One of the first cars to be revealed during a live online video premiere is the Audi RS5 Cabriolet which unlike its hardtop counterpart comes with a new rear bumper with a higher diffuser, as well as a carbon fiber bootlid spoiler and LED taillights. Also new are the 19-inch ten-spoke alloys and the different look of the grille. The motorized folding top needs 15 seconds to open and 17 seconds to close. This operation can be done at speeds of up to 31 mph.
As you would expect, the car’s body was reinforced to recuperate the lost rigidity during the transformation from a coupe to a cabrio. It has aluminum front wings for counteracting the added weight.
It has the same engine as the coupe, a V8 4.2-liter FSI unit that delivers 444 hp, enough for an electronically limited to speed of 155 mph. The Ingolstadt-based automaker said that upon request they can increase the top speed to 173 mph, while the 0-62 mph sprint is done in just 4.9 seconds. Those ponies are sent to all four wheels of the RS5 Cabriolet via a 7-speed S-tronic transmission that comes with the company’s torque-vectoring center differential system. One of the many optional features available for the car would have to be the sports exhaust system.
The RS5 Cabrio is 20mm lower than the Coupe and has firmer anti-roll bars and stiffer mounts. As standard, the braking power is provided by the 8-piston brake calipers, while for more money clients can opt for the carbon ceramic disc brakes.
The new Audi RS5 Cabriolet will be available at first in Germany at the beginning of next year, while later on in spring it should reach other European countries, including the United Kingdom. In Germany, the entry level RS5 Cabrio will start from 70,154 pounds.
