Audi A5 Cabriolet
By Paul Borden
 A
few years back -- three or four if memory serves, which it often
doesn’t these days -- Audi apparently grew weary of its status as the
No. 3 German automaker in the minds of the American public and decided
to get aggressive in pushing product.
That decision seems to be paying off in two ways.
First, sales numbers continue to hit new heights. The company reported
a 20 percent increase in sales of cars and SUVs for January 2011 over
January of a year earlier.
That strong start to the new year followed a banner 2010 that saw Audi
sales in the U.S. top the 100,000 mark for the first time, giving Audi
an 8.6 percent share of the overall import luxury market in the
country.
Second, the products themselves are dazzling (which figures into No.
1, of course).
Audi made a big deal when it unveiled its A8 to media the week of the
South Florida International Auto Show last November. But the flagship
sedan and all its bells and whistles aren’t the only Audi model worth
attention.
I recently had the pleasure of driving the A5 Cabriolet for a week,
and, quite frankly, given a choice between it and its big brother A8,
I’d have to go with the A5.
Yes, yes, of course, these are entirely two different vehicles in
different segments of the automotive world and comparing the two is
kind of like arguing the appeal of major league baseball over that of
pro football or vice versa.
But I’m looking at pure driving experience and fun quotient here, not
just prestige and leisure-class luxury.
Cabriolet is, of course, a fancy word for convertible, but it does add
a bit of sophistication, a European touch, to the labeling. You’re not
just driving a car that has a top that retracts. You are in a
cabriolet! Now, aren’t you impressed?
You should be.
The A5’s exterior styling is eye-catching and, thanks in part to the
four locked-rings emblem in the grille, distinctively Audi. The
optional LED daylight running lights also add a nice touch to its
front, and the grille is bold enough without being overbearing. Top up
or top down, the profile is sleek with classic lines.
Oh, a couple of words about the top. Rather than going along with the
current trend toward retractible hardtops, Audi is sticking with a
soft top for the A5. But its new, three-layer construction provides
for an extremely quiet ride. You get somewhat of a feel of being in
the coupe when the top is up.
It also features LED reading lights for rear seat occupants, though
they better not bring many magazines or books with them because
there’s not a lot of room back there. Stick with the Kindle or iPad.
The top lowers and raises in 15-to-17 seconds with one-button
operation, and you can be going at speeds of up to 31 mph and still
operate it, a nice feature for those living in South Florida where a
quick shower can be upon you without warning.
Audi pretty much always has had beautifully done, quality interiors,
and the A5 Cabriolet lives up to that reputation.
There’s leather and wood trim throughout the cabin, and the
leather-wrapped steering wheel is soft and sensual to the touch. Front
seats are comfortable. Upgraded sport seats also are available and
provide more support if you happen to have a more aggressive driving
style. No issues in comfort, that’s for sure.
Either Audi is dumbing down its the operation of its wunderkind
technological features, or I am getting used to the MMI (Multi Media
Interface), one-knob system for to run functions like the audio and
climate systems. I got quite proficient at it, in fact.
This particular model did not have the optional navigation system, so
I can’t comment on its operation. Strangely, though I usually know
where I am going and don’t really need a map to get around town (save
for the occasional shortcut), I did kind of miss it. I guess you just
get kind of used to having in a vehicle at this level,
Being a German car, though, the A5 Cabriolet isn’t just about style.
It’s also about performance. The A5 delivers there, too.
With the V6 discontinued, the A5 now comes with a 2.0-liter,
four-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers fairly impressive fuel
economy figures (for its class, not necessarily for tree-huggers) of
21 mpg city, 29 highway. Premium fuel is required, so don’t go trying
to skimp. The engine is rated at a somewhat mild 211 horsepower, but
the 258 lb-ft of torque gets you from zero-to-60 mph in 6.5 seconds,
according to company figures. I’ll say this. I never got the feeling I
was holding anybody up when the light changed, and Miami is a city of
impatient drivers.
A CVT (continuously variable transmission) matched with front-wheel
drive is standard in the A5 Cabriolet, but my model (thank you very
much) came with the Tiptronic eight-speed automatic transmission and
Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. Frankly, I’d go with the
Tiptronic/quattro for the extra couple of thousand it adds to the
price tag. I just don’t rally care for the CVT, or front-wheel drive,
for that matter.
Speaking of price tag, the A5 Cabriolet starts in the low $40k range.
Extras on my Premium Plus model, such as Xenon headlights, LED tail
lamps, the LED running lights, 18-inch wheels, put it just over
$50,000.
The A5 also is available in a coupe, which starts out in the
high-$30,000 range. Hey. Spend the extra for the convertible. We’re in
Miami where topless models are all the thing.
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