This is German tuner Senner Tuning’s individualisation package for the current Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet models. The performance of the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine has been increased to 202 kW and 430 Nm with the use of sports air filters, a re-calibrated ECU and stainless-steel sports exhaust system with quad tail-pipes.

Customers can chose between two different styles of 20-inch wheel. Both styles are chrome-plated and are fitted with 245/30 profile rubber up front and 295/25 profile rubber at the rear.

Senner Tuning has also revised the A5 Cabriolet’s bodywork. The front bumper borrows styling cues from the Audi RS6 sedan, while the front grille and side mirrors are reportedly based on those of the new Audi RS5. A customer rear valance and diffuser has been fitted to the rear of the car.

On the inside you will find lashings of carbon fibre trim, on the S-Line sports steering wheel, around the centre console, as well as on the door panels. Senner also offer a remote function for opening and closing the fabric roof.

When the Audi A5 Coupé was launched in April 2008 it was, and still is, admired for being an athletic, elegant, handsome and stylish grand tourer. So when the cabriolet version arrived just shy of 18 months later, we were keen to discover what the new model’s effect would be on these adjectives.

Interior
Stylish and elegant are two adjectives that are certainly applicable to Audi’s current interiors, no matter which car in their range you refer to. This means you’ll find four very comfortable leather covered seats and steering wheel, ergonomic layout for driver controls and instrumentation, as well as everything you’d expect to find in terms of convenience such as climate control, cruise control, multi-function steering wheel and Audi’s MMI system with colour screen, to name but a few. Additional features are electronically adjustable front seats that move forward to provide easy entry and exit for rear passengers, as well as a seatbelt extender that moves forward from the B-pillar to ‘hand’ you the seatbelt and save you from having to search for it over your shoulder. With the canvas roof up, adult passengers will still find enough headroom in the rear, although legroom is lacking and is likely to result in some shuffling after an hour or so of travel time.

This car’s party trick is of course its fabric roof with glass rear window that can be folded away in just 15 seconds, or closed again in an extra two. Being able to open or close the roof while on the move, at speeds of up to 50 km/h, adds an element of practicality more useful than one may think. A one-touch button on the centre console lowers all four windows to give you true ‘wind in your hair’ motoring. Alternatively, Audi provide a wind deflector that covers the rear seats while keeping your precious hairdo in place and that can be folded and stored in the boot when not in use. Speaking of the boot and luggage space, the A5 Cabriolet has 380-litres on offer, which shrinks to 320 with the roof down, enough space to store luggage for a couples weekend getaway.

Whether the top is up or down, it’s a feel-good cockpit and one which can be enjoyed for hours on end.

Exterior
Audi has taken away none of the A5′s appeal in choosing to remove the roof. In fact, the A5 Cabriolet looks even better with the top down. With the now traditional Audi single-frame grille and eye-catching daytime LED running lights, crowned by the aluminium look windscreen frame, the A5 forges ahead with confidence. A taut and sweeping shoulder line, together with bold wheel arches, housing optional 19-inch wheels on our test car, make for a solid and elegant profile. The cabriolet is rounded off at the rear with a subtle integrated lip spoiler that differs from the hardtop with an integrated third brake light. Distinctive LED tail-lights and sleek diffuser framed by exhausts on either side complete the muscular yet elegant appeal of the car.

The Drive
An easy car to drive and a pleasure to live with, the A5 Cabriolet exudes class. The seating position is low, offering a sense of sportiness and security, with the car still wrapping itself around you even with the top down. We experienced some fierce south-easterly winds with the topless A5, certainly no conditions for top down motoring. However, the car always felt planted on the road and the fabric roof performed well to fend off the relentless wind, conceding a slight whistle only on rare occasions. A 15 mm thick insulating foam layer is also available to further reduce wind noise. When the weather plays along however, the A5 Cabriolet is best enjoyed with the roof neatly tucked away in the boot and the supplied wind-deflector in position, which works well even at high-speed.

Handling from the cabriolet is positive and the car tackled corners with alacrity, thanks to accurate steering, quattro permanent four-wheel drive and the optional low profile 19-inch tyres. The ride was firmer than expected partly due to the large 19′s, but they add to the car’s sex appeal and we’d have no regrets in adding them to our list of options.

