First Drive Review
When gas prices spiked last summer, carmakers started talking about downsizing. They would fast-track the production of lighter cars with lower-displacement engines, and we’d use less gas and have smaller carbon footprints. World peace would follow shortly thereafter. Less than a year later, downsizing is here: The Audi S5 cabriolet will be among the first vehicles to hit the market with significantly reduced engine displacement and fuel consumption compared with the model it replaces. (In this case, that’s the 4.2-liter V-8–powered 2009 S4 cabriolet, since this is the first-ever S5 droptop.) The S5 cab shares its supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 with the all-new 2010 S4 sedan, although the S5 coupe will retain the use of a naturally aspirated V-8 until the 2011 model year, when it gets the blown six. Audi claims the V-6 delivers nearly identical performance and 20 percent better overall fuel economy compared with the V-8.
Less Power, but the Same Torque as the V-8
The S5 cabriolet’s 333 hp is 21 fewer than the coupe’s V-8, but each engine makes exactly 325 lb-ft of torque. The supercharged engine has more grunt at low rpms, though, and Audi claims the S5 sprints just as quickly to 62 mph as it would with the V-8: an estimated 5.6 seconds. In the U.S., the S5 cabriolet will be available only with a seven-speed dual-clutch manumatic that Audi calls S tronic. U.S. Audi officials say they couldn’t bring a manual S5 cabriolet to the States because the handful of people who might special-order one doesn’t justify the expense associated with importing it. The S5 coupe still is available with a manual.
The S5 cabriolet comes standard with Quattro all-wheel drive with a 60-percent nominal rear torque bias. Optional is Audi’s new active torque-vectoring rear differential, a system that can spin the outside rear tire faster than the inside wheel to help the car turn. Suspension is by aluminum multilinks all around with optional electronically controlled damping.
A Fancy Fabric Roof and a Fabulous Interior
Unlike some competitors, the S5 cabriolet retains a traditional folding fabric roof. Audi design head Stefan Sielaff says the cloth roof is more upscale than a folding hardtop because it implies you have a garage in which to park. It also allows more elegant proportions and preserves trunk space. Although we can’t exactly wrap our heads around the notion that the hardtop-totin’ BMW 3-series convertible is déclassé, we also can’t deny that the S5 cabriolet is gorgeous—top up or down—and oozes sex appeal. Upturned LED running lights and Audi’s signature “single frame” trapezoidal grille create an aggressive front end. An undulating character line carries over from the S5 coupe and sweeps over the wheel openings, accentuating subtle fender bulges and giving the cabriolet a hunkered-down stance that makes it instantly distinguishable from the purposeful but plain S4 cabriolet. The best angle is the rear three-quarter view, where perfectly formed LED taillights frame a low, taut rear end. We drove the car in Monaco, a place so loaded with exotic cars that Rolls-Royce Phantoms routinely pass unnoticed, but the S5 cabriolet still got a lot of looks.
The S5 cabriolet’s interior is equally stunning. Arcs of brushed aluminum trim and French-stitched leather are modern, but not so much so that you’re intimidated. Like the cabins of many Audis, this one sets the bar for the class. Two types of front seats will be offered in the U.S., aggressive sport seats with prominent side bolsters being the standard. They look and feel great, but they can’t be fitted with the newly available neck-level heating system, which blows hot air out of a vent on the top of the backrest. A package with heated and cooled seats and the neck blowers comes with slightly less aggressive thrones. The back seat is strictly a two-passenger affair but is spacious for a convertible in this class and tolerable for adults.
