When Porsche first announced its plan to produce an SUV, enthusiasts were horrified. Still, the German sports car manufacturer was right, and the Cayenne soared to the top of the company’s sales charts. Fast-forward to 2010, and witness the hue and cry over Porsche’s new Panamera. Four doors on a sports car? Indeed, and Porsche was right again, with the Panamera more than holding its own against its two-door brethren. Now, for 2011, the Panamera adds a new twist. 19,160 that those extras would have cost when the car was in my hands. 4,220 for its 20-inch sport wheels. Make no mistake: at 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, the V6 is worthy of its badge. It’s mated exclusively to a PDK transmission - Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe, if you want to impress your friends - a dual-clutch gearbox that clips up or down its seven speeds with lightning-fast precision. Paddle shifters for manual mode are provided on the three-spoke steering wheel.
Like the Cayenne, the Panamera includes an auto start-stop function, which shuts off the engine at idle such as at a traffic light. It’s similar to the way a hybrid operates, except that a heavy-duty starter gets the pistons moving again, rather than an electric motor as in a hybrid. There’s a jolting rumble when it starts again, but overall the system works well and can be turned off via a switch if you prefer spewing emissions when not needed. What I really like about the system is that when you’re in stop-and-go traffic, the engine will shut off, come on while you crawl forward a few car lengths, and then shut off once you grind to a halt again. Officially, the Panamera is rated at 12.9 L/100 km (22 mpg Imp) in the city and 8.3 (34) on the highway. In combined driving, and taking every opportunity to enjoy the car’s sporty nature, I averaged 12.6 (22). I did note one oddity about the engine, however, in what amounts to an electronic dipstick. A couple of days after receiving the car, its message centre displayed a warning that the oil level was low. After a thorough search of the engine failed to turn up any yellow handles, a trip into the owner’s manual revealed that you must depend on that message centre, since there’s no physical stick for checking the oil. Determining that a litre was enough involved driving the car for a short bit until the message centre gave the all-clear.
If the vehicle is equipped with a navigation system - and the MMI operator control that comes with it - a fourth engine map is provided, which the driver can program to suit. Audi drive select is only available in combination with one or more of three additional technologies - the differential, the adaptive shock absorber control, and dynamic steering. Its superposition gear varies the gear ratio by nearly 100 percent as a function of the driving speed. The dynamic steering operates directly in city traffic. In highway driving it uses a more indirect ratio. To maximize driving safety, it cooperates closely with the ESP stabilization program - at the handling limits it keeps the Audi A5 Cabriolet on course by lightning-fast small interactions. Further highlights are the two infotainment systems MMI navigation and MMI navigation plus - members of an entirely new equipment generation. Even the lesser model includes navigation imaging featuring 3D color graphics, a versatile reader for memory cards, and a DVD drive. Optionally available from Audi is a module for digital radio reception, a Bluetooth interface for the mobile phone, and an interface for full integration of the iPod.
The top version comes with exclusive technologies: an especially high-definition monitor, a big hard drive for music files and addresses, plus a special joystick function for the MMI control unit. With refinements such as a Bang & Olufsen sound system or a digital TV tuner, the MMI navigation plus can be turned into a high-end media center. The innovative assistant systems from the luxury class make driving in the Audi A5 Cabriolet even more supremely relaxed. Audi optionally equips its open-top four-seater with high-tech solutions including adaptive cruise control, Audi side assist and Audi lane assist. They control the distance from the vehicle in front and assist in staying in lane or in changing lanes. The luxury-class Audi parking system advanced uses a rearview camera to display the area behind the vehicle on the onboard monitor. The top-of-the-line model of the new Cabriolet production series from Audi is the S5 Cabriolet. The letter "S" stands for Sport - for dynamics, performance and power, but also for amazing efficiency. The Audi S5 Cabriolet's engine is a newly developed, supercharged, three-liter V6. Diverse design features contribute to a distinctively sporty styling, including modifications at the lower front and back panels, at the air intakes and at the tailpipes. In the interior, special seat upholstery, door sill trims and inlays in matt brushed aluminum underscore the high-quality, dynamic style of the high-end model. The pointers of the instruments are illuminated white to contrast with the gray scales.
