Short Take Road Test
Audi has made a religion of going its own way in the ongoing battle for parity in the German luxury-sports realm, and the A5 cabriolet is yet another proof.
What’s different? Check that folding top. It’s cloth, an increasingly rare material in the world of contemporary convertibles. Most cars in this class have graduated to solid tops that fold themselves like metallic origami. But Audi resisted that trend with the A5 and S5 convertibles, which were new for 2010. Although it’s become endangered, the word ragtop still has meaning here.
The Virtues of Cloth
Why, you might reasonably ask, is this a good thing? Ever since the Mercedes-Benz SLK230 made its appearance for 1997, we’ve been deluged with hosannas about the advantage of a folding metal convertible top; coupe-quiet with the top up, sun-in-face with the top stowed, a covering that will likely endure well beyond the life of traditional fabric. All true.
But there are downsides, too. For one, the complex mechanisms that go with folding hardtops are heavy—slower, too; the A5’s roof stows in 16 seconds and rises in 19. For another, all that machinery takes up more space than the hardware associated with a softtop. For still another, softtops are a little less expensive to manufacture, although that’s hard to see in this car’s as-tested price.
It’s pretty clear that an A5 cabrio with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system doesn’t need any extra mass. It weighs in at the heavy end of the charts—4154 pounds to be exact—among competing hardtop convertibles such as the BMW 3-series, Infiniti G37, and Volvo C70, and the cloth top helps keep the total from soaring to the top.
Equally important, that softtop gives the A5 more trunk space than anything else in its class, top up or top down, plus a back seat that’s actually habitable by adults. Not to mention a great perch for Rose Parade princesses when the top is stowed.
Balancing Act
A key element in the design of the A5’s exceptionally sturdy chassis was moving the engine farther toward the firewall to improve front-to-rear weight distribution. At a glance, this doesn’t look like much of an achievement. The mass of the engine still resides ahead of the front axle center line. Nevertheless, we were pleasantly surprised (amazed?) to find that the weight distribution measured up at 52.9 percent front and 47.1 percent rear, which is better than a rear-drive Mustang GT coupe’s. Although this is due in part to the all-wheel-drive hardware—a front-wheel-drive A5 undoubtedly has more mass up front—it does give the A5 cabrio balance that compares favorably with its rear-drive rivals’.
Transient responses are of the right-now variety, with none of the reluctance common to most all-wheel-drive cars, particularly those whose basic design starts with front-drive. If anything, the A5 is almost too willing to turn in, as one of our test crew members learned when the car abruptly reversed course during the lane-change test.
This is partly attributable to steering that’s both quick, at 2.6 turns lock-to-lock, and largely devoid of feel, particularly on-center. But on the great graph of handling attributes, we favor neutral balance over understeer, and this convertible’s responses raise its fun-to-drive level near the top of the heap in its competitive set. Our only disappointment was with the braking. There’s never a hint of fade, and pedal feel is good, but 177 feet from 70 mph is long by contemporary standards.
More Boost?
The A5 would be even more fun to drive with more power. Although the engine—Volkswagen AG’s ubiquitous 2.0-liter turbo—is torquey (258 lb-ft), its 211 hp feels just a tad feeble hitched to two tons of convertible. Mated with the standard six-speed automatic, it’s capable of hitting 60 mph in 6.4 seconds—not exactly sleepwalking, but no one would call it blazing these days. Although smooth, that six-speed doesn’t help in the sprints. Even in manumatic mode, the shifts are leisurely, making the driver wish for Audi’s dual-clutch S tronic automated manual transmission, which has spoiled us all.
There are many versions of this engine in the VW and Audi product lineups, many of which with considerably higher output, and adding 30 or 40 hp would make this car more entertaining to drive. It could be argued that more power would diminish fuel economy—EPA rated at 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway in this car—but in reality drivers attempting to summon haste from the A5 will be disappointed with their consumption. We averaged 19 mpg in a four-day Arizona run.
High Style
The A5 cabriolet is a very pleasant place to be, as well as handsome and distinctive. Like all of Audi’s recent offerings, the interior is functional, subdued, attractive, and classy. Our test car was particularly well turned out, its saddle-tan leather seating contrasting nicely with the midnight-blue exterior and providing the kind of comfortable support we associate with BMWs.
This also applies to ride quality, which is firm enough to keep body motions sporty, supple enough to damp out crusty pavement and expansion joints.
Quiet operation enhances the sense of cruising serenity. The softtop deflects as much noise as do some of the folding hardtops. It’s a high-quality fabrication that keeps ambient sound levels respectable at highway speeds. Driver and passengers can converse without hollering, and the excellent audio system doesn’t need excessive cranking.
High Price
Aside from the minor power-to-weight reservation, the A5 cabrio is an attractive piece of work, a traditional convertible that holds its own in a world of folding hardtops.
But there’s one big asterisk: price. At $44,925, which is the base price for the Quattro model, the A5 compares well against folding-hardtop competitors such as the BMW 328i. However, our test car was chock-a-block with options that raised its as-tested ticket to $61,800. For that money, you could strap yourself into the S5 cabrio and get 333 hp and a seven-speed S tronic automated manual—and save yourself $2725 in the process.
How much less attractive would the A5 cabrio be at $44,925 minus the extras? That’s something you get to decide for yourself. Our only advice on that score is don’t spend too much time in a car with the $8300 Prestige package (nav system, premium audio, Bluetooth, heated seats with memory, LED taillamps, and more)—it’s very seductive.
