Audi S5 Cabriolet 2017 review
- Price From $119,111
What we like
- That killer engine
- Near-perfect interior
- Super strong technology offering
What we don't
- Slower than the hardtop version
- Doesn't look as good, either
- Tight for backseat riders
Cars are a lot like humans; they tend to operate better with their heads still attached.
If we've learned nothing else from Game of Thrones, it's that a beheading rarely improves someone's mood, and it’s a similar story with non-dedicated convertibles (so cars that aren't the MX-5, or anything like it). Chopping the roof off a car that was originally designed to have one has a negative impact on dynamics.
And when the car is one with a performance flavour, like Audi’s S5, that can be a deal-breaking issue.
Audi, of course, reckons its new S5Cabriolet is every bit as dynamic as its really very dynamic hardtop siblings (a Coupe and Sportback version have already arrived in Australia), having stripped weight and added plenty of structural reinforcement compared to the outgoing Cabriolet model.
It's still heavier than the roofed versions, though. And slower. So is that a worthy trade for the option of tanning your head?
Verdict
For us, this is a tough sell. Good, but not quite as good as the cheaper hardtop models, so you'd want to really like the wind in your hair to spring for the Cabriolet. If you do, though, you'll want for little in the S5, which packs a tech and safety punch that matches its performance. And you'll never tire of that engine.
Do convertibles tempt you, even when they're not as good as hard-roofed versions of the same car?
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Audi S5 Cabriolet 2017 review
What we like
- That killer engine
- Near-perfect interior
- Super strong technology offering
What we don't
- Slower than the hardtop version
- Doesn't look as good, either
- Tight for backseat riders
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