2009 Audi A5 Cabriolet 1.8L TFSI CVT (170 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Two years after introducing the A5’s first generation, Audi unveiled the open-top version of its compact premium coupe, increasing the appeal of this nameplate among its customers and attracting new ones.

Audi didn’t rush the A5 Cabriolet into production because it needed time to develop a car that could successfully stand next to other premium open-top vehicles. It needed a rag-top that could disappear while moving and do that in a timely manner. Moreover, Walter de Silva, who was in charge of Audi’s design department, didn’t want to spoil the look of “the most beautiful car I have ever designed,” as he said about the 2007 A5 Coupe. The difficult task was to make the convertible look just as good with the top up or down and still provide the rest of the comfort and the driving experience customers expected from the car.

At the front, the 2009 Audi A5 Cabriolet shared its parts with its coupe sibling. It featured a large, reversed trapezoidal grille flanked by the standard xenon headlamps, which featured LED daytime running lights. On the lower side of the bumper, the car sported a pair of side scoops that housed the available fog lamps, while a lip spoiler underneath the apron completed the vehicle’s sporty yet elegant look.

From its profile, the car revealed its open-top design with thick A-pillars that also served as rollover protection. The doors were also carried over from the coupe, featuring frameless windows and flush door handles. To make the car look more agile, the automaker added a sculptured, curved ascending line on the lower side of the bodywork. The 2009 Audi A5 Cabriolet had no visible safety arches behind the A-pillars. These were concealed behind the rear seats and could pop out in the event of a crash. Customers could uncover the car in 15 seconds and cover it back in 17 seconds while driving at speeds of up to 50 kph (31 mph), so they didn’t have to worry if rain came out of the blue sky. Furthermore, the automaker used a three-layered fabric roof instead of a retractable hard top because it took less space to store it between the rear seats and the trunk. Audi wanted to keep the vehicle practical enough for its customers.

The interior had bolstered seats at the front with available leather upholstery and a bench seat profiled for two in the back. Fronting the driver was the same instrument cluster as on the coupe version, featuring large dials for the speedometer and tachometer that flanked an LCD for the car’s onboard computer. Atop the center stack, the automaker placed the screen for Audi’s MMI (Man-Machine Interface), or the infotainment system in layman’s terms. It could be controlled via a rotary knob placed on the center console, close to the button that opened or closed the roof. In the back, legroom was even more limited than in the A5 Coupe, which made it impractical for adult-sized occupants. However, the trunk space was generous with its 320 liters (11.3 cu-ft) with the top down, which was remarkable for its class. With the top up, luggage space increased by 60 liters (2.1 cu-ft).

When it chopped the roof of the A5, Audi had to add more steel on the car’s lower part to make it stiffer. As a result, despite the multi-link front and rear suspension, the 2009 Audi A5 Cabriolet was slightly slower than its coupe sibling on high-speed cornering. However, the potent engines, either diesel or gasoline ones, helped the vehicle’s dynamic behavior, but it didn’t transform it into a sports car. It was more of a boulevard cruiser.