Audi RS 5 Cabriolet Revealed In Patent Images

Audi's vaunted RS badge looks set to appear on a topless model once again, with new images from the US patent office pointing to the coming of an RS 5 Cabriolet in 2012.

Little imagination is needed for this one: take the existing S5 Cabriolet, make it stiffer, slap on the requisite top-shelf elements and drop in the RS 5's 4.2 litre V8 engine.

Whether the RS 5 Cabriolet will deliver the same 331kW and 430Nm of torque remains to be seen however, with chassis rigidity being a tough hurdle for more than a few performance-focused convertibles.

Expect the RS 5 Cabrio to transfer power to all four wheels through the same S tronic dual-clutch auto featured in the Coupe, and a 0-100km/h time under the five-second mark.

Watch for more news on this one to arrive in the coming months.