Test Drive Audi A5 since 2007 coupe

Audi A5 Cabrio 2.0 TFSI Quattro

The new Audi A5 was on the roads of Monaco in his plate. Exotic principality and new Ingolstadt convertible confess the uniform cult of luxury, unrestrained emotions and speed
The famous Rotation of the Grand Hotel is bought in a dense city building. Red and white curbs - like a brutal tattoo on the body of the aristocrat. The synthesis of pompous and sports almost shocks. Formular track-snake squeezes through the rag of fashion boutiques, casino and five-star hotels in skyscrapers. Next - an equally famous tunnel. Formular barges are rushed along it at a speed of 300 km / h. The coast of the road is drawn up into a string in the naughty, bathing in the sunshine. The sidewalks are narrow, the curb of the beloved as a class - the non-robes of the tracks require maximum skill from the riders and promise the spectacle. Pedestrians of Monaco are relaxed. The same pigeons on the embankment. Gray feathers overflow here with all the colors of the rainbow, they seemed to wash shampoo. Children in the piers are fed by bread shoals of nonpougalian fish. Multimillion yachts are moored in La Condine Bay. The number of Maserati, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bentley and Porsche per square kilometer rolls. Adrenaline is thrown into the blood, monaco surreal paintings are cut into memory. However, we see only rudiments of elitar-sports life. The racing hyposta monaco is fully manifested for only a few days a year. For the May Raches of Formula 1, the sovereign state is becoming bumps, judicial tits and additional rows of the Tribune. We arrived in the capital of the Principality - Monte Carlo in the last days of winter for the test of the Audi A5 convertible test. And I must say, the five came to the elitary context as it is impossible.
Emotional outburst
You look at the cabrio-beauties parked at the coastal hotel, and drive an obsessive thought: the open A5 Croili specially for the Sanctuary Monte Carlo. Or Vos Angeles Selbritis Vedubritis. At the worst - respectable Baden Baden. On the one hand, this is a global product, on the other (representatives of AUDI PR services are openly recognized in this) - the lion's share of sales will have to US. More precisely, the southern states, and especially in the Golden State - California. Be that as it may, against the background of Mediterranean beauties, the convertible looks emphasized elegant, screaming emotional, capable of satisfying any driver's caprises of Dolce Vita. Head headlights with LED dimensions are perceived on an open A5 as an expensive refined decoration. The teutonic shield of the radiator lattice eliminates the thoughts of convertible light resolute, draws cold and makes the distance. Body sculptural lines exude expression.
The highlight of the model is a soft tip, rising in just 17 C - celebrities will have to keep incognito or hide from an unexpected shower. 15 more C - and A5 again without a roof. She left for a compact compartment behind the rear seats. The trunk remains 320 liters of useful volume. Two golf bags will fit - a universal measure for Monte Carlo and other star megacities. The length of the 4-seater Audi is 4.63 m, the width is 1.85 m, the height is only 1.38 m. These are the most sport proportions in the segment.
The exterior of the open A5 works on the image of the owner - as explains the chubby Ingolstadt press release, emphasizes its independence, individuality and vitality. The potential buyer of Audi sees a young intellectual with good income and sports preferences. In our opinion, the focus group is defined for sure. Elegant silhouette, muscular shapes and sculptural curved surfaces of the cabriolet will fall to taste with wealthy aesthetes. Salon is resolved in a premium vein traditional. Finishing panels and chairs pleases the eye and emphasizes the status. The interior stylist is the same as the predecessor - the A4 convertible. But there is a significant difference. Salon A5 breathes, in it is noticeably spacious. The fact is that the front axle of the five is far ahead. With such a layout diagram, the differential is located before adhesion (or by the torque converter). The result is one of the longest wheeled in the segment - 2.75 m.
Sports notes in the cabin sound in full swing. Landing - low. Watchpowded not only front, but also rear armchairs. Audi also has an ears on Makushka - the company promptly introduces successful technical solutions to competitors. Say, the seat belt serves a helpful hand - as in BMW 3 Series Cabrio. On vehicles in the dead zone, LED indicators in the outer rearview mirrors - as in the VOLVO C70 converter. However, Audi narrows the list of rivals to the convertible versions of Infiniti G37, Mercedes-Benz CLK and the aforementioned BMW convertible 3rd series.

