Official News: Audi Applies Trademarks for New RS5 Cabriolet

While Audi never officially talked about the possibility of presenting a convertible version of its RS5 sports car, the idea has been circulating around the internet ever since the debut of the coupe.

But now we have concrete evidence that Audi will most likely go ahead and very soon introduce an RS5 Cabriolet to its lineup thanks to these official trademark fillings obtained by Carscoop.

The images provide us with a 360-degree view of the roofless RS5 (in facelift form, as you may have noticed) that will feature seating for four and the same electrically operated fabric top as the A5 and S5 convertibles, the refreshed versions of which made their world premiere in Frankfurt last week.

There are no prizes for anyone guessing what's hiding under the bonnet as the BMW M3 Convertible-rivaling model will get the same 4.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 with 450-horses and 430 Nm (317.15 lb-ft), matched to Audi's seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission and quattro all-wheel drive system, as the RS5 Coupe.

We'll update the story on the RS5 Cabriolet as soon as we find out more.

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Senner Tuning Beefs up the Audi S5 Sportback

Senner Tuning S5 Schwarz

The crew over at Senner Tuning have pointed their guns on the pre-facelift Audi S5 Sportback with the release of a new package that aims to improve both the performance and styling aspects of Ingolstadt's liftback model.

Underhood, the S5's 3.0-liter TSI V6 gains a software optimization, a new air filter and a custom exhaust system, all of which do their part to lift output from 333HP and 440Nm to 445-horses and 530Nm (390.9 lb-ft) of peak torque.

Senner Tuning's engineers then go on to revise the chassis with an adjustable suspension from Bilstein that drops the ride height by around 40mm at the front axle and 35mm at the rear.

The cosmetic surgery on the outside is restricted to the matte black trim on the grille and the window surrounds, the new tail pipes and 20-inch multispoke alloy wheels wrapped around high-performance Conti Sport Contact 5P tires size 255/30R20 up front and 295/25R20 at the back.

A carbon fiber treatment inside completed the tune, which will cost buyers in Europe a total of €15,000 or about US$20,600 at the current exchange rates.

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IAA 2011: Audi Presents New A5 Coupe DTM Racer in the Flesh

Audi A5 DTM

Audi certainly has a rich history in the Deutche Tourenwagen Masters, the German touring car championship, more commonly known as the DTM. From the 1990 V8 quattro until today’s A4, the four-ring brand has raced only four-door models.

This is about to change as Inglostandt's new contender in the DTM is based on the A5 Coupe. Making its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this week, Audi’s 2012 racer was developed around three principles: maximum safety, 40% reduction of costs and an impressive bodywork design.

The last goal has undoubtedly been achieved, but this wasn’t such a difficult task since the donor model was already one of the most elegant coupes on the market. The A5 DTM’s carbon fiber shell builds on that with a wide body kit, a ground-hugging stance and a huge rear carbon wing.

Audi Motorsport has created a hybrid chassis, combining a carbon fiber monocoque with a steel cage that, it claims, ups the ante of safety for touring cars. The chassis is just one of the more than 50 components the new rules stipulate that will be identical to all DTM racers. This may restrict both designers’ and engineers’ freedom in developing the car, but it is what made the 40% cost reduction feasible.

Under the hood is a 460 HP V8 engine mated to a new, pneumatically operated six-speed transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. This new type of gearbox is not only more precise but also sturdier compared to conventional units, quadrupling its life expectancy to 24,000 km (15,000 miles).

The R17’s task, as is the A5 DTM’s codenamed inside Audi Motorsport, has a tough act to follow: the A4, which it replaces, has won four titles in the past seven years.

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IAA 2011: Audi Presents Facelifted RS 5 Coupé

Audi RS 5 FL

If you just ordered the RS 5 Coupé, you may want to skip this article… A little over a year after its market launch in Europe in late spring of 2010, but luckily for North American consumers, a few months before the sales launch, Audi has presented a mild cosmetic facelift for its performance model that follows in the lines of the rest of the updated A5 and S5 series. The chief exterior changes on the outside are concentrated up front where the RS 5 gains a new single-frame grille with beveled upper corners along with the re-sculptured “wave” headlamps framed by narrow strips of LED daytime running lights, revised bumper and sharper edges on the hood.

The subtly modified tail lamp crystals and the newly designed 19-inch forged aluminum wheels with 265/35-series tires or optional, 20-inch wheels with 275/30-series tires, round out the difference on the outside.

Moving on the interior, there's a new leather multifunction sport steering wheel with a flattened bottom, while the ignition key, the column stalks and the shift lever knob have also been redesigned.

There are no updates under the hood as the RS 5 continues to be motivated by a 4.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 churning out 450-horses at 8,250 rpm, and a peak torque of 430 Nm (317.15 lb-ft) available between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm.

A seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system channel power to all four wheels.

The RS 5 Coupe launches from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in 4.6 seconds and can reach an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h, or if ordered without the limiter, 280 km/h (155mph or 174mph respectively).

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