Diesel tops A5 soft-top offer. S5 to follow

Audi's A5 Cabriolet range will arrive Down Under in the third quarter of 2009 with a 500Nm 3.0-litre turbodiesel variant the likely performance range-topper.

The new soft-topped Audi is based on the latest generation B8 A4 platform and shares much of its styling with the A5 coupe already on sale in Australia. Launched in Europe this week, the A5/S5 range replaces the venerable A4 Cabriolet, delivering a more stylish and upmarket look, while improving on the outgoing generation's commodious and practical four-seater layout.

The A5 eschews the latest folding hardtop trend to feature a "Classic" electrically operated folding 'soft' roof that Audi says is the quickest in its class. Able to be opened or closed at speeds of up to 50km/h, the company says it takes just 15sec to open the roof, with buttoning it up taking just 2sec longer.

Practicality is boosted by a proper 50:50 splitfold rear seat with load through function that can be used whether the roof is up or down. Audi claims the car has the largest luggage capacity and load area in its class.

The A5/S5 Cabriolet models feature significant structural changes including "an array of additional reinforcement sections (windshield frame and front band rear side skirt sections)". Rollover protection is provided by the reinforced windshield frame (that also features a smart high gloss alloy finish) and spring-actuated aluminum rollover bars that deploy behind the rear headrest when required.

A full range of Audi's dynamic and safety systems will be available across the model range including features such as Audi Drive Select, Adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and the like.

The A5/S5 range will also offer Audi's new quattro sport rear differential (optional on most models). The quattro sport diff operates in a similar manner to BMW's Dynamic Performance Control (DPC) differential and similar systems featured on Mitsubishi's Lancer Evo models, Honda's Legend and others. In effect, it transfers torque to the appropriate rear wheel to provide optimal traction and temper over and understeer.

Three model variants of the A5 Cabriolet will come to Australia, plus the supercharged V6 petrol S5 Cabriolet, that should arrive locally in time for Christmas. All Australian A5/S5 models will be equipped with Audi's S tronic dual-clutch automated manual gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive as standard.

The volume seller of the local A5 line-up is expected to be the four-cylinder turbocharged petrol 2.0 TFSI. Says Audi Australia, it will account for up to one in every two A5 cabs sold. This trend is nothing new -- since the launch of the outgoing B7 A4 Cabriolet in Oz in 2002, the equivalent A4 model (the 1.8 TFSI Cabriolet) has accounted for around 60 per cent of the range's volume.

In its latest guise, the A5 Cabriolet 2.0 TFSI pumps out 155kW/350Nm and features Audi's new seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch box.

Standard specification and pricing will be announced closer to the car's local launch. Expect the 'soft-top' inventory to echo the equivalent A5 hardtop model, says local Audi planners. Xenon headlamps and LED daytime running lights and rear lamps will be standard.

The top petrol-engined A5 will be the direct-injected 3.2 FSI V6 rated at 195kW and 330Nm.

But it's the 176kW/500Nm 3.0 TDI turbodiesel A5 Cabriolet that should prove the real world performance benchmark of the range. Indeed, Audi insiders suggest the in-gear performance of the muscular dual-clutch diesel will approach the levels of the new 3.0 TFSI supercharged V6 direct-injected petrol engine set to feature in the new S4 sports sedan as well as the new S5 Cabriolet.

The added advantage in pricing terms is that the A5 Cabriolet 3.0 TDI will likely return a fuel consumption figure of less than 7.0L/100km, thus delivering Luxury Car Tax discounts to boot.

Look out for more on the new A5/S5 Cabriolet range plus our international launch review in the coming days.