Instant Classic Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet

While every other car company in the world struggles with design, Audi stands alone in its ability to combine adventurous style with lasting beauty. You don't have to look any further than the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet to see the proof.

Scheduled to be introduced at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet and 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet replace the long-lived Audi A4 cabriolet. The car will come to the U.S. in the fall of 2009 as a 2010 model, and it will be available in both all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive versions with a selection of engines and transmissions.

And even as the BMW 3 Series convertible, Mercedes-Benz CLK cabriolet and the recently introduced Infiniti G37 convertible and Lexus IS convertible compete for the attention of drop-top fashionistas, the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet already seems to have taken their measure.

The Audi Style Statement
The 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet is one of the few European cars that has as much impact as a convertible as it does as a coupe. Audi's rounded fender forms have been with us a long time, yet they still capture a sense of modernity that the extruded forms of BMW, the surface flash of Mercedes-Benz and the elaborate proportions of the Infiniti and Lexus convertibles can't match.

As with the A4 sedan, the new cabriolet's full-frame grille finally seems natural, perhaps because it's complemented by such interesting headlights with their jewellike LED running lights. The rear of the new car is also distinctive, featuring broad taillights, a spoiler on the trunk and an aero diffuser in a contrasting color to the bodywork, plus you can even get LED-type taillights when you choose the optional xenon HID headlights.

The A5 cabriolet measures 182.2 inches long, is 72.8 inches wide and stands 54.3 inches tall with the top in place. Perhaps the most important specification of the A-Series convertible is its light weight, because Audi has disdained the elaborate hardtop configuration of the BMW and Infiniti convertibles and instead stuck with a power-operated fabric top.

It's All About the Top
Hard tops are all the style these days. The gizmos and gadgets necessary to package a folding metal hardtop have come a long way from the Disney-style execution of the 1957 Ford Skyliner with its three drive motors, four lock motors, 10 power relays, 10 limit switches, eight circuit breakers and 610 feet of electrical wire.

Now you find the electric hard top in everything from the Ferrari California to the Volkswagen Eos. It has become a desirable feature because it answers any questions about weather protection and acoustic insulation, plus it enhances security while parked on the street, which has become an issue in Europe where parking garages are a rare commodity.

Nevertheless, the A5 and S5 continue with a traditional fabric top. And quite a top it is, a three-layer design with a glass rear window that comes in four exterior colors and a choice of three headliner colors. The optional acoustic top substitutes a thick 0.6-inch foam layer in place of the standard cushioning pad, and the result reduces wind noise to nearly that of a coupe, Audi claims. The acoustic top even comes with a dome light for the headliner.

The prime advantage of a conventional fabric top is its light weight, which lowers the center of gravity and also minimizes the shift in weight distribution that comes with stowing a metal top. The Audi's fabric top is powered by an electrically operated hydraulic pump with four operating cylinders and it retracts beneath its metal tonneau cover in 17 seconds, then deploys again in 15 seconds — well within the cycle at any traffic light, although you can operate the top up to 50 km/h (31 mph) if you like.

A fabric top also makes the people packaging better. Convertible top mechanisms constrain rear-seat space, which is why you'll notice that the A5 cabriolet accommodates just two in the back. Even so, the combination of the fabric top and the relatively long 108.3-inch wheelbase of the A4 platform upon which the A5 is based means the rear-seat backrest doesn't have to be as upright to provide clearance for the top mechanism.

Moreover, the A5 cabriolet offers 13.4 cubic feet of trunk capacity when the top is erected, and the top takes up only 2.1 cubic feet of trunk space when it comes down. To enhance the A5 cabrio's practicality, it features a 50/50-split folding rear seat with a pass-through that's 27.6 inches wide, increasing overall cargo capacity to 26.5 cubic feet.

Modern Motoring
The 2010 Audi A5 and S5 Cabriolet are built on the platform of the Audi A4, the newest of Audi's designs. A repositioned transaxle stretches the wheelbase for better stability and a smoother ride, while reducing the front overhang and redistributing overall weight for a crisper turn into corners. In addition, a repositioned steering rack delivers more direct steering feel.

Once you slice off the top of any car, you lose a huge amount of structural rigidity, so the A5 cabriolet features the usual structural reinforcements, although these pieces are hot-formed by Audi from high-strength steel to minimize any weight penalty. In addition, the front fenders are made from aluminum to further reduce weight.

The 2010 A5 Cabriolet will be available in either front-wheel drive or Audi's latest all-wheel-drive system with its new, rear-biased torque split of 40 percent front/60 percent rear. Both the A5 and S5 convertibles will feature Audi Drive Select, which electronically alters the engine, transmission, steering, suspension and stability control calibration to suit your preference. If you chose the optional hard-drive-based navigation system, you can apparently program your own unique engine map.

Current information suggests 16- or 17-inch wheels are standard depending on equipment level, and the full range of Audi and Quattro GmbH wheels are available right up to 20-inch items.

The Power
Now that fuel-efficiency matters in the U.S., we'll get the full range of engine options for the A5 and S5 convertibles.

The recently redesigned 2.0 TFSI — a turbocharged 2.0-liter inine-4 with direct injection and variable valve-timing and -lift — delivers 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. If you order the engine with front-wheel drive, it features Audi's continuously variable transmission (CVT), and when the engine is matched with all-wheel drive, it comes with a six-speed automatic.

The A5 cabriolet can also be had with the 3.2 FSI V6, a normally aspirated V6 with direct injection and variable valve-timing and -lift, which makes 265 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. It's available only with all-wheel drive, and its six-speed automatic allows a top speed of 130 mph.

Naturally the 2010 Audi S5 is distinguished by a very special power plant, and it's the S5's 4.2-liter V8, which makes 354 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. Either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic can be specified. Only the S5 cabriolet is available with Audi's new rear limited-slip differential, which proportions torque delivery between the rear wheels to enhance not only traction but dynamic response during cornering.

For the 2011 Audi S5 Cabriolet, the 4.2-liter V8 will be replaced by Audi's 3.0 TFSI V6, the recently introduced supercharged V6. Developing 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque, this V6 will be available with either a six-speed manual transmission or Audi's new, seven-speed, dual-clutch automated manual. A top speed of 155 mph is promised even as overall fuel economy will improve over the A4 cabriolet.

The Luxury Experience
As you'd expect in a car that dares to be beautiful, the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet and 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet offer a long list of convenience features, including a 505-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system, the third-generation Audi MMI control system with hard-drive-based navigation, a parking sonar system with back-up camera, and a blind-spot warning device.

Of particular interest is optional leather seat upholstery that inhibits solar heating while the car is parked in the sun by lowering the surface temperature by as much as 68 degrees F. In addition, there's a neck-level warming system built into the top of the front seatbacks to make driving in brisk weather a little more bearable.

Although the 2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet and 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet are scheduled to appear in the U.S. in the fall of 2009, equipment levels and pricing won't be announced for some time. We'll look forward to seeing the car in person at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show.