Audi's looking good! (From Bournemouth Echo)

Audi's looking good!

1:09pm Monday 29th June 2009

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WHAT a stunning-looking car! We have all seen the pictures in the press and thought, OK, it looks nice, but see the new A5 Cab in the flesh and the sleek lines are further improved.

In fact the drop-top version of the A5 is even better looking than the A5 coupe.

The question is, does it drive as well as it looks?

The 2.0TFSI is the entry model.

However, in S-Line guise it does come with some added bonuses such as larger alloys, subtle body kit, extremely comfortable, electrically adjustable, leather sports seats, lowered suspension and the acoustic roof as standard.

Other manufactures have opted to produce ‘tin-top’ convertibles.

My first question to Audi was, ‘why did they not follow suit and opt instead for a standard ‘cloth roof ’.

After driving the A5 Cab with the roof up, I quickly learned why.

You cannot tell the difference; the sounddeadening material used is excellent.

Of course, by saving weight and by keeping the weight low in the car, the car is less top-heavy, giving a better overall driving experience.

The other benefit of having a ‘cloth roof ’ is you still have some boot space, in fact a sizable 320 litres.

The A5 Cab handles well. The supreme damping absorbs all but the largest of potholes.

There is very little body roll and overall grip is good, thanks to the wide body and large 18-inch alloys shed with 245/40 rubber.

Performance from the 2.0TSFI is progressive – zero to 60mph is achieved in just 7.5 seconds, although as the A5 is a big car it doesn’t seem that fast.

The A5 will easily continue to 150mph where the law allows.

The manual six-speed gearbox is slick and light to change. Audi also offers a multitronic gearbox or a seven-speed S-Tronic gearbox with dual clutch technology.

The interior is plush and soft to the touch, although still feels sturdy and will stand the test of time. The switch gear feels solid and well put together as does the whole interior fit – not a sign of a rattle or squeak anywhere.

The driving position is good but it may take a bit of time to get used to the slightly offset pedals.

The electric roof is almost silent and takes just 15 seconds to put down and 17 seconds to put back up.

With the roof up there is plenty of headroom for front and rear passengers and there is enough rear legroom for two six-footers.

A nice touch, Audi have integrated front and rear LED reading lights into the acoustic roof.

Audi have teamed up with Bang & Olufsen and the 10-channel 12-speaker sound system produces an earth-shattering 505 watts of power, which does not lose any clarity.

Every A5 Cabriolet comes with stability control, and front and side airbags that cover the head and chest.

If sensors detect the car is about to roll over, metal bars pop up behind the rear seats to protect passengers.

High-tech safety options available include adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot and lane-assist systems.

Audi offers a substantial range of engines, starting with 2.0TSFI entry model with 211bhp.

The 3.2-litre V6 petrol has 261bhp, and there is an S5 performance model which has a beefy 328bhp supercharged 3.0 V6, although not currently available in convertible form.

The cheapest diesel is a flexible 168bhp 2.0 litre, or there’s a 3.0 V6 diesel with thumping low-down pull.

The A5 2.0TSI makes a good choice for business users achieving 42mpg and emitting just 159g CO2, band D for road tax or 19 per cent Benefit in Kind tax.

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