Its engine may not sound very exciting but other than that there’s plenty so shout about in the Audi A5 3.0 TDI Cabriolet, writes The Wheel Deal

Italy is a land famous for many things. For most people, Prima Dona footballers and Prada handbags immediately spring to mind but I’d like to tell you about one of this country’s lesser-known success stories. It’s not a famous artwork, nor is it a particularly exquisite piece of architecture; instead it lies in the steely expressions of a man named Walter de’Silva. Normally dressed in a neat grey suit, this Italian is responsible for blessing our roads with some deepley cool machinery. Walk across any car park in the world and you’re bound to stumble upon one of his creations: the Alfa 147, the Seat Leon and, more recently, Audi’s epic R8. Now one would think that the latter would be his pièce de résistance, but that’s where you’re wrong. According to de’Silva, the most perfect car he’s ever penned is the Audi A5.

Beautifully understated the tin-topped A5 really is a stellar thing to look at but – and this is most unusual – I must say that the new soft-top version is even sexier. Replacing the old A4 Cabriolet as the Four Ring’s headlining convertible, the absence of a proper roof actually accentuates everything that makes this car such a stunner in the first place: the swooping nose, that aggressively raked windscreen, those two razor-sharp shoulder blades. While topless versions of mainstream coupés can seem a little forced, a little OTT, the cloth-topped A5 Cabriolet pulls off its open-air credentials with a restrained ease that helps it avoid any of the flashy pretentiousness usually associated with cars in this class. And that’s most impressive.
Predictably, as those stylish looks suggest, the other elements making up the A5 Cabriolet package are just as noteworthy. Audi spent a lot of time tuning this machine’s chassis/suspension set-up and the trouble they’ve invested shows out on the road. Though it rolls on massive 19-inchers and has all sorts of torsional upgrades hidden beneath its skin, the A5 Cab we tested rode with a fluency that defied belief. You would expect to be left with a footwell full of fillings over anything but the smoothest tarmac but in actual fact it rides incredibly well, managing to be complaint without losing any of the sporty handling characteristics you’d expect in a car from Ingolstadt.
Happy to glide down boulevards all day, this convertible is also a riot to drive when you snick the class-leading S-Tronic gearbox into S Mode and get pushy with the accelerator pedal. Outright grip is, thanks to the Quattro all-wheel drive system, phenomenal and even with the traction control off it is neigh impossible to get this Audi out of shape. Consequently you can really go wild when it comes to corners and carry through the sort of speeds that many of its rivals will do well to match. Put simply, this is a car that you can drive very quickly without the worry of having a spectacular crash.

Power wise, that oil-burning V6 looming large under the bonnet offers up some truly ferocious shove and, once above the 2000rpm mark, piles on speed with the enthusiasm of an Audi Le Mans racer. It also returns some fairly decent economy figures too, with out test unit settling at around the 10l/100km mark after a week of varied driving conditions. However, as excellent as this unit may be, I found its rather soulless, thrumming soundtrack somewhat unsuited to top-down motoring. One of the reasons why people buy convertibles in the first place is to hear, and ultimately get closer to, the racing heart of the machine. And with my ears met by nothing but the occasional whistle of the turbo and a lot of wind noise, well, I often found myself pining for one of the more vocal 3.2FSI or 2.0TFSI petrol engines. But apart from that, and my usual gripes about Audi’s expansive and expensive options list, there’s not much more to find fault with in the A5 Cabriolet. The ultimate summer accessory for the well heeled, Mr. de’Silva should be proud.

Audi A5 3.0 TDI Cabriolet Fast Facts:

Engine: 2967cc, turbocharged V6 diesel
Power: 176kW from 4000 – 4400rpm
Torque: 500Nw from 1500 – 3000rpm
0-100km/h: 6.4 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 247km/h (claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 6.8l/100km (claimed combined)
Price: From R581 500

Few cabriolets are this understated, this stylish

Cloth roofs saves space, lessens centre of gravity and stows at speeds of up to 50km/h.

Interior may be a little soulless but it’s beautifully made and very comfortable. Audi MMI control panel is located in a rather awkward position.

TDI is a gem to drive but, predictably, lacks aural character

Related posts:

1. Audi Q5 3.0 TDI Mini Review Beautifully made and fabulously engineered, the sporty Audi Q5...
2. Audi RS6 Mini Review With more muscle than a Ferrari F430, the new...
3. Audi S3 Sportback Mini Review Hot-hatch performance meets pinstripe panache in the Audi S3...
4. Audi E-Tron is Go! The radical E-Tron concept – an electronic sports car...
5. Audi A5 Tosses Its Top It’s official – Audi’s old A4 ragtop has been...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.