Road Test: 2010 Audi A5 2.0T FSi Multi-Tronic Cabriolet

Of all the cabriolets I’ve had a chance to review in the past few years, the Audi A5 has to be the most mis-understood one of them all, for one it does not conform to any of the usual personality traits of most other cabriolets. It does not have an uncomfortably hard ride, and it doesn’t get skittish in a corner because the chassis is stiffer than Titanium. The A5 behaves and is almost decent, and most of all is a very practical and easy motorcar to live with. It’s all true what you hear about the A5 chassis, it is even civil and what I mean by that is there are no surprises leaving you petrified because it saw a crack in the road. The A5 is however still a cabriolet, a large one at that, with the usual black cloth top. Audi has managed to refine this motorcar to a new level, there is nearly no wind or road noise, and it does not pitch or shudder as much as some of the competitors do.

Then there is also the smooth 2.0 litre turbo FSi unit with some 155kW and total torque of 350Nm from a low 1500 to 4200 Rpm. This gives the Audi Cabrio some staggering figures, such as 0 – 100kph in just 6.9 seconds, and this for a vehicle weighing in at about 1700Kg. Fuel consumption is however sacrificed and overall, with some 700Km travelled mostly on the freeway, I only managed 9.1L/100km. That may seem high for some but as a package this is still good if you take the time to compare it.

The gearbox fitted to the test vehicle was a multi-tronic, continuously variable type system that adjusts and changes gears without you noticing. Although one could manually manipulate the gear changes it seems best to leave it in Drive most of the time. There was however no Quattro drive and traction is only to the front wheels, which is fair. Rumour has it that we may see a 2.0 litre Quattro option in the future but that will add another 139kg and from this experience may not be necessary.

This new multi-tronic gearbox has 3 differing personalities, each unique and each suits a style ranging from D, or daddy cruising mode, to very sporty, and then my favourite, full manual which is something else. You are given authority of all 8 forward gears controlled by fingertip paddles behind the steering and the combination of the noise and swift gear changes give you an idea of what a F1 driver must feel, but mostly also explains how this heavy motorcar can give such a thrilling ride from the relatively small power unit.

The chassis does not feel reinforced and except for the fact the tyres on the test unit where close to their time; the cabriolet handles nicely and better than expected. The suspension is also forgiving and with the taut chassis, allows for excellent road manners. Surprisingly the A5 does not feel that heavy with the overall steering being rather predictable and the only drawback is that this A5 does track uneven ruts a bit uncomfortably. I also experienced some torque steer from the front wheel drive that can be a little tricky if you are not expecting it.

The A5 is practical and easy to get in and out of, but the boot is small. The cabin is pretty standard as far as Audi goes but the base model has plenty of gadgets to keep you company. Comfort front and back is not compromised in any way and the level of refinement even extends as far as wind buffeting one would expect of which there is none and explains one of the reasons why this cabriolet is allowed to do 250km/h.

Now to its ‘looks’, and the reason most people want the Cabriolet. It is admirably stunningly sexy and from the amount of thumbs up, hooters blowing and compliments I’ve had in traffic, I think the general population in Durban agree. The fact that the top comes down is maybe just an added bonus and yes it does not have a boot you can fit golf clubs in, but when you are taking her out for the weekend, I don’t think the golf club is where she wants to go.

To conclude, for around R430 000 this does seem to be the more likely winner out of the sedan size coupes, not only for its performance and the fact that it costs almost R100 000 less than its closest rival it’s also great value for money. The warranty is however only valid for 1 year with unlimited mileage, but that is also standard for all A5’s so maybe I could look past that and just enjoy this remarkable piece of machinery.
 
Autoworld.co.za’s overall Rating 91%

Audi A5 2.0T FSi Multitronic

R 433 500

Engine & Gearbox

Features

Safety & Security

Dimensions

Suspension & Drivetrain

Maintenance & Warranty from Vehicle First Reg.