Press Release
The exterior design
Open-top cars are bought with the heart – they are supposed to express the personality of their drivers: their independence, their individuality, their joie de vivre. Design is a particular important factor in this emotional decision, and Audi underscores its leadership in this area once again with the A5 Cabriolet. It appeals to young, highly educated customers with a good income and sporty lifestyle.
The A5 Cabriolet combines the brand’s progressive styling with the fascination of an open-top car. Measuring 4.63 meters (15.19 ft) long and 1.85 meters (6.07 ft) wide, but only 1.38 meters (4.53 ft) tall, the Audi four-seater wraps the sportiest proportions in its class in classic elegance. The stretched hood, the long 2.75 meter (9.02 ft) wheelbase, the sharp lines and muscular sweep of the shoulder contour draw a distinctive silhouette. The broad track of nearly 1.60 meters (5.25 ft) front and rear, the large wheels, the distinctive front end, the expressive tail and the sculptured, curving surfaces interact to create a harmonious whole.
The styling of the front end is dominated by the single-frame grille bordered by a strip of anodized aluminum. The bars are painted Stone Gray; in the two top V6 models – the 3.2 FSI and the 3.0 TDI – these are painted a high-gloss black. Three air intakes – the center one beneath the grille – emphasize the width of the front end.
The exquisite design of the headlights makes them look like technical works of art. A plastic strut vapor-coated with chrome – the “wing” – separates the individual lamp chambers. The high-efficiency daytime running lights of the xenon plus headlights comprise a sickle-shaped strip of eight 1 Watt, high-performance LEDs. Halogen fog lights are standard on all models, and Audi offers adaptive light dynamic cornering lights as an option.
Lines, surfaces and contour edges – an athletic sculpture
Two lateral lines extending beyond the hood underscore the presence of the single-frame grille. An aluminum molding lends high gloss to the windshield frame, and LED blinkers are integrated into the new exterior mirrors. As with every Audi, the flanks are marked by taut surfaces and two light-reflecting edges – the dynamic line above the side sills and the tornado line below the window shoulder. The broad, muscular arched shoulders, the pronounced wheel arches and the large wheels – forged 17-inch wheels are standard – underscore the power of the A5 Cabriolet.
Horizontal lines and a distinctly colored diffuser insert emphasize the wide, sporty appearance of the tail end. The trunk bears an unobtrusive spoiler lip. LEDs in the taillights creative a distinctive, ring-shaped light pattern. All models feature a dual exhaust system, with the larger engine version having a tailpipe on the left and the right. Even the TDI engines come with straight pipes – a subtle indication of zero particulate emissions thanks to the standard diesel particulate filter (DPF).
The A5 Cabriolet is available in 15 colors: Aruba Blue, pearl effect, Brilliant Red, Brilliant Black, Ice Silver, metallic, Garnet Red, pearl effect, Ibis White, Meteor Gray, pearl effect, Quartz Gray, metallic, Phantom Black, pearl effect, Sahara Silver, metallic, Sphere Blue, metallic and Deep Sea Blue, pearl effect. New colors are Amethyst Grey, metallic, Aurum Beige, metallic and Teak Brown, metallic.
The outer skin of the top is available in a choice of four colors, Blue, Brown, Red and Black, which form attractive combinations with the paint shades.
The convertible top
The fabric top with the large, flat glass rear window fits into the elegant design profile of the Audi A5 Cabriolet perfectly and much more harmoniously than a folding steel roof could. It is also much lighter, thus reducing total weight and lowering the center of gravity. A metal top would have brought with it additional disadvantages that Audi fundamentally rejects – wide, obvious body joints in the roof and tail end area and reduced trunk space.
The soft top comprises three layers: top covering, cushioning pad and headliner. In the optional acoustic top, which reduces wind noise almost to the level of a sedan, this is replaced by a foam layer up to 15 mm (0.59 in) in thickness. The acoustic top comes with an LED light for the rear seat – a feature usually found only in the luxury convertible segment.
A high-pressure hydraulic pump and four operating cylinders that move the top are actuated when a pushbutton on the center console or on the optional advanced key is depressed. It takes 15 seconds to open the top, 17 seconds to close it. Both actions can also be performed while driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31.07 mph) – a major convenience in city traffic or on country roads.
Large trunk: 320 liters (11.30 cubic ft) with the top open
When opened, the top is retracted under a fixed cover, where it is folded down into an extremely compact, trifold configuration. Its storage compartment, which is made of a robust textile mat and adorned with aluminum trim, takes up just a few centimeters of height and only 60 liters (2.12 cubic ft) of the 380 liters (13.42 cubic ft) of luggage space. The remaining 320 liters (11.30 cubic ft) with the top open are by far best in class. Rivals equipped with a folding steel roof offer at least 100 liters (3.53 cubic ft) less.
A number of clever solutions bring even more convenience to the Audi A5 Cabriolet. The driver does not have to do anything before opening the top – the top compartment lowers itself automatically into the trunk. If there isn’t enough room, a sensor annunciates an alarm and the top does not open. A master switch with one-touch function also makes it very easy to actuate the four power windows simultaneously.
The 50:50 split folding rear seat backrests can be easily unlocked by actuating two levers in the trunk. Pretensioned with springs, they drop automatically onto the seat cushions. The standard pass-through is 70 centimeters (27.56 in) wide and 30 centimeters (11.81 in) high. The loading space behind the front seatbacks is thus 1.76 meters (5.77ft) long, providing a total storage volume of 750 liters (26.49 cubic ft). A ski bag is optional; a 12-volt plug in the trunk comes standard.
The rear trunk lid with the electric lock reveals an opening large enough to stow two golf bags. The low loading lip also makes loading and unloading easier. The standard wind deflector, which is stretched over the rear seats, can be stored in the spare-wheel well when not in use, provided that the optional compact temporary spare wheel is not on board.
The body
Like every Audi, the A5 Cabriolet has an extremely rigid body. This is the prime reason for its precise, sporty handling, superior ride comfort and high crash safety. Hardly any oscillations or vibrations can be felt in an open A5, not even at the steering wheel or on the seats – the “comfort points.”
Several innovative technologies are used in the construction of the body-in-white. A prime example are the ultra-high-strength steels, which Audi largely fabricates in-house using hot forming. Combining low weight with extremely high tensile strength, they are used in the side sills, the longitudinal members, the center tunnel, the B-pillars and the front cross members.
A whole array of additional reinforcement parts compensates for the absence of a solid roof. In the front section, diagonal struts run from the side sills to the auxiliary frame for the suspension mounts. In the rear section, similar components are integrated beneath the floor of the trunk. The side sills have particularly thick walls. The hydroformed tubes that reinforce the A-pillars from the inside are particularly high-strength and capable of bearing extremely high loads.
Another important component is a solid aluminum frame with integrated roll-over protection located between the cabin and the trunk. When a rollover threatens, electric actuators release aluminum braces pretensioned with powerful springs, which shoot up fast as lightning behind the rear headrests and lock into place, thus expanding the passenger survival space.
Seat-mounted head and thorax side airbags with a volume of 18 liters (0.64 cubic ft) each provide protection in the event of a side impact; full-size airbags protect the driver and front-seat passenger in the event of a frontal collision. Because the control unit knows the seating position, it can adaptively trigger the belts and airbags to provide the best possible protection for passengers large and small in all types of collisions. In a rear-end collision, the integral head restraint system averts the danger of whiplash injuries.
The front fenders of the Audi A5 Cabriolet are made of lightweight aluminum to reduce weight and optimize the axle load distribution. Sophisticated details such as a fully-enclosed underbody improve the airflow and thus the acoustics and also fuel efficiency. With the top closed, the four-seater has a drag coefficient of 0.31 and a frontal surface area of 2.17 m² (23.36 sq ft).
The interior
With its long wheelbase of 2.75 meters (9.02 ft), the A5 Cabriolet offers a roomy interior; the open four-seater has plenty of room for longer trips. That’s also true for the sportily sculpted rear seats, which can be optionally supplied with a center console with a beverage holder with two cup holders and roller cover, including a storage compartment beneath the front passenger seat.
The front seats are sportily low and sculpted for perfect ergonomics, offering perfect control and support. Electric seatbelt extenders provide assistance with fastening the belts. Integrated into the B-pillars, they move forward automatically when the ignition is activated. The seatbelt extender returns to its ready position once the tab engages in the buckle.
Audi offers a broad range of optional seats for special requirements – sport seats with extendable thigh rests and electric lumbar support, all-electric adjustment and heating, including heating for the back seats as a separate option. In the high-end climate-controlled comfort seats, small fans and an automatic auxiliary heater ensure luxurious comfort.
Another luxury feature integrated into the climate-controlled comfort seats is the new neck-level heating. A three-level adjustable fan blows warm air through ducts on the topside of the seatback to warm the back of the head and the neck. The neck-level heating, which is also available for sport seats, prolongs the open-air season.
Another special feature is the optional leather upholstery: a special coating inhibits solar heating while the A5 Cabriolet is parked in the sun with the top down. This heat-up resistance function reflects the warming infrared radiation and thus lowers the surface temperature by up to 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit).
Audi offers a choice of several seat coverings for the entire range of seats, from the standard Arcade fabric to a combination of leather and Alcantara to a particularly soft version of Fine Nappa leather. Seven colors are available: black, lunar silver, pale gray, luxor beige, cardamom beige, cinnamon and red. Inlays come standard in Micrometallic platinum; aluminum, burl walnut, ash and laurel are available as options. The headliner is available in three colors: black, star silver and linen beige.
Flowing elegance – the interior design
Elegance in flowing lines, perfect ergonomics, high-grade materials and uncompromising craftsmanship characterize the interior. Like in every Audi, the interior is a treat for the senses – for the ears, nose, fingertips and of course the eyes. The teardrop-shaped surrounds of the instruments have already become modern classics. The central, high-mounted onboard monitor is standard equipment. The sculpted cockpit is oriented toward the driver. Flowing lines link it to the center tunnel and the door linings.
If the customer has ordered either one of the two navigation systems, it comes with the sophisticated MMI operating system. With its intuitive, easy-to-understand menu system, the large buttons and the central control knob on the middle tunnel, it is the best solution on the market.
