   2014 Audi RS 5 Cabriolet. Click image to enlarge |
In truth, you don’t need a closed course or an open mountain pass to enjoy the greatest pleasure of this convertible. If there is one reason to buy this vehicle, it is the direct access to the sound of Audi’s 4.2L V8 in the upper reaches of the tach. Pop it over into manual mode in the S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission, or just start whacking at the paddles, and keep it in second for as long as your cardiologist will permit. While this dual clutch transmission still has some low-speed hiccups, its plenty fast in aggressive driving, but smooth and efficient in more relaxed driving. This is the only transmission available with either RS 5 coupe or convertible. A shame, because Audi’s manual transmission in the S4 is spectacular.
Anyhow, a requirement with this car is to find a tunnel, an underpass, or just a rock cut with tight walls, and drop a couple gears to hear this masterpiece unleash its silken fury. It feels ever so controlled and yet frantic and eager, with none of the coarseness of the big ‘Murican V8s, or the wheeze of some of the twin turbos (not that I have anything against twin-turbo V8s…). The horsepower just keeps climbing and climbing to its peak of 450 just north of 8,000 rpm.
After our first stint we dropped the soft convertible top in order to revel in the symphony that this V8 orchestrates. It was also apparent that despite being a cloth top, it did a remarkable job of insulating out the sounds of wind and other vehicles and road noise. The Brenner Pass cuts south into Italy, and a series of tunnels cutting through a split in the mountains with fast flat curves were ideal to show off the RS 5’s handling and fluidity, the engine echoing off tunnel walls and the traction powering us through the tight turns. It was over all too quickly before shooting us out into a countryside reminiscent of The Sound of Music (even if we might have crossed over into Italy at this point – I think the cows still had bells).
But back to that engine, whose torque output might seem disappointing on paper at 317 lb-ft from 4,000 to 6,000 rpm, especially when listed at 2,040 kg (that’s almost 4,500 lb). It’s not. While you wouldn’t tow a team of Clydesdales with it, it gets up steep and challenging grades even at altitude without any concern.
   2014 Audi RS 5 Cabriolet. Click image to enlarge |
What did concern us in the RS 5 was structural rigidity. Not in an “OMG, this car is a death trap!” way, but moreso in a “holy cow bells, does this thing ever flex and shake a lot.” While not as noticeable with the roof up, with the top down the coupe origins of the RS 5 were on display, challenged by a discernible amount of chassis flex and cowl shake, and limits to the normally impressive range of Audi’s sporty handling and normally compliant yet firm ride. Even with the Drive Select adaptive suspension dialed down to comfort, there were still some jarring aftereffects on the few rough stretches of road we encountered, and in dynamic mode, every imperfection was evident in the cabin, and rough patches seemed to affect the body more than I’d expect.
Drive Select also allows you to dial the aggression of the engine, transmission and steering calibration, although the steering never seems to offer quite enough heft on centre for these tight changes of direction. In corner, the steering firms up though and allows well sorted control and an excellent feel, although there were some occasions when the Adaptive Steering seemed to have a mind of its own – above all we can live with the weight, but wanted greater consistency in the way the steering adds resistance in order to find that sweet spot with the car.
