2011 Audi S5

Taking a great looking performance car and chopping off its roof is risky business – compromises are inevitable. It's a treacherous path, as both flaccid body control and weight are the mortal enemy of performance.

You can understand our trepidation, then, upon learning that Audi was planning on introducing its S5 Cabriolet at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

Audi’s standard Quattro all-wheel drive system delivers the power to the front and rear wheels by a 40 to 60 percent ratio. Ever-vigilant to road conditions, Quattro continually distributes power where it is needed with no tire spinning, even in wet conditions.

The beautiful, plush Audi interior almost belies the feeling that this car is meant to be driven hard. The rear seat also reclines for more cargo space.

The data shown is selected by the driver via the steering wheel controls. Gearing suggestions are displayed when a better gear is available. Other comforts include three-zone climate control, power front seats, telescoping steering column, shaded glass roof, AM/FM/CD/satellite/SD-card 180-watt 10-speaker stereo, fog lamps, 18-inch wheels, heated windshield washers, and rain-sensing wipers.

A grand touring coupe or convertible should engage the senses and inspire the imagination.
The 2011 Audi S5 is available in coupe and soft-top convertible (Cabriolet) body styles. Both feature Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels.

The Premium Plus comes standard with 19-inch cast-aluminum wheels, performance tires, automatic xenon headlights, LED running lights, foglights, automatic wipers, heated eight-way power front seats with adjustable lumbar and driver thigh support extension, leather upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, tri-zone automatic climate control, a split-folding rear seat, an auto-dimming mirror, Bluetooth, the dash-mounted Multi Media Interface (MMI), a CD player, satellite radio and an iPod interface.

The Navigation package adds a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, center-console-mounted MMI controls, a navigation system, voice controls, real-time traffic and HD radio.

The Prestige can be equipped with optional adaptive cruise control, a blind-spot warning system, a power rear sunshade (coupe) and the Audi Drive Select package, which includes a sport rear differential and driver-selectable settings for an adjustable suspension, throttle, transmission and steering.

The coupe can be equipped with a Sports Rear Differential package, which is basically the Audi Drive Select package without the suspension and steering adjustments. The convertible can be equipped with the Comfort package, which adds a neck-level heating system, ventilated front seats, adjustable front seat lumbar and upgraded leather upholstery.

The 2011 Audi S5 coupe and convertible feature completely different engines.
The Audi S5 coupe gets a 4.2-liter V8 that produces 354 hp and 325 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard and a six-speed automatic with manual control is optional. In performance testing, a manual-equipped S5 coupe went from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. A seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission is standard. Estimated fuel economy is 17/26/20 mpg.

The "2011 Audi S5" comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, and front seat side airbags. The coupe has standard side curtain airbags and the convertible features pop-up roll bars.

The rear seatback folds down in both the coupe and convertible to accommodate larger cargo items, a welcome convenience in a high-buck performance car.

The 2011 Audi S5 is a sharp-handling car, with tenacious AWD traction and little body roll to speak of. The S5's standard speed-sensitive power steering system, on the other hand, feels artificially light at parking-lot speeds and too heavy on the highway. The Cabriolet's supercharged 3.0-liter V6 is smooth and strong, and its automated dual-clutch manual works superbly.