A5, Open!
Write the roof on A5 - one pleasure. First, it can be done on the go - at a speed of up to 50 km / h. This kind of manipulation of Viktor Pelevin in his generation Pi ranked into WW factors. I pressed the button on the central console - and the public attention is provided. Secondly, the process of folding / folding is truly rapidly - do not distract from the road. Finally, A5 Cabrio offers a high level of comfort, regardless of whether the roof is folded or not. The only negative when moving with raised top is a fairly high noise level. This is especially felt when driving without a special wind shield (it is not applicable when the car is at least three). However, noise accompaniment is the inevitable evil of all unchanged convertibles. But from a cold A5 will protect it quite efficiently: the car can be equipped with the heating system of the front sedocks - an analogue of the Mercedesian system of the upper blowing of Airscarf. When moving at low and medium speeds, blowing truly saving. On the autobahn it is better to raise fabric top. We recommend the optional option with a sound insulating layer. In such an A5, aerodynamic noises are reduced to almost the level of the sedan.
The question of practicality A5 is rhetorical. Any convertible - by definition a compromise between the convenience and style. However, in the Ingolstadt novelty, the comfort of comfort was paid to increased attention. Take at least a luggage content scheme. The back of the rear seat is folded in the proportion of 50:50 - it is enough to pull for two lever in the trunk. When folding the roof, the compartment intended for it automatically lowers down, increasing the useful volume of the trunk. The low edge of the luggage compartment facilitates the loading and unloading of the boot. Loading in A5 big company? The standard wind panel will be compactly located in a niche for a spare wheel.
Choose to taste
The second revelation of Monte Carlo: An open Audi A5 may be different. We had two 2-liter versions of the cabriolet, and the differences between them were essential. Acquaintance began with a all-wheel drive gasoline modification equipped with a 211-strong turbocharging TFSI and a 7-speed robot S Tronic with two clutches. In the arsenal of such a car - the Audi Drive SELECT system, programming driving modes - from comfortable to dynamic. All you need to do is press one of the three buttons on the central console - the characteristics of the engine, transmission and steering can be changed. A5 with ADS is a real chameleon, adjusting to the driver, a company and a momentum mood. You want to swim in the embankment in the embankment - choose a comfortable mode, I decided to ride with the breeze - click on the Dynamic button, did not determine priorities - choose automatic mode.
A two-liter 211-strong gasoline engine in combination with a complete drive and a sequential transmission corresponds to the requests of the active driver fully. The power of the power unit for a pretty heavy machine, as it turned out, is enough for the eyes. The car confidently gained speed even with three ridges on board, when the weight of the cabriolet was approaching 2 tons. The razorly acute and accurate steering wheel, an irreconcilable and chain suspension in Dynamic mode, finally, lightning gear shifts of modern S TRONIC is just a brief summary of two-day observations. On the mountain serpentine due to the low center of the masses (thanks to the gentle top), an active suspension of the Audi Ride Control and a quattro corporate drive, the convertible passed ones like rails. Powerful disc brakes (the diameter of the front brake discs - 314 mm, the rear - 300 mm) allowed to effectively slow down and easily dose the force. The handmade transmission mode S Tronic has become a good helper when slowing down on the descents.
The mono-drive version with a 2-liter diesel engine is a kind of antipode of the venue of the car. Audi positions a 170-strong unit as an entry-level diesel engine, providing in combination with a 6-speed manual gearbox models by Audi speakers (9.3 s to a hundred and maximum 222 km / h). Promised, truth, and very moderate consumption (5.6 liters per 100 km in a mixed cycle). Fuel economy contributes to the Start-Stop branded system, turning off the engine at stops, as well as the corporate energy recovery system. However, no complaints arose to the dynamics of the diesel convertible. I did not like a little cotton, delaying with the steering wheel reactions and atypically dissolved for Audi chassis. AUDI Drive SELECT systems of this modification did not relieve. The shock absorbers had the only possible impressive regime, oriented, as seen, at the requests of the American market. However, the Diesel A5 disobedient in the management of Diesel A5 is definitely not calling. The above is true only if you take a previously tested all-wheel drive A5 with the ADS system.
New-fashioned systems that allow convertible to save fuel, in our opinion, contradict the ideology of Audi, creating cars for outdoor activities. Take, for example, the above-mentioned Start-Stop function. Cabripes with 2-liter TFSI in combination with 6-speed mechanics are equipped with such a serial system. There are no complaints about the technical scheme. The system promptly shuffles the engine after the gear lever is installed in neutral, and the clutch pedal is released. The gasoline motor is restarted into some fractions of a second, quiet, comfortable, without jerks. But the tag of time at the start is still lost, and the lag before the resumption of movement is felt. However, Audi engineers say, the START-STOP system reduces the flow rate of about 0.2 l / 100 km, and the CO2 release is almost 5 g / km. Then in the sidelines are recognized: the concern for fuel economy contributes to the growth of sales in the markets, where the hydrocal tax is linked with indicators on consumption and emissions. Is it not a hint of solar california again? Points over I Paid on the Geneva Motor Show the Governor of this state Arnold Schwarzenegger: came to the stand of the Ingolstad company, set up in front of the cameras, sat in Audi S5 ... The reasons for the introduction of green technologies in the Audi convertible immediately became more clear.
Price of luxury
You can become the owner of the Audi A5 cabriolet for 37,300 euros or 1 million 689 thousand rubles (prices for Germany). For this money, the buyer will receive a monolonic car with a 160-strong 1.8-liter TFSI engine running in a pair with a 6-speed MCP. The proposal of Ingolstadtsev if not generous, then probably tempting. At least, the base convertible A5 will be much more affordable classmates from premium competitors. For comparison: prices for BMW 3 Series Cabrio will start in Europe from 45,600 euros (2 million 25 thousand rubles).
The sponsored luxury inhabitants of Monaco European prices are definitely not frightened. That up to the crisis of Russia, the Audi representatives are very optimistic, planning to navigate the clientele already formed. Such for which the current crisis is not a crisis. Be that as it may, the volume of Russian sales in any case compensates for the demand in the American market. He has already begun to provide Iron Arni.

Specifications Audi A5 Cabrio 2.0 TFSI Quattro
Dimensions, mm.
4625x1854x1383
Base, mm.
2751
The volume of the trunk, l
320-380
Curb weight, kg
1735
engine's type
gasoline L4 with turbocharged
Working volume, cube. cm
1984
Max. Power, hp / rpm
211/4300-6000
Max. Moment, nm / rpm
350/1500-4200
Transmission
robotic 7-Motion
Drive unit
full
Max. Speed, km / h
250
Overclocking time 0-100 km, with
7,3
Fuel consumption (medium), l / 100 km
7,7
Volume of tank, l
64
     

Stanislav Goncharenko
Photo by the author and manufacturer firms
 

 

A source: Magazine "Autopanoram"