If you missed the unveiling of the new Audi RS5 Cabriolet via the German manufacturer’s first ever live streaming reveal yesterday, then read on for details and images of the new drop-top sports car.
First of all, there are no surprises when it comes to the styling. We’ve all seen the RS5 Coupé and so apart from the folding roof, the RS5 Cabriolet looks almost identical. The Cabriolet features a lightweight soft top that can be opened in 15 seconds while traveling at speeds up to 50 km/h. By using a soft-top instead of folding hard-top design, the RS5 Cabrio only loses around 60-litres of boot space over the Coupé when the roof is down. With the roof closed, 380-litres of boot space is available.
Exterior highlights include LED daytime running lights, Audi’s trademark matte aluminum trim around the windscreen frame and side mirrors, as well as 19-inch forged aluminum wheels with 265/35 tyres. A rear diffuser, quad-exhaust tailpipes and and a carbon fibre rear spoiler, also give the RS5′s game away.
The interior of the Audi RS5 Cabriolet is styled in black and the roof liner can be optioned in a ‘star silver’ colour. Chrome highlights, gloss black trim and carbon inlays, underscore the RS5′s dynamic appearance. Upon request, Audi can deliver the inlays in Aluminum Race, piano finish black, matt brushed aluminum or stainless steel mesh at no additional cost. There are RS logos on the backs of the seats, the aluminum inlays in the door sill plates, the steering wheel, the tachometer and the gear selector grip. The sports seats are upholstered in a combination of leather and Alcantara, or in Nappa leather.
Beneath the bonnet, the RS5 Cabriolet features the same 4.2-litre V8 as the facelifted RS5 Coupé, producing 331 kW at 8 250 r/min and 430 Nm of torque between 4 000 and 6 000 r/min. This power gives the RS5 Cabrio a zero to 100 km/h benchmark sprint of 4.9 seconds, with a top speed limited to 250 km/h, or 280 km/h unrestricted. The RS5 uses a 7-speed S tronic gearbox, complete with launch control and a sport differential is available as an option. For what it’s worth, Audi claim combined cycle fuel consumption of 10.9 L/100 km.
Audi’s quattro permanent all-wheel drive system distributes torque between the front and rear axles at a 40:60 ratio. When necessary, it can direct up to 70 percent of torque to the front or a maximum of 85 percent to the rear. In addition, the centre differential works together with a torque vectoring system, which acts on all four wheels. If the load on the inside wheel is reduced too much, that wheel is braked slightly before it begins to slip.
Audi Drive Select enables the driver to vary the characteristics of the electric power steering, S tronic gearbox, throttle valves, and even the exhaust system sound flaps. There are three different modes to choose from: comfort, auto and dynamic; if an MMI navigation system is installed, the ‘individual’ mode is also offered. The RS5 Cabriolet rides 20 mm lower than the regular A5 Cabriolet and is equipped with firmer suspension in combination with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC). Carbon fibre-reinforced ceramic front discs and six-piston calipers are an optional extra.
The RS5 Cabriolet is priced around 13 percent higher than the Coupé, which should mean a local price in the region of R1.025 million when it arrives in 2013.
