We're now well into the season in Michigan where no one fights for the keys to a convertible. This S5 Cabriolet, however, is a soft-top I wouldn't mind driving through the chilly months. Beyond the obvious advantage of all-wheel drive, the Audi has one of the quietest top-up rides I've ever experienced. Climb in, flip on the seat heaters (not so easy to do with Audi's frustratingly complex HVAC controls) and you'll soon forget the roof isn't made of steel.
That also applies to the way it drives. Mash the pedal, and the all-wheel-drive system and 7-speed dual clutch automatic take care of the rest, hurtling you to 60 mph and beyond with a pleasant blat accompanying each upshift. The only fly in Audi's dynamic punchbowl is the variable-effort steering, which reminds me how terrible it is every time I drive through our parking garage and experience the disconcerting and slightly dangerous build up in effort half way through a turn.
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