2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet 2.0L TDI clean diesel CVT (190 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Audi introduced the refreshed version of the A5’s first generation in 2011 and unveiled it at the Frankfurt Motor Show, trying to increase its presence in its home market.

During the world financial crisis, some automakers went bankrupt, and others were sold for peanuts. However, Audi recovered quickly and adapted to the new environment. It also considered refreshing the A5 lineup four years after the model’s introduction. For the four-ring automaker, it was business as usual. Even though the open-top version of the A5 was in last place in the sales competition among its stablemates, it was essential for improving the image of the lineup. Furthermore, since it shared many parts with the Coupe and the Sportback, it just came naturally to be refreshed as well.

One of the areas where the German automaker focused more was at the front of the car. The 2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet came with new headlights. It featured new LED daytime running lights that encircled the inner side of the headlamps instead of being placed only on the lower area, like in the previous version. The broad grille between them was redesigned and featured horizontal slats with slim chromed details instead. Furthermore, the automaker introduced new rectangular fog lamps instead of round ones fitted for the 2009 model year.

From its profile, the drop-top version of the 2011 Audi A5 Cabriolet shared most of its body panels (fenders and doors) with its coupe sibling. The automaker also increased the car’s overall length by 10 mm (0.4-inch) due to the redesigned bumpers. In addition, the car was running on 18-inch light-alloy wheels with a new design, which improved the sporty look of the vehicle. There were also new options for the exterior colors, reaching a total number of 16. Another significant upgrade was for the taillights. They were available with new, continuous LED stripes, which improved the vehicle’s look. The rear bumper had a modified lower area, depending on the vehicle’s grade.

However, the interior was heavily revised and refined. Fronting the driver was a new instrument cluster. Instead of the binocular design, it had a simpler one, with clear round dials for the speedometer and tachometer featuring silver encirclements. The gauges for the fuel level and the temperature were smaller. Another upgrade was for the TFT display, which took center stage between the main dials. It had a sharper look and clear layout, which helped customers read data from the onboard computer quickly. A new, three-spoke steering wheel featuring a circular chromed trim in the middle replaced the one installed on the previous version, which had a trapezoidal-shaped decoration. On the center console, the automaker reduced the number of buttons, rearranging them for a cleaner, more intuitive use. Unfortunately, the most stringent problem related to the legroom for rear-seated passengers couldn’t be solved.

Under the hood, the 2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet was powered by new Euro 5 engines paired with either manual or automatic transmissions (dual-clutch or CVT). Like in the previous version, customers could order the vehicle with either front or all-wheel drive (quattro) systems.