One in four Audi A5 cabriolets destined for UK market

Audi has secured the number one sales position in the UK for German premium brand so far this year, a position they expect to hold with a wealth of new and revised models and a host of new drivetrain technologies all heading this way in the near future.

Much of Audi’s growth has come about by adding new models and competing in more sales sectors. They have gone from just 15 model ranges to 31 in just ten years and by 2015 their model range will be up to 40.

Having just introduced the flagship R8 V10 mid-engined sports coupe Audi is bringing to market this month the new A5 Cabriolet, the replacement for the previous A4 soft top and this is their sixth generation Cabriolet.

Although Audi’s forebears, Horch, Wanderer and NSU started building soft tops around a 100 years ago Audi came to the Cabriolet market in their own right in 1990.

Audi in the UK says the four-seater, two-door Cabriolet concept sits happily in the A5 range complimenting the current two-door Coupe body style and the newcomer also fits into the Audi Cabriolet range above the A3 soft top introduced in May 2008.

Audi expects to sell 2,500 A5 Cabriolets in the UK this year and 4,200 in 2010, a quarter of Audi’s annual production. The A5 Cabriolet will combine with the A3 to give around 8,000 Audi Cabriolet sales in 2010, more than the best ever total of 7,100 sales achieved in a single year (2007) by the outgoing A4 Cabrio.

Audi, despite the recession, expects the premium Cabriolet market sector to double in size by 2016 with Germany, USA and the UK being the main markets.

Prices for the new A5 Cabriolet range from £29,795 and climb up to £40,385 and there are Standard, SE and S-Line levels of specification, depending on the engine chosen.

Initially the A5 Cabriolet is launched with three engine options, two direct injection petrol units; a 2.0-litre 211PS TFSI turbocharged unit and a 3.2-litre normally aspirated FSI 265PS engine, plus a 3.0-litre, 240PS TDI turbodiesel.

Quattro all wheel drive is available as an option for the petrol engines and is standard for the 3.0-litre TDI unit. Transmission choices are manual, S tronic twin-clutch and multitronic CVT, again depending on which engine option is selected.

More engines, stop/start versions and sports differential options will become available this year. Another desirable version will be the S5 Cabriolet with the latest 3.0-litre supercharged V6 TFSI petrol engine which will be priced at approximately £42,000.

Audi estimates in the UK that the forthcoming 2.0-litre 170PS TDI engine arriving in late Summer will be the most popular accounting for 40% of sales due to the high take-up by business users. The price leading 2.0-litre TFSI engine will account for 35% of sales, the vast majority being retail customers.

Who will buy a premium Cabriolet like the new A5? Audi says the target market is for a customer age of 44 years, 75% will be aged under 50 and around 75% are multi-car households with a high net annual income. Buyers are predominately male but men are not necessarily the main drivers

As for the competitors; the BMW 3-Series Convertible and the Mercedes-Benz CLK Cabriolet are the main ones say Audi but the Volvo C70, BMW 6-Series and Jaguar XK will all be considered by customers depending on their premium badge, engine size and budgetary requirements.

Audi says the new A5 Cabriolet scores over its rivals with more boot space and, depending on which model is chosen, like-for-like it offers less Benefit in Kind tax, lower CO2 emissions, it’s faster, better value and has better residual values.

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