In the old days, a cabriolet is a small horse-drawn carriage that could seat two people and typically did not have a roof. Today, cabriolets are two or four seat cars with a convertible roof. They are usually called convertibles these days but cabriolet sounds a little posher. Audi, which is a name you can attach to luxury, has a new cabriolet and it is just splendid.
The Audi A5 Cabriolet is based on the coupe version of the A5.
Like the A5 Coupe, the Cabriolet will feature a choice of engines: three diesel and two petrol engines. The 2.0 litre turbocharged inline-four petrol engine would probably be your best bet. It can produce 252bhp and 273-lb-ft of torque. You can also have three gearbox choices: six-speed manual, seven-speed S-Tronic DCT or eight-speed automatic.
The main bit about the cabriolet is the convertible roof. The metal roof has been replaced by a folding soft top. It takes just 18 seconds to deploy and 15 to retract the roof with just the flip of a switch. You deploy the roof even when you are travelling at 31mph which is convenient if you get caught by a sudden downpour in the highway.
The A5 Cabriolet will be up to par with the coupe in terms of technology. It features driving assistance aids such as navigation-linked adaptive cruise control and collision avoidance systems. There is a heads-up display, 7-inch console mounted display and microphones embedded in the seatbelt for voice commands and hands-free control. You can even avail of the virtual cockpit option if you wish. Better have your roof up because you don’t want all those electronics getting wet.
If you feel that the A5 Cabriolet is a bit pedestrian for your taste, you can have the S5 which is the performance model with its 3.0-litre turbo V6 engine that can 354bhp and 369 lb-ft of torque. It has the eight-speed automatic gearbox and Quattro all-wheel drive system.
The A5 and S5 Cabriolet will both be available at dealerships starting the spring of 2017.
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