According to InsideLine the A5 Cabriolet will arrive spring 2009 as a 2008 model, which is old news already. A quick look at the holy grail of leaked documents, Audi rollout schedule by 2012, somewhat confirms this. Additionally, the A5/S5 Cabriolet is expected to make it's public debut at Paris this September and the vehicle will be produced by long time VW Group convertible manufacturer, Karmann. The A5 and S5 cabriolets will receive a folding soft top similar to the tops in use for the A3 Cabriolet while powertrain options remain the same including the 4.2 liter V8 in the S5 coupe. It seems InsideLine may have forced the story to showcase the rendering of the S5 with it's roof chopped off, however, we are glad they did, because its pretty sweet nonetheless.

Audi S5

The Audi S5 coupe will keep its 4.2-liter V8 for now, but starting in September 2010 the bi-turbo 3.0-liter TFSI V6 as seen in the S4 will replace it. Despite the horsepower reduction from the V8's 260kW (354hp) versus the V6's 245kW (333hp), it's possible the weight savings as well as lower center of gravity of the smaller engine compensates for the reduction in output.

Audi RS5

We've already seen the RS5 acknowledged in the 2012 roll out schedule, but this document gives us a bit more. Using the same 4.2-liter V8 in the current S5, the RS5 gets a massive 70kW (96hp) bump from 260kW (354hp) to 331kW (450hp). Such an increase suggests some turbo charging shenanigans are going on, as previously speculated, however, only the 7-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission will be available. The RS5 hits market in July 2010.

Audi A5/S5 Sportback

The A5 Sportback will be available with 1.8 TFSI to the 3.2FSI for the petrol and 2.0 TDI to the 3.0 TDI for diesels plus all of their variants in between. However, completely unmentioned by the 2012 roll out schedule, is an S5 Sportback which receives the new 3.0-liter bi-turbo TFSI in either 6-speed manual or S-tronic7. September 2010 is the launch date.

Date posted: 09-15-2008


DÜSSELDORF, Germany — The Audi RS5, to date seen only in spy photos during testing, will make its world debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, Audi has confirmed to Inside Line. However, the second-generation RS6 is not headed for the U.S.

RS6 project manager Jens Koch told Inside Line: "We had thought perhaps that it would be possible, given America's preference for the four-door version instead of the Avant, but the work required on the V10 powertrain to meet the emissions goals hurt the business case."

However, Koch and Audi spokespeople also told IL that North America has much to look forward to in the coming RS business plans. Shortly after the world premiere of the RS5 in Detroit in January 2009, Audi expects to introduce the new RS4.

Regarding the third-generation RS6, arriving in 2012, Koch strongly hinted that not only would this car be a major global player and come immediately to North America, but that the primary concerns of the current vehicle's massive weight problem, compromised handling in hot curves and fuel-gulping 5.0-liter V10 engine would all be laid to rest. He called the third-generation model "revolutionary" and said it will be "far more RennSport than anything previously developed."

On the brand image front, Audi and Quattro personnel shared with IL some details of plans for the R, S, RS, and Quattro subbrands for better head-on rivalry with the Mercedes-AMG and BMW M divisions. After the Detroit debut of the RS5 and then the next RS4, Audi will push hard globally to make the Quattro name a more clearly separate sister brand positioned distinctly above the hottest factory Audis.

Within Quattro, the R label will signify souped-up Audi range toppers like the R8. The S label will represent something a touch more sporting than the current S. At the top will be the RS, the mother of all performance brands within the Audi world, losing that weight and taking on a far more authentic RennSport attack feel.

What this means to you: Despite the tough economy, the high-end market continues to thrive, allowing Audi to bring the U.S. the best it has to offer. — Matt Davis, Correspondent