Audi RS5 Cabriolet 4.2 FSI quattro S tronic 2dr Car Review - May 2013

The Audi RS5 Cabriolet 4.2 FSI quattro S tronic boasts a premium interior which, unlike some Cabriolets, is excellently insulated from outside noise with the electrically-operated three-layered fabric hood in place. The car is equally impressive under the bonnet, with a 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine producing 444 bhp and 317 lb-ft of torque between 4000 and 6000 rpm. With the purposeful 7-speed S Tronic automatic gearbox, this gives the car a 0-62 mph of 4.9 seconds, and a top speed of 155 mph. The 4-wheel drive RS5 Cabriolet has plenty of set up options, but in all the steering is tight and responsive, and the ride is balanced. The RS5 is quite a weighty car, but the brakes are equipped to deal well with this burden in most situations, and car is quite well-behaved under braking.

The RS5 Cabriolet not only performs well, but it looks the part too. With larger bumpers and wider wheel arches helping to accentuate that poised stance, the RS5 Cabriolet is bulkier than the Coupe on which it is based, but still retains the clean and handsome looks of its sibling. The equipment level is good too, with the standard inclusion of power steering, central locking, stability control, alloy wheels, climate control, electric door mirrors, electric front and rear windows, electric hood, cruise control, rear parking sensor, leather seats, driver airbag, passenger airbag, front side airbag, alarm, immobiliser, CD player, bluetooth, MP3 connectivity, and satellite navigation. That level compares well with the BMW M3 Convertible, for example.

The Audi RS5 Cabriolet’s well-appointed and solidly-built interior there is room aplenty for four fully-grown adults, with supportive and comfortable seats for even long journeys. Boot capacity is 380 litres with the seats raised, but once the standard fit split-folding rear seats are lowered this grows to 750 litres. These figures beat those found in the BMW M3 Convertible. The full compliment of airbags are reassuring feature, and the RS5 boasts other driver safety aid such as stability control. The RS5 Cabriolet also gets a 3-year, 60,000-mile manufacturers warranty as standard, and also comes as standard with Audi’s hard-earned reputation for engineering and build quality.

With a price tag of £68,985, the Audi RS5 Cabriolet is just over £7,000 more expensive than its BMW M3 rival. However, with a combined fuel economy return of 26.4 mpg, the Audi just shades it in terms of running costs, and also falls into a lower Road Tax Band thanks to its lower, but still considerable, 249g/km of CO emissions. It is more practical too, with a substantially larger boot. The rear-drive BMW may have the edge when it comes to driver involvement, the Audi is a much more polished all-round performer. These factors will see it perform strongly on the resale market, so that extra initial investment may still prove to be a wise one.