2013 Audi RS5 Cabriolet review

All in all, the RS5 Cabrio is for RS-line enthusiasts; we love it, but there are smarter buys out there

I'm surprised to find I have mixed feelings about this 2013 Audi RS5 Cabriolet, as I've always admired both the A5 and especially the S5. The coupe version's muscular exterior is one of my favorites compared to other sports coupes and sedans, and the S5 in particular is notably fun to drive.

Step up to the RS tuned by Audi's in-house Quattro GmbH performance freaks and, not having driven an S5 in quite some time, the 4.2-liter normally aspirated V8 engine stands out immediately as the star of this show. It cranks out 117 additional horsepower compared to the S model, though torque drops by 8 lb-ft.

Throttle response is excellent and the V8 spins from idle past 4,000 rpm almost immediately, and it pulls quick and consistent all the way to peak power -- which comes on at a keep-your-foot-in-it 8,250 rpm -- and to fuel-cutout at 8,500 rpm. The high-revving nature shatters any historical expectations of what type of performance you'll experience when you crack the throttle; compare these revs to the S5, which makes peak power at a relatively pedestrian 5,500 rpm and peak torque at 2,900 rpm. That second number, however, reveals a good amount about this engine's nature: it is not a torquey V8 whatsoever, and it wants to live reasonably high in its rev range.

Personally, I enjoy this trait. Set the RS5 to “dynamic” mode, which includes activating the optional sport exhaust, roll hard into the throttle and your reward is aggressive forward progress accompanied by a very nice Germanic race-like exhaust note. The revised seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox responds quickly to upshift and downshift commands, and the obligatory rev-matched downshifts are executed sharply and with loud barks from the exhaust, though clicking the left-handle shift paddle all the way down to first gear causes a jolt occasionally. It's a shame Audi didn't have this engine and gearbox package developed when it launched the V8-powered R8, as frankly I prefer driving this RS5 to that should-have-been supercar. Note to Audi: Please offer larger, taller shift paddles, though; these ones just don't feel like they are placed correctly and lack any sort satisfaction in terms of their feel when you click off a gearchange. But damn, this V8 would be at home under the hood of an Italian performance car.

The RS5 doesn't come with adjustable shocks, but Quattro revised the settings for 2013 model year cars to eliminate some of the old setup's harshness, and it appears to have done a good job. Even in the cabriolet version on Detroit's suspect roads, I had no complaints about the ride quality. However, I was surprised to find a good deal of flex and shakiness through the chassis on the roads and bumps I encountered, top up or down -- and you don't have to aim for giant potholes to expose this flaw, either. The wobbliness is evident reasonably soon after you first take the wheel and once you stop concentrating on the engine's performance and sounds. I noticed this trait immediately once I started paying more attention to the rest of the car, and it is unacceptable for any luxury vehicle in this price range and really detracts from its performance-car mission. It also has a large negative impact on your perceived sense of luxury and build quality.

The interior is typical Audi quality and refinement, although not that much different than the S5

Other than that, the RS5 corners reasonably flat for a car weighing more than 4,000 pounds, and the electronic power steering is accurate with good weight to it. I prefer to leave Audi's steering also set to “dynamic,” however, which locks in the ratio rather than varying it based on speed and steering angle.

Turn off the electronic babysitters and it's easy to rotate the car and bring the rear end around under power, though ultimately the RS5's underlying balance still pushes toward understeer as expected -- but not to a maddening degree thanks to a torque-vectoring rear diff, and the ability to send up to 85 percent of the power to the rear wheels.

So why mixed feelings? Other than the chassis flex, this car -- perhaps it is just this specific example -- simply lacks something, an overall badass-ness to it. Perhaps part of it is that with the cabriolet, the 5 loses that unique silhouette I like and more resembles a high-powered bathtub than a corner-shredding ass kicker. Likewise, the interior is typical top-notch Audi fare but no more racy than your “run of the mill” S5. Part of me hates to say all this because such a car should be all about driving, and this one is very good at that, but unless you just can't live without the ability to drop the top, I'd go with the RS5 coupe and save $8,000. Then I'd take that money and use it on some trim pieces and different wheels to make its appearance as menacing as its performance.

Or maybe I'd just buy a BMW M3…


DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Mac sums up my thoughts on the RS5 Cabriolet pretty well: This car is a phenomenal performer, and if you prefer your horsepower to be made above 6,000 rpm, the RS V8 could be the best thing this side of your local Ferrari vendor. But there's an ingredient missing somewhere.

For me, the issues were twofold: Unless I'm on a track -- scratch that, even if I'm on a track -- I like more low-end grunt from my cars. The RS5 feels relatively pedestrian until you're over 5,000 rpm, and the oh-my-god event-horizon gravity blur doesn't kick in until the revs are over 6,000. Mac prefers the M3; if we're talking V8 German barnstormers, I'll take a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. You say tomato, I say to-mah-to.

Additionally, some of the mechanical directness I love in the stick-shift S5 is lost in the RS translation. Sure, there's more power, and the exhaust note is exquisite, but I like the engagement offered by the blown V6/manual combo of the S5 better.

The other issue was the top-down chassis flex of the RS5 Cabrio. There were never any squeaks or rattles, but there was a palpable torsional twist over surfaces that haven't fazed other convertibles I've driven lately, and the lack of rigidity was surprising. Granted, less bracing equals less weight, but I have to assume handling is compromised with the amount of twist I felt behind the wheel (though perhaps made up via electronic controls).

A 4.2-liter V8 delivers 450 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual trans

So who'd buy the RS5 Cabrio? The true performance hound towards whom the RS line is aimed is going to choose a coupe. The SoCal trophy wife who wants a bright red convertible isn't going to tickle the 8,250 rpm redline, and would probably prefer the driving dynamics of an A5 or S5 Cabriolet. I guess I don't fully understand why Audi's building the RS5 Cabriolet at all.

With that said, I'm glad they are.


2013 Audi RS5 Cabriolet

Base Price: $77,900

As-Tested Price: $88,720

Drivetrain: 4.2-liter V8; AWD, seven-speed dual-clutch sequential manual

Output: 450 hp @ 8,250 rpm, 317 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm

Curb Weight: 4,045 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 16/22/18 mpg

AW Observed Fuel Economy: 16.4 mpg

Options: Audi MMI navigation package including CD/DVD-player w/HD radio, MMI navigation plus, Audi parking system plus, rearview camera, Audi connect online services, Bluetooth streaming audio ($3,450); Driver Assist package including Audi adaptive cruise control, Audi dynamic steering, Audi side assist ($3,250); 20-inch aluminum wheel nine-spoke ($1,000); sport exhaust system with black finishers ($1,000); matte aluminum-optic package ($750); Misano red pearl effect paint, black roof ($475)