Automotive Intelligence - the web for automotive professionals and car enthusiasts
December 04, 2008
This Week:
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Honda Insight Hybrid to Make World Debut at the Detroit Motor Show
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GM de Mexico Announces Grace Lieblein as President and Managing Director
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Ford Announces It Will Re-Evaluate Strategic Options For Volvo
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The Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet – the joy of open-top driving
Ingolstadt - Dynamic and wonderful to look at, the new A5 Cabriolet is a real Audi, and an especially exciting one at that. The four-seater with the fabric top combines a sporty character with the fascination of open-top driving, refined comfort, and great everyday utility. Seven powerful engines, an agile suspension and a wide range of high-end options make the new Audi model the most attractive mid-range convertible. The top-of-the-line model of Audi’s new family of convertibles is the S5 Cabriolet. The engine of the S5 Cabriolet is the newly developed, supercharged three-liter V6 with gasoline direct injection. Prices start at EUR 37,300 for the 1.8 TFSI with 118 kW (160 hp) and six-speed manual transmission. Delivery of the first A5 Cabriolet models will begin in the second quarter of 2009. Like all open-top Audi models, the new A5 Cabriolet too has a classic fabric top – which endows it with a striking silhouette of dynamic elegance. |
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The lightweight softtop opens in 15 seconds – and closes in 17 seconds. The fully automatic open/close drive comes as standard. An acoustic top is optionally available, which reduces wind noise almost to the hardtop level. When opened, the Audi A5 Cabriolet top folds down so effectively that very little trunk space is used up – leaving 320 liters (11.3 cu ft) of unused storage volume, clearly the best value in its field of competitors. The softtop compartment lowers itself automatically when the top is opened. |
Equally useful is the fold-down rear seat backrest with the large pass-through between the luggage space and the interior, which increases the storage volume to a generous 750 liters (26.49 cu. ft.).
Automatic seat belt extenders round out the comfort in the interior. Neck-level heating is optionally available for the front seats. The optional leather seats are coated with a special layer to reduce solar heating. There is comfortable room for four persons. The refined ambience combines with exemplary ergonomics to convey an atmosphere of sporty elegance. Ultra-high-strength steels and selective reinforcements of the body ensure maximal rigidity and crash safety.
The A5 Cabriolet is being launched with three gasoline engines and two diesel engines, with power outputs ranging from 132 kW (180 hp) to 195 kW (265 hp). All five powerplants are fueled via direct injection; four of them use turbocharging. Available power trains include a six-speed manual transmission, the continuously variable multitronic, and the lightning-fast, seven-speed S tronic.
In addition to front-wheel drive, Audi also offers quattro permanent all-wheel drive for the higher-power engines. The innovative sport differential, which variably distributes the propulsive power between the rear wheels, is optionally available to make quattro even more dynamic and even safer.
As the dynamic top-of-the-line model of the new production series, the S5 Cabriolet occupies a very special position. Its three-liter TFSI – a V6 with turbocharger – unfolds its 245 kW (333 hp) and 440 Nm (324.53 lb-ft) of torque impressively: It responds tenaciously to the throttle and delivers excellent driving performance. The quattro drive, a sport suspension with 18-inch wheels and a number of special equipment details underscore the athletic power of the Audi S5 Cabriolet.
The New Audi S5 Cabriolet
The top-of-the-line model of the new Cabriolet production series from Audi is the S5 Cabriolet. The letter “S” stands for Sport – for dynamics, performance and power, but also for amazing efficiency.
The Audi S5 Cabriolet’s engine is a newly developed, supercharged, three-liter V6. The pressure in the 3.0 TFSI is generated by a mechanical supercharger – with impressive results: The power output tops out at 245 kW (333 hp), the torque between 2,900 and 5,300 rpm remains constant at a generous 440 Nm (324.53 lb-ft). The powerful thrust and the spontaneous, aggressive response make for a fascinating driving experience. The S5 Cabriolet is catapulted in 5.6 seconds from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) and accelerates up to a preset top speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph). Yet at 9.6 liters* per 100 km (24.5 US mpg), its fuel efficiency is highly impressive (preliminary values).
Standard equipment of the Audi S5 Cabriolet includes the servotronic, the seven-speed S tronic and the quattro drive system package. The sport differential is optional. A sport suspension keeps the body close to the road. The 18-inch cast aluminum wheels are equipped with 245/40 tires. The black brake calipers are emblazoned with S5 emblems. The acoustic top, xenon plus headlights, electrically adjustable sport seats with Alcantara leather upholstery, and a multifunction sport steering wheel are also standard equipment.
Photo: Audi
(Dec 3, 2008)
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