Audi A5 Cabriolet

It will warm back or butt like many others, but what sets the Audi A5 cabriolet apart is that it will warm your melon as well.

Yup, turn on the seat heater, press the fan button along the side of the front seat and warm air is directed up and out a vent just below the headrest. Audi calls it a "heated scarf" so you can drive with the top down a little longer into the fall without brain freeze.

What next, heat ducts in the floor mats to toast the toes?

Sadly, the feature in the optional $2,400 comfort system only warms, not cools, the head, at least for now. We tested the 2010 Audi A5 cabriolet with head warmer and all-wheel drive, or quattro in Audi parlance.

The "A" doesn't stand for adorable, though it could. It's a neat-looking, low-slung, wide-body, soft-top convertible, which powers down at the push of a console button.

Since the top is thick cloth, you'll hear more wind and road noise than you would with a retractable hardtop, but not much thanks to its acoustic design. But the canvas must be kept out of heavy snows.

When down, the top slides into what looks like a slim drawer in the roof of the trunk. It stows so neatly you can load small packages and luggage in the trunk. Need a little more room? Levers drop either or both rear seatbacks flat for more cargo space.

The top folds and hides in 15 seconds, even if you're going 30 mph, so sudden storms won't force a detour to a detailer

But as with any convertible, the backs of the front seats rest against the fronts of the back seats -- hold the legs.

Another gripe: Heated and cooled seats are great, but thicker cushions would eliminate the fidgets that develop after a few miles.

The A5 comes with a few changes for 2010. One is the new 2-liter, direct-injection, turbo 4-cylinder that's available with manual or automatic with manual-mode paddle shifting. The test car had automatic and paddles.

Its predecessor A4 cabriolet had a 2-liter, 200-horsepower turbo 4 with less zip than the new direct-injection version, which Audi says performs like a 6-cylinder while delivering decent mileage: 20 city/26 highway.

Not a screamer, however. It doesn't have enough spring in its first step from the light or into the passing lane. The S5 version, which has a 3-liter, 333-hp supercharged V-6, is the choice for go-like-a-bat bursts.

The A5 stands out in its ability to keep a tight grip on the road while darting in and out of corners and turns. Thanks to the performance suspension and stability control, as well as optional 19-inch performance radials (summer treads that would have to go in the snow), you enjoy sure-footed handling. And, there's the quattro that allows the A5 to run as if locked into a slot on the road.

The test car came with optional ($2,950) adaptive suspension that adjusts to the road surface, along with Audi Drive Select that adjusts suspension and steering and engine throttle response and shift points to a variety of modes ranging from comfort soft to performance stiff. Or leave it in auto mode and let the system learn your driving habits and adjust accordingly.

The test car also came with optional ($900) backup camera, as well as "side assist" sensors, which flash yellow lights in the side-view mirrors when a vehicle enters the blind spot.

The lights, which operate almost nonstop in heavy traffic, can be turned off. If it weren't for the backup camera, there'd be no reason to get the $900 package and those annoying blind-spot lights.

The A5 quattro cabrio starts at $44,100. For $8,300, add a prestige package that includes navi and rain-sensing wipers; for $2,950, add adjustable suspension and heated head duct; for $1,495, add the summer radials and paddle shifting. Add all and go out the door for more than $60,000.

2010 AUDI A5 QUATTRO CABRIOLET

Wheelbase: 108.3 inches

Length: 182 inches

Engine: 2-liter, 211-h.p., turbocharged 4-cylinder

Transmission: 6-speed automatic with manual mode

MPG: 20 city/26 highway

Price as tested: $60,545

(Add $825 for freight.)

The sticker

$44,100 Base

$8,300 Prestige package with alloy wheels and 18-inch all-season radials, push-button start, Bang & Olufsen sound system, navigation system, Xenon headlights, LED tail lamps, three-zone climate control, heated front seats, Homelink garage-door opener, power and memory front seats and mirrors and rain-sensing wipers

$2,950 Adaptive suspension and dynamic steering system

$2,400 Comfort package with cooled perforated leather front seats with lumbar support and heat for the head and neck

$1,495 Sport package with 19-inch alloy wheels and performance 19-inch radials, sports suspension and paddle shifters

$900 Back-up camera, rear parking sensors and side assist (for lane changes)

$400 Dark walnut inlay cabin trim

PLUSES:

Sport suspension, dynamic steering and all-wheel-drive for awesome handling

Great design

Open-top motoring

Decent trunk space

Split rear seat backs fold flat for added cargo room

MINUSES:

Rear-seat room

Abundant high-price options

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