[dropcap]M[/dropcap]y only complaint about my week behind the wheel of the 2015 Audi S5 Cabriolet was that my turn to test drive the car came during a typical South Florida rainy week, which precluded me from dropping the top as often as I would have liked.
Suffice it to say, the S5 Cabriolet is a beautiful example of today’s automotive styling, power and luxury. For 2015, the design is basically unchanged for seven years and the model line continues with A5 and RS5 variations along with the S5, with both Coupe and Cabriolet styles.
The A5 is powered by the 2.0 TFSI turbocharged direct-injected four-cylinder engine that produces 220 hp and 258 poundfeet of torque. New for this model year are 18-inch, 10-spoke wheels, a navigation package with side assist, S line exterior on A5 Premium Plus and standard Xenon headlights, dynamic range adjustment and LED taillights on A5 Premium. With the available Tiptronic automatic transmission, the A5 Coupe gets 22 city/31 highway/25 combined mpg, while the Cabriolet gets 20/28/23 mpg.
The S5 is a sporty luxury model available in coupe or convertible styles. It is powered by a 333 hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 (28 mpg highway) that produces 325 pound-feet of torque. The coupe comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, while the cabriolet gets a seven-speed automated manual transmission, optional on the coupe. The cab has a very smooth power-operated soft top and a wind blocker, and both the coupe and cab are available in Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels.
All S5 models are equipped with all-wheel drive, with an optional sport differential that distributes torque between the rear wheels for optimal cornering. The S5 cab is amazingly quiet at high speed and handles with precision and instantaneous response.
The RS5 is the superstar of the lineup with a powerful head-snapping supercharged 450- hp V-8. Standard Premium Plus features include 18-inch wheels, xenon headlights, LED running lights and taillights, heated and auto-dimming mirrors, an S5 body kit, a tiltonly sunroof and keyless entry and ignition.
On the inside
The Premium Plus package adds tri-zone automatic climate control, brushed aluminum trim, leather and simulated suede upholstery (the cabriolet gets upgraded leather upholstery), eight-way power front sport seats with four-way driver power lumbar, driver memory functions, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a color driver information center, split-folding rear seatbacks, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a dashmounted MMI electronics controller, a 6.5- inch display, the Audi Drive Select system (providing driver control over steering, throttle and automatic transmission calibrations), shift paddles for the automatic transmission and a 10-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and iPod integration.
Pricing
The MSRP on the 2015 Audi S5 Cabriolet is $66,975.
[author image=”http://www.samaonline.org/Ron.jpg” ]Ron Beasley is the automotive editor for Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261, or by addressing email correspondence to LetsTalkCars@aol.com.[/author]
