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Monte Carlo, Monaco - Spring is just around the corner. It’s the south of France. This must be a convertible launch…
In its bid to become the world’s largest maker of premium automobiles, Audi has shown the motoring press the latest arrows in its burgeoning quiver: the four-seat 2010 A5 and hotter S5 Cabriolet.
Arriving in Canada in the late summer of 2009, both with Quattro all-wheel drive, these models will fill the void created by the departing, previous-generation A4 drop-top. No Canadian pricing has been set, but rest assured, Audi wants to lure buyers away from the BMW 328i Cabriolet ($55,600) and the 335i Cabriolet ($65,600).
The A5 Coupe, on which this convertible is based, was a breakout car for Audi in 2008. It wasn’t just its lovely proportions, but also because it was the first mainstream Audi to feature the now-signature LED headlight “mascara,” and a revised platform with the front wheels pushed forward and a repositioned differential for better weight distribution.
Audi is using a three-layer fabric top for this cabrio, unlike BMW and Mercedes, which embrace folding tin-top hardware, save for the 1 Series’ soft roof. While retractable hardtops generally provide better isolation when fixed, soft tops offer the benefits of reduced complexity, weight and volume, allowing for more trunk space and avoiding the sometimes awkward rear proportioning necessary to pack away all that metal — Ferrari California and VW Eos, please stand up.
Full Story: Canadian Driver - First Drive: 2010 Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet
One of the best looking cars in production today.
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