Audi A5 Cabriolet 3.0 TDI quattro S tronic 2012 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory & delivery charges): $108,800
Options fitted to test car (not included in above price): Metallic paint $1695; Audi drive select with adaptive dampers and sports differential $5000; Sports steering wheel with flattened bottom $350; Bang & Olufsen sound system $1600; Inlays in walnut dark brown NCO.
Crash rating: N/A
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 5.9L/100km
CO2 emissions (g/km): 154g CO2/km
Also consider: BMW 330d (from $110,700); Lexus IS250C Sports Luxury (from $94,300); Mercedes-Benz E250 CDI ($110,435); Porsche Boxster (from $107,000)

Do diesel engines work in sporting cars? It’s a question worth pondering while driving Audi’s freshly updated A5 Cabrio 3.0 TDI quattro.

Where a direct injection multi-valve petrol engine would be variably valve timing its way towards 7000rpm and petrol-head paradise, the A5’s 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel prefers working its substantial 500Nm in the 2000 to 4000rpm zone.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, you’d almost assuredly get where you are going just as quickly – and more efficiently – in the diesel.

It’s an emotional connection that’s missing rather than any technical issue. And at $108,800 emotion does play a role in a new-car purchase.

That’s how much you will pay (excluding on-roads) for Audi’s freshly updated 3.0-litre turbo-diesel all-wheel drive, seven-speed dual-clutch, four-seat, cloth-top A5.

It’s about $13,000 more than the Coupe and Sportback versions, or around $4000 less than the new 3.0-litre supercharged petrol V6 also to be found under the Cabrio’s bonnet.

For that money you get a slight re-do of the beautiful exterior; the headlights now peel back alongside a flatter, creased bonnet, there are new LEDs and a revised bumper. The interior has gained some new switchgear and a slight clean-up of the dashboard and MMI controller.

But jumping from old to new is no shock. Which is fine, because Audi interiors use quality materials and are assembled precisely. Equipment in this car includes three-zone climate, Xenon headlights, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth audio streaming, sat-nav, leather trim and power seats.

Mind you, drivers will be annoyed by the limited rear vision when reversing with the roof on and those with big feet by the way the brake pedal impinges on the throttle pedal. Long-legged rear seat passengers will be cramped, too.

They also miss out the protection of rear-seat airbags, there’s only a temporary spare tyre and – of course – there are plenty of options; like the nicely sculpted flat-bottomed steering wheel our test car was fitted with and drive select, which allows adjustments of steering, throttle, transmission shift points and suspension through various modes, including the newly added – and rather deadening – ‘Economy’ mode.

It should be noted our test car came fitted with the unusual combination of drive select, active dampers and sports differential for $5000. For similar money ($4800 ) you can get you can get dynamic steering and all of the above, minus active dampers.

Our test car came with the new standard electro-mechanical steering system that’s trickled down from the A6. It is claimed to save 0.3L/100km compared to the electro-hydraulic system it replaces.

Idle stop-start is also now standard on all A5s and Audi says its drivetrain work adds up to average overall fuel savings of 11 per cent across the engine range.

In this flagship diesel, the combined fuel consumption claim drops from 6.7L/100km to 5.9L/100km. In the real world we saw 8.5L/100km, which is still decent. Meanwhile, power rises four kilowatts to 180kW while torque is unchanged. The only transmission choice is a seven speed dual-clutch S tronic, driving all four wheels via permanent quattro all-wheel drive.

Despite the roof being shorn off and a profusion of aluminium components and panels, the 3.0 TDI weighs in at a hefty 1845kg. All-wheel drive, roof mechanisms and body reinforcements all add weight.

It means the A5 Cabrio had a certain lack of litheness in the way it progressed down the road. Oh it hunkered down and gripped. But rush into a tight corner and you could feel quattro combating understeer by shifting drive forward.

It’s predictable and solid rather than involving, in the same way the engine is immensely capable yet devoid of real urgency. All those Newtons do mean overtaking and hill climbing are a doddle though. It all equates to a comforting cruiser rather than something sporting.

The new steering system supported that classification. It tended toward finger tip lightness at walking pace but gluggy heaviness once up and rolling. The ride impressed far more; dealing with badly chopped up roads firmly but well. Only the biggest, sharpest potholes created an issue on 18-inch wheels. Dynamic mode tended to be a bit harsh.

The S tronic gearbox was also well tuned. Quite surreptitious in its automatic shifting in normal mode, it was aggressive in Sport and then immensely controllable when being operated manually by the paddles or lever. In stop-start it behaved excellently. Just once or twice on quick transitions allied with tip-in throttle did it hesitate. Maybe there was a suggestion of lag as well, but it was a very rare occurrence. The only other real drivetrain annoyance was the way idle stop-start rattled somewhat obtrusively into action.

Drop the top, a process that takes 15 seconds (17 secs to close) at up to 50km/h, and the A5’s cabin remained reasonably placid with windows up (but without the wind blocker in-place). The top of the head was pretty much untouched, but there were drafts around the arms. There was little sense of body weakness, apart from frameless windows shaking on bumps. Top in-place the A5 Cabrio was a quiet place to be. Boot capacity was an acceptable 320 litres with the roof down, 380 litres with it up. It grew to 750 litres with the rear seat folded.

This A5 Cabrio was, in the end, an almost entirely pleasant experience, as Audis often tend to be. But while this is a very competent technical execution, and one that’s attractive to behold, it is not that exciting or emotionally involving to drive. And for some of us that still counts.

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