Although there are no obvious signs of scuttle shake with the A5 Cab, the torsional rigidity of a car with no roof is always an issue and they’re prone to chassis flex when compared to their hardtop counterparts. Audi has done a commendable job of remedying this by strengthening strategic points of the chassis, in particular the walls of the side sills, transmission tunnel, front and rear cross members as well as the A-pillars. As a result the cabriolet weighs a hefty 250 kg’s over its coupé counterpart, which takes the edge off the 3.2 FSI’s sprinting performance. However, cruising is the cabrio’s forté and as such, the added weight and associated performance penalty are not too much of an issue.

Performance
The 3,2-litre V6 in the A5 Cabriolet 3.2 FSI produces 195 kW and 330 N.m of torque from 3 000 rpm to 5 000 rpm. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is 0.5 seconds slower than the lighter coupé model at a claimed 6.9 seconds, but the car doesn’t feel this quick. In reality this cabrio is not going to blow off any hot hatches, but then that’s not a game this car cares to play. Mated to Audi’s 7-speed S tronic gearbox, progress in the 3.2 FSI cabrio is swift and wonderfully smooth. However, the 7th gear does not make as much sense matched with this petrol engine as it does with Audi’s 3,0-litre diesel, which has 170 N.m more torque that saves you having to shift down as often. As a result we preferred using the S tronic’s sport mode, which made use of only 6 gears and is more responsive. With a top speed of 246 km/h the cabrio is no slouch and covers distance quickly and comfortably. Our pick of the range would be the diesel though, as it is quicker off the mark, has lower fuel consumption and works better with the 7-speed S tronic box.

What we like…

• Great looking, classy 2-door cabriolet makes for superb drop-top motoring.
• Solid and well-built feel in every aspect.
• Good handling and road manners mean grace with sufficient pace.

What we would like…

• Better sound quality from the standard sound system – it lacked a bit of depth.
• Slightly more vocal exhausts to hear the great sounding V6 more often.

The new Audi S5 Cabriolet, powered by a highly efficient new six-cylinder supercharged FSI engine, becomes available to order in the UK this month.

The latest flagship in the Audi A5 range is powered by Audi’s all-new supercharged six-cylinder engine that delivers sports car pace with a high efficiency. Working exclusively in conjunction with the equally economy-focused 7-speed S tronic twin-clutch sports transmission, the new unit pares CO2 output back to 224 g/km and boosts economy to up to 8.08 l/100 km, yet also powers the S5 Cabriolet to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds and on to a governed 250 km/h top speed.

In common with every other S quattro Series model, the outstanding performance is achieved with the help of quattro four-wheel-drive, in this instance in the form of the latest generation asymmetric system with 40/60 rear-biased torque split. The benefits of this configuration are more apparent if the optional sport differential is specified as part of the Audi adaptive dynamics system. When the steering wheel is turned or the car accelerated in a corner, the differential redirects power in a controlled manner to the outer rear wheel, literally pushing the car through the corner. The driver benefits from reduced steering effort and a feeling of even greater adjustability and control.

Specially tailored ‘S’ sports suspension gives the quattro system, and sport differential, optimum conditions in which to shine, and lowers the S5 Cabriolet body to within millimetres of its 19-inch 5 parallel spoke alloy wheels. Aluminium-look door mirrors, xenon plus headlights with LED daytime running lights, rear LED lamps, special ‘S’ front and rear styling treatments and black painted brake callipers bearing the S5 logo, will also be distinguishing features.

The Audi A5 cabriolet will of course also feature the most sophisticated version of the lightweight soft-top, which, with additional insulating layers, reduces external noise intrusion into the cabin to virtually the same level as the hardtop coupe. On occasions when it isn’t required, the soft-top retracts in just 15 seconds into a compartment within the boot that automatically lowers to accommodate it. It also raises again in only 17 seconds, and can complete both operations at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

Roof up or down, the Audi S5 cabriolet makes light work of transporting up to four adults in comfort, and when the soft top is in place, a best-in-class luggage capacity of 380-litres also enables easy accommodation of luggage for four. In topless mode the roof stowage compartment only marginally reduces this impressive total to 320-litres. Thanks to the standard split/folding rear seat, a maximum capacity of 750-litres can be accessed if required.

Adapted from InAutoNews