Ah, an Audi S5 without a roof!

Yep. Audi engineers worked magic on the S5 Cabriolet’s donor vehicle, infusing a medium luxury coupe with dazzling dynamics and sizzling straight-line stonk. We’re hoping peeling the roof only enriches the experience here.

Shouldn’t be hard with a tin-opener, right?

2017 Audi S5 Cabriolet side

Beauty is pain.

It’s sleek and muscular, like if Heidi Klum was a Ninja Warrior, thanks to that ‘Tornado’ character line and bulging bonnet. Stowing away the roof, in 15 seconds, makes it twice as pretty.

2017 Audi S5 Cabriolet steering wheel

Well, you’d expect that for $129K!

Erm, that was the previous car’s price. BMW and Mercedes-AMG pulled Audi’s pants down after lobbing their 440i and C43 drop-tops at around $118K. So Audi’s slashed the S5 Cabriolet price by $10K, to peg it at $119,111.

2017 Audi S5 Cabriolet engine

Is it worth the coin?

Performance wise it doesn’t feel in the same league as its hard-hat siblings. The primary ride feels a touch stiffer over high frequency stuff, and it lopes a little more over rises. And with an extra 200kg under its shirt the Cabriolet doesn’t turn-in with the same crispness. The suspension also works hard to keep the extra mass in check.

2017 Audi S5 Cabriolet front

Conversely, the roof adds proper gran touring appeal to the experience. The standard sport seats are more comfortable than most people’s beds, and it’s easier to have conversation at 100km/h with the roof down than it is some closed in sportscars.

And there’s that engine note you have front-row seats for. The twin-scroll turbo engine’s high-tech blare is likeable, delivering upshifts burps and spool hisses that some might find zestier than the old blown six.

2017 Audi S5 Cabriolet rear seats

Comes crunch time on options, though, we wouldn’t bother with the sports-differential and instead concentrate on the Cabriolet’s luxo tech-appeal. We’d try stretch to the technik package, which includes higher-end B&O sound system and a heads-up display.

2017 Audi S5 Cabriolet convertible

With their on-paper price and performance almost equal, it’s the Audi’s overall package that feels a generation ahead and we’d be leaning towards it in an on-road punch up.

Audi’s hasn’t built an S5 without a roof, it’s just not dynamic and fast enough, but you won’t be disappointed with the end result.

4.0 stars out of 5 Likes: Sleek looks, gran touring ability, solid drivetrain Dislikes: Dulled handling, blunted acceleration, puzzling options list

2017 Audi S5 Cabriolet specs: Engine: 2995cc V6, DOHC, 24v, turbo Power: 260kW @ 5400rpm Torque: 500Nm @ 1370rpm Weight: 1840kg Transmission: eight-speed automatic 0-100km/h: 5.1 seconds