TFSI turbocharged V6 that produces 354 horsepower, 21 more than the outgoing model. Thanks to the new engine, the S5 will hit 100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds and will go all the way up to an electronically limited top speed of 249 km/h. The S5 comes as standard with quattro all-wheel drive and the eight-speed tiptronic transmission.
Audi’s suite of infotainment tech will be available through the MMI system, operated through an 8.3inch monitor with a DVD drive and USB connection, along with which Audi’s lauded digital dash will also be available.
North American pricing has not yet been announced.