You get the best of all worlds, never mind both worlds, when you’re handed the keys of Audi’s very slick S5 Cabriolet - with a big emphasis on slick.
For starters, the ragtop version differs little from the hardtop model and boasts the same super lines and finesse seen in the earlier released model. We could go on and on about its aesthetics, but needless to say it had friends and associates commenting most favourably on its beauty. Quite which model wins this battle is debatable.
The S5 Cabriolet boasts a different motor to the coupé. Gone is the 4.2 V8 and in its place comes a 3.0 V6. The rather punchy 2995cc mill thumps out an impressive 245kW at 5 500rpm while torque is quoted at 440Nm at 2900rpm. The advantage here over turbo power is obviously a lack of lag while you also don’t have to worry about spooling the turbo down after enthusiastic driving, something which many drivers of turbos fail to do.
This is fed to all four wheels via a super slick dual clutch S tronic transmission and is an ideal match for the Ingolstadt idol. Leave it on full auto (recommended for boulevard swanning) and the S5 glides past admirers quietly and serenely in a very composed manner. But give it its head on an open road and the gearbox and motor show their mettle. Flip through the seven ratios via the steering wheel-mounted paddles and the S5 leaps forward very rapidly and unabated, along with a glorious roar from the exhausts. Said exhausts snap and crackle loudly, especially on the down changes which the S5 politely blips the throttle to synchronise speed and engine rpm. Down-changing soon becomes very addictive.
That said: the important bit comes in the form of getting the hood down which the S5 does in around 15-17 seconds - up and down respectively. The drive remains firm and solid although slight scuttle shake is present, it is largely unnoticeable over most roads at sensible speeds.
There are few downsides to this beauty. Obviously you’ll be paying a premium for exclusivity, good looks and performance which will make most hot hatches blush a little when the lights turn green. At R706 500 excluding the extras such as Satnav at R21 300, similar money for the glorious 19” wheels while R35-odd thousand gives you adaptive shocks and drive select. It’s also not entirely frugal when it comes to filling the tank and our S5 lunched through 14.2 litres per 100 kilometres, way above Audi’s claimed 9.4 litres over the combined cycle.
In conclusion, and assuming you come from the well-heeled brigade, the S5 Cabriolet should feature near the very top of your shopping list. Given the long list of standard features, stability of its 4wd quattro, great performance and driveability and long list of safety bits, the S5 still delivers serious bang for your buck. Just don’t get a black one - they’re tedious to keep clean and looking good.
