2010 Audi Cabriolet goes bold

When the 2010 Audi S5 Cabriolet arrived this summer, it did so with little fanfare. It acted as if it had always been around and everything was completely ordinary.

However, this particular convertible is anything but ordinary. In a move by Audi AG, the new convertible was designed to line up the brand's coupes with its convertibles. Good bye A4 Cabriolet, hello S5 drop top.

No longer will Audi's entry convertible be based on the timid A4 styling -- it gets to take on the looks of the sharply refined A5. It's the difference between looking like George Clooney and me.

There's a standoffish coolness about this car that hints at its abilities that other drivers tend to underestimate. Its unassuming angular good looks help define the S5. Many of the other European convertible coupes have gone to hard tops while the Audi decided to use a high-tech cloth top that can fold up in under 20 seconds while the car is driving up to 30 mph. The S5 convertible meshes the past and the future, it's part Ph.D. and part old school. The S5 doesn't hide the fact its top can come down, it celebrates it.

The big grille and open intakes below the bumper aren't just there to look mean, they're there to force more air into the supercharged V-6 that will eat the competition's lunch as if they were a couple of sliders on a Friday night.

That little red S isn't just a decoration to sparkle on the door sill and steering wheel. It's Audi's equivalent of an 82nd Airborne Division patch on a soldier's right sleeve -- combat proven. It doesn't take prisoners.

The S5 convertible uses a new supercharged 3-liter V-6 that courses 333 horsepower through its veins and 325 pound-feet of torque through both axles with Audi's Quattro drive. The newest Quattro drive system allows Audi to favor the rear axle in a 60/40 power split that helps the S5 maintain its race car-like handling. This system also allows the car to manage the power from wheel to wheel in each axle and its self-locking differential can send power to whichever axle has the most traction.

The seven-speed dual clutch glides through gears effortlessly and responds to the driver's wants and needs. It can change gears in two-tenths of a second. Drive aggressively, and it will keep each gear longer, winding out the revs with mechanical precision. There is no hunting for the next gear or a hesitation between them. The S5's tranny reacts almost before you knew what you were going to do.

With an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph, the S5 feels like it could get there in a matter of seconds. (Audi claims the S5 has a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds.) More importantly, it's the balanced attack that the S5 provides that makes this car so much fun.

What all this technology means for the driver is you can rip through corners. The car feels perfectly balanced whether going 1 mph or 100. Body roll is minimal through big turns, acceleration is quick and the steering provides excellent feedback.

But you almost expect that from an Audi S. Another reason to like the S5 is how you look in it. The luxury side of S5 was just as impressive as its performance pedigree.

Even the daytime LED lights that glow along the edge of the headlamps send chills down my spine. Audi is the only carmaker that takes full advantage of its lights, creating an identity even during the daytime that makes people look twice.

The sharp corners and edges on the exterior provide a sophisticated look that the driver-eccentric interior also provides. Too often, a good-looking exterior leaves drivers disappointed when they get inside the vehicle; however, Audi continues to provide some of the best overall interiors around.

The leather seats pull you into place and allow you to stretch the limits of the car. Performance truly starts with the seats -- your car could have 5,000 horsepower, but if the seat doesn't hold you, you'll never know what that horsepower can do.

Every needle and dial point directly toward the driver. Its next-generation Multi Media Interface system, known as MMI, uses a dial on the center console to operate many of the car's controls and has clean graphics on its 7-inch screen. It's easy to use and once you get the hang of it, it feels natural.

Audi has added a few luxury features that really make this car feel special. They include the head-level heater, which is built into the seat and blows warm air down your neck. This also means you can drive with the top down when it's colder -- extending the time you can use a convertible.

Really, the best times to drive a convertible is when the weather a little cooler. Hot summer days can scorch you.

There are all of the features you'd expect as well -- for example, blind spot detection, which seems a little over the top with a convertible, but nonetheless is very nice.

With the top up, the S5 convertible is still fun to drive and you don't realize it's a convertible. The ride is extremely quiet with the top up, and the wind noise is bearable with it down. (It's quiet enough that when I tested the Bluetooth connectivity for the phone, I was able to talk without any problems.)

The back seat, however, is extremely cramped. Adults won't want to ride back there, and children will be just as uncomfortable. The hardest part is climbing into the back. It's easy to step in, but there's no room to get comfortable, and I could never find the 31 inches of legroom Audi says is back there.

But the S5 is a driver's car, not a passenger's vehicle.

Its high-tech features will make you feel ready for LeMans, and its luxurious exterior and interior will get you noticed wherever you go.

While the S5 convertible is an all-new vehicle in Audi's lineup, really, it's the same as it ever was, only better.

sburgess@detnews.com">sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217