2010 Audi A5 2.0 TFSI quattro Cabriolet

Open-air love affair

By Nina Russin

2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

Used to be, owning a convertible was a love/hate relationship. While nobody would argue with the visceral appeal of open-air motoring, drivers had to compromise ride and handling due to poor torsional rigidity that plagued many cabriolets. In addition, the soft tops did a poor job of insulating the interior against road noise and cold temperatures.

I owned one of those convertibles: a 1972 Olds Cutlass. While I enjoyed every day through seven summers of driving, I stored the car from October through April. In the winter, I drove a sedan.

The Audi A5 cabriolet is a different kind of animal: with a stronger skeleton and four-season performance. Engineers used high-strength steel throughout the body structure, enhancing  torsional rigidity without adding weight.

Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system maintains a rear-wheel bias on dry roads, and sends power to the wheels with the best traction on wet and icy surfaces. The top is insulated enough to keep out road noise in the summer and cold in the winter.

A two-liter, turbocharged engine produces excellent power while conserving on fuel. Audi’s direct fuel injection system delivers the gasoline directly into the engine cylinders, enhancing throttle response while reducing carbon monoxide emissions. Read the rest of this entry »