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Ken Gratton31 Mar 2014
REVIEW

Audi RS 5 Cabriolet 2014 Review

Want performance and open-air touring? Audi has an answer of sorts...

Audi RS 5 Cabriolet 4.2 FSI quattro S tronic
Road Test

Audi's RS 5 Cabriolet will divide opinion... but not equally. The handful of buyers who can afford the purchase price will argue that they need a car as much at home on a genteel cruise with the top down, or slamming through fast bends and rocketing up hills with its V8 in full song. For the rest of us, the Audi is simply a compromise solution to fill a niche in the market. On sale now, the RS 5 Cabriolet is priced from $175,900 (plus on-road costs).

The Audi RS 5 Cabriolet joins the ranks of high-performance/low-rigidity four-seat convertibles from Saab and Volvo from a decade ago. The Audi's scuttle shake has already been remarked upon by others and it was readily observed from the moment the RS 5 Cabriolet hit its first bump in the road. Furthermore, there was enough movement over speed humps – taken at low speed – for some of the soft fixtures to go nuts, rubbing together.

On the plus side the drivetrain was impressive. The 4.2-litre V8 sounded lovely but felt unmotivated until the Audi Drive Select system was set to 'Dynamic', the gearshift was knocked to the left for Sport mode, and the left shift paddle had been yanked back about three times. Nice as it was, the V8 was not one of your lazy V8s of yore. It demanded a bit of involvement from the driver. Then it mustered performance on a platter – right up to its 8000rpm redline.

The S tronic transmission performed acceptably during the week, with none of the issues experienced by motoring.com.au's editor in chief, Mike Sinclair during the media drive program for the RS 5 Cabriolet last year. I was mostly pottering around during the week, reserving the donner-und-blitzen driving for the weekend – and then exploiting the transmission to the full with the shift paddles.

Taken for a punt the RS 5 Cabriolet did deliver adept handling and adhesion when set up properly through the Drive Select system. It was pretty steady when the driver was hoofing it through a corner, but lift off mid-corner and the tail began to move out. It was easily corrected however; just by re-applying the power the RS 5 Cabriolet straightened up nicely. It was all very civilised.

But note that qualification – setting up the car properly with the Drive Select system. The Comfort mode is likely the default setting for most owners of this car, which is odd, because the car's mechanicals demand a performance chassis to complement them. In the soft and cushy Comfort mode, however, that's not what they get. Yet this is a performance car, with a sporting demeanour... right?

Even at low speeds the RS 5 Cabriolet was reluctant to change direction when left in Comfort mode. Selecting the Dynamic setting for the suspension to compensate brought with it firmer ride, however. It was wearisome on inner suburban streets, which are often not as well maintained as they should be, let alone on a typical country road.

The Auto mode is probably the best compromise – as it should be – but if we lived on a billiard table the RS 5 Cabriolet would be left in Dynamic mode forever. That's because the Audi's character is about as different as can be in the change from Comfort to Dynamic. Suddenly there was more snarl from the engine, revs were held longer before changing up, the transmission shifted more aggressively, the steering became heavier and the suspension turned rock-hard. It was suddenly a much sportier offering.

The RS 5 Cabriolet was quiet at highway speeds – exceptionally so given its folding roof. At lower speeds occupants could discern the sound of grinding brake pads and the binding of the sports differential at lower speeds – both comforting noises, admittedly.

The fact the soft-top roof could be lowered on the move was a nicety – and at speeds significantly higher than the 18km/h that's the ceiling speed for BMW's new 4 Series Convertible to raise and lower its (steel) roof. Another advantage the RS 5 Cabriolet offered was the added boot space.

Rear-seat accommodation in the Audi was marginal; there was not a lot of knee room seated behind an average-sized adult, and the roof sat low too. The front seats didn't provide much room for toes and feet even, so it was a bit squeezy on all counts. But I did like the innovative dome lighting in the soft-top roof. I also appreciated the seatbelt holder that passed the seatbelt over the driver's shoulder, saving the effort of dislocating a shoulder to reach it. Unfortunately it wouldn't do that until the engine was started, so in effect the system was 'training' the driver to start the engine before fastening the seatbelt.

At the helm there was not much room for the accelerator pedal between brake and kick panel near the door. Those with big feet may find their right shoe dragging on the brake pedal when they go for the accelerator.

Despite its apparent lack of rigidity the RS 5 Cabriolet was well built, but it felt very heavy, which it is of course – rated at a kerb mass of 1920kg. The doors were long and hefty, and the boot lid required a bit of muscle to raise also.

Around town the RS 5 Cabriolet required more room to move than expected, with its large turning circle. And another pointer to the Audi feeling more at home on the open road was its fuel consumption. Granted, if you have $175,900 to spare for a new V8-engined convertible you're not going to sweat the two-digit fuel use figures. If you keep the RS 5 Cabriolet on the open road and drive gently, you might reasonably expect figures below 10.0L/100km. But a week in peak-hour commuting? It might be possible to sneak in under 19.0L/100km, as I did on one occasion.

All up, it was a week that left me with mixed feelings. The RS 5 Cabriolet has visual presence galore and it's packed full of the usual Audi features and fittings. But enthusiasts may find themselves forever mucking around with the Drive Select system to find the right balance of comfort and sporty dynamics for the changing road environment to truly enjoy the car. On the other hand, there will be drivers who like the sound and love the looks – or vice versa – without giving a proverbial about handling and roadholding. Those buyers can just leave it in Comfort mode and they'll be fine.


2014 Audi RS 5 Cabriolet pricing and specifications:

Price: $175,900 (including on-road costs)
Engine: 4.2-litre eight-cylinder petrol
Output: 331kW/430Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Fuel: 10.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 249g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

What we liked: Not so much:
>> Mean looks >> Scuttle shake
>> Creamy V8 power >> Ride quality in Sport mode
>> Cornering in Sport mode >> Cornering in Comfort mode
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Written byKen Gratton
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