Audi introduces new topless models

Professed by designer Walter de'Silva as the most beautiful car he has ever styled, the Audi A5 has moved up the next step, and now there's a convertible version of the gorgeous-looking car.

The local A5 Cabriolet will be receiving the better of the two 2.0-litre engine options (211 hp instead of 180 hp), and will also feature the quattro drive package. Sitting under the S5 Cabriolet's hood will be Audi's new supercharged V6 engine with 333 hp.

The cars will only arrive in Singapore later next year. But meanwhile, we have the press release from Audi and plenty of pictures to keep you occupied.

Read on for the press release:

The exterior design

The A5 Cabriolet combines Audi's progressive styling with the fascination of an open-top car. The long engine hood, the sharp lines, the sweep of the shoulder contour, the elegantly curved surfaces, the large wheels, the distinctive front end, and the expressive tail all interact to create a sculptural, sensuous whole. The A5 Cabriolet is 4.63 metres long and 1.85 metres wide, but only 1.38 metres tall - the sportiest proportions in its class.

The styling of the front end is dominated by the single-frame grille, which is flanked by large air intakes. The exquisite design of the headlights makes them look like technical jewels. The daytime running lights of the optional xenon plus headlights consist of LEDs.

The looks of the tail end are sharpened by horizontal lines, broad tail lights, straight tailpipes, and a distinctly colored diffuser insert. The trunk lid bears an unobtrusive spoiler lip. The xenon plus headlight option comes complete with LED taillights, which create a distinctive light pattern.

The convertible top

The fabric top with the large glass rear window fits smoothly into the design profile. This is one of several reasons why Audi preferred it to a folding steel roof. What's more, its construction is much lighter in weight, which reduces the overall weight of the Cabriolet and lowers its centre of gravity.

When opened, the soft-top is retracted underneath a fixed cover, where it is folded down into an extremely compact shape. Its storage compartment, which automatically lowers itself into the trunk space, only takes up a few centimetres in height - and only 60 litres of the 380 litres of luggage space. The remaining 320 litres with the top open are by far the best value among comparable vehicles. What's more, the low position of the loading lip makes loading and unloading easier.

A very convenient feature in the Audi A5 Cabriolet is the split-folding rear seat backrests. They can be easily unlocked by actuating levers in the trunk and drop automatically onto the seat cushions. The standard pass-though is 70 centimetres wide. The loading space behind the front seatback is 1.76 metres long, providing a total storage volume of 750 liters.





The body

As is typical of Audi models, the A5 Cabriolet has an extremely rigid body. This is a prime reason for its precise driving performance, its high comfort level, and its maximised crash safety. In the construction of the body-in-white, several innovative technologies are used. A prime example is the ultra-high-strength steels with their extremely high tensile strength, which Audi manufactures in-house using hot forming. The front fenders of the A5 Cabriolet are made of aluminum to lower the weight and to optimise axle load distribution. An enclosed underbody improves the airflow and thereby the fuel efficiency.

A whole array of additional reinforcement parts compensates for the absence of a solid roof. They are located in the front section, in the side skirts, in the windshield frame, and in the rear section. Located between the interior and the luggage section is the rollover protection. When a rollover threatens, spring-loaded aluminum braces are raised behind the rear seat headrests. Door-mounted head and chest side-bags provide protection in the event of a lateral impact.



The interior

With its generous wheelbase of 2.75 metres and the longest interior in its class, the Audi A5 Cabriolet has plenty of room for longer trips. That is also true for the rear seats, which can be optionally divided by a centre console with two-cup holders.

Elegance in flowing lines, functional ergonomics, and top-quality craftsmanship are the principal characteristics of the interior - and this too is typically Audi. The teardrop-shaped settings of the instruments have already become modern classics. The centrally mounted onboard monitor is standard equipment. The formed-plastic console focuses on the driver. Flowing lines link it to the central tunnel and the door linings.

The engines

In the propulsion system of the A5 Cabriolet too Audi has consistently relied on innovative technologies: The 2.0 TFSI quattro use direct injection - impressive evidence that, at Audi, efficiency and dynamics go together and are interdependent.

The 2.0 TFSI attests to Audi's leadership position in engine design. This four-cylinder engine also uses the Audi valve-lift system - but here it acts on the exhaust valves, with similar advantages as in the V6. Audi sells the 2.0-litre turbo in two versions. In the entry-level version, which comes with front-wheel drive and multitronic, it delivers up to 180 hp and 320 Nm from 1,500 to 3,900 rpm. This version completes the standard sprint in 8.9 seconds and has a top speed of 219 km/h. Average fuel efficiency is an excellent 7.4 litres per 100 km.

The transmission

The quattro drive system is dynamically designed - during normal driving, it distributes the forces in a 40:60 ratio between the front and the rear. If one wheel skids, a centre differential that operates purely mechanically transfers most of the power to the axle with the better traction.

The new sport differential makes the driving dynamics of the quattro drive even more fascinating. This innovative control system steplessly distributes the propulsive torques among the rear wheels depending on the driving situation. This form of torque control makes the steering response of the A5 Cabriolet even more spontaneous and direct and further improves the vehicle's stability. Transverse acceleration is further improved while understeering or oversteering is completely prevented.

The chassis

The Audi A5 Cabriolet leads its class in all relevant sporty criteria - steering response, stability and agility - yet it provides a very smooth ride. The reason for these strengths is the perfect distribution of axle loads. The front axle is located far forward in the front section - a configuration made possible by an unusual solution: the differential is mounted in front of the clutch or torque converter.

The chassis design too is technologically advanced: The front wheels are mounted on a five-link axle. The front axle support is firmly bolted to the body in order to maximise rigidity. The steering forces are transmitted to the wheels directly via the steering box, which is mounted very low within the chassis. The hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering provides a very responsive and highly precise connection to the road.

The rear-wheel suspension of the Audi A5 Cabriolet is supported by a trapezoidal-link axle, which combines a smooth ride and maximum driving stability. The essential parts of both the front and the rear suspension are made of aluminum. The large brakes ensure powerful deceleration and react very precisely to the degree of pedal pressure. 16-inch or 17-inch aluminium wheels are standard, depending on the engine version.

Another high-tech feature in the new A5 Cabriolet is the Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system. It influences the characteristics of the fuel feed, the speed change points of the seven-speed S tronic, and the operating mode of the servotronic steering system. The driver presses a key to select a comfortable, intermediate, or dynamic operating mode for these subsystems. If the vehicle is equipped with a navigation system - and the MMI operator control that comes with it - a fourth engine map is provided, which the driver can program to suit.

Audi drive select is only available in combination with one or more of three additional technologies - the differential, the adaptive shock absorber control, and dynamic steering. Its superposition gear varies the gear ratio by nearly 100 percent as a function of the driving speed. The dynamic steering operates directly in city traffic. In highway driving it uses a more indirect ratio. To maximise driving safety, it cooperates closely with the ESP stabilisation program - at the handling limits it keeps the A5 Cabriolet on course by lightning-fast small interactions.



The 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, 3.0-litre V6. The pressure in the 3.0 TFSI is generated by a mechanical supercharger - with impressive results. The power output tops out at 333 hp, the torque between 2,900 and 5,300 rpm remains constant at a generous 440 Nm. 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 and accelerates up to a preset top speed of 250 km/h.

Standard equipment on the Audi S5 Cabriolet includes the seven-speed S tronic and the quattro drive system package. The sport differential is optional.