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Auto Express Car Reviews
Audi A7: live from the unveil
Months ahead of its public debut Audi has revealed its sleek new CLS challenger at a private event in Munich - and we were there to gather all the details that count.
26th July 2010
It's the car that takes Audi into yet another niche, but has the A7 got what it takes to outmanoeuvre quirky rivals like the Mercedes CLS and BMW 5-Series GT? Well that's what we're here, at Audi's exclusive event at the museum of modern art in Munich, to find out.
Audi’s take on the four-door coupé has been a long time coming since the firm debuted the Sportback concept at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show. Unlike its rivals, Audi has opted to give the A7 an electrically-operated hatch, making the car a more practical executive proposition, while still retaining the steeply raked roof that defines its four-door coupé characteristics.
The production A7 Sportback features a similar grille to the A8 saloon, while the concept’s sharp lights and sculpted lower intakes have made way for a front end similar in design to the A5 coupé’s. The sloping bonnet helps the car to achieve a drag coefficient of only 0.28Cd.
At the rear, the A7’s hatch tapers to a rear end that incorporates an active spoiler which rises at motorway speeds. There is also a shallow boot opening and a body-coloured diffuser that houses twin exhausts. Adaptive LED headlamps, plus front and rear running lights, further mark the car out.
As the covers went up our immediate reaction was that Audi hadn't done quite enough to make this car the design icon it could have been. But on closer inspection the rear end is well excuted and the overall look is a notch above the bulbous Porsche Panamera. In fact, the proportions are closer to a larger, less-sporty Aston Martin Rapide.
Inside, designers have created a spacious and luxurious four-seat cabin. The finish is superb as we've come to expect from Audi - featuring two choices of real-wood inserts combined with splashes of aluminium and a range of leather and Alcantara trim options. The real revelation though is space in the rear, we sat next to another journalist who was six foot two inches tall and he still had several inches of head room to spare - quite an achievement when you consider the plunging roofline.
Standard kit includes a 6.5-inch dash-mounted monitor which displays satellite navigation, climate and phone functions. The car’s Multimedia Interface (MMI) system can be upgraded to include an eight-inch screen and allows the driver to write on to a touchpad to operate phone and navigation systems.
Buyers can also specify a head-up display which projects important data directly in front of the driver at a virtual distance of 2.5 metres. A parking assist programme allows hands-free parallel parking, too.
While cars with the Multitronic auto are front-wheel drive, quattro four-wheel drive comes as standard with Audi’s seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch gearbox. A centre differential allows up to 70 per cent of power to be shifted to the front or 85 to the rear. Multilink suspension front and rear should give a dynamic and comfortable ride, while sports and adjustable air-suspension can also be specified.
Four V6 engines will be available from launch, comprising two petrol and two diesel options ranging from 201bhp to 297bhp. The most efficient unit is the 3.0-litre TDI, which boasts emissions of 139g/km and economy of 53.3mpg. The top-spec 3.0 TFSI delivers 297bhp, 34.4mpg and 190g/km CO2, with 0-60mph taking 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. And with 20 per cent of the body made from lightweight aluminium, expect the A7's handling to be nimbler than its dimensions suggest.
The first A7s are available to order from 16 August, with first deliveries on 8 January 2011. Prices will start from £43,745 (inc 20 per cent VAT increase due in January) for the 3.0 TDI fwd and £47,990 for the more-powerful Quattro version. Both petrol versions come with Quattro four-wheel drive as standard, and cost £45,210 for the 2.8 FSI and £48,060 for the 3.0 TFSI.
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29 Comments
It not a bad car
Well I like it. It great & Excellent.
Better looking than a Panamera - well done, Audi!
Another example of recent German car design - take one of your standard, staid-looking range, alter it so that it looks completely misproportioned and then say it's some "new" concept in motoring (a 5-door hatch like the Sierra?). I like how you say "the overall look is a notch above the bulbous Porsche Panamera". Well, yes, and it's better looking than a Ssangyong Rodius, but it's hardly praise, is it? Don't buy this rubbish - show you won't be fooled by four-ring snobbery.
I'll have the VW
Load up a Passat CC and keep £20K.
Such a disappointment
I was really looking forward to this car following the concept reveal. But since then it appears that the committee has taken over at Audi and produced a BMW 5GT style monstrosity. The whole point of this market niche is that people will sacrifice practicality for design finesse. This car lacks all the deftness of touch that makes the CLS and Passat CC so successful.
Dull
What a disappointment - just a mix of current Audi designs and looks like another A5 Hatchback.
The interior looks nice but is a blatant copy of a BMW interior.
A Passat CC is prettier and a whole lot cheaper.
Oh Dear
Just oh dear.
What in gods name are the Germans thinking about these days, most of the car which come out of the country are bland, boring and just plain ugly! It's really saying something when Mercedes are producing more interesting and slightly more attractive cars.
Just dull, dull, dull!
Jaguar does it better?
Am I confused or does the new XJ not fit the specification that Audi were chasing and deliver against it in a more complete way?
Where's the WOW factor?
Is it me or are these cars getting less interesting? I though the idea was to get your pulse racing. Look at the Nissan Juke, even some of the Korean cars these days - they are starting to push the boundaries of car design and even getting it right some of the time now. This A7