The All-New Audi A5 And S5 Cabriolets Are Here And Sportier Than Ever

Torsional rigidity is up, power is up, interior space is up.
Audi finally unveiled the all-new A5 and S5 over summer, and now that winter is right around the corner the German automaker has decided to reveal the new A5 and S5 Cabriolets. The two droptops are more or less identical to the hardtops on which they are based, which is a good or bad thing depending on your opinion regarding Audi’s design changes (or lack thereof). For the record, we like the look of the new A5/S5. As such the new A5/S5 Cabriolet also gets our coveted nod of approval.
Like the hardtops, the Cabriolets are longer than the models that came before them, with overall length up 1.8 inches. Interior space has been increased, with the wheelbase gaining half an inch. Shoulder room in the rear is up by more than an inch and knee room has been increased by 0.71 inches. Usually bigger isn’t better when it comes to new models, but with convertibles you obviously want to add all the interior space you can. However, the larger size of the A5 and S5 Cabriolets shouldn’t hurt drivability. Audi says torsional rigidity is up 40% over the outgoing models and claims a weight cut of 88 pounds. There’s a new five-link suspension on the front axle and adaptive dampers are also available.
Engines on offer in Europe include a few diesel power plants, but in the US it's almost a lock that we'll miss those. The A5 Cabriolet will feature a 2.0-liter turbo-four making 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. The S5 Cabriolet will have a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 rated at 354 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are found in the A5/S5 hardtop. The A5 will be available with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive in Europe, with no word yet on whether the FWD model will make it stateside. The S5 will be Quattro-only. Both models will be mated to an eight-speed automatic. No word on whether a manual will be an option. The S5 Cabriolet does 0-62 mph in 5.1 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
Inside the new A5/S5 Cabriolets get a cool new(ish) bit of tech: seat belt microphones! The mics are designed to make giving voice commands easier when the top is dropped. There’s also an 8.3-inch infotainment screen and buyers can spec a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. Audi’s full suite of driver aides, including its Virtual Cockpit, are present and accounted for. Both models will be on sale in Europe by spring 2017 with a release stateside following shortly thereafter. Autoblog reached out to Audi and learned that the automaker would not be bringing the new A5 and S5 Cabriolets to the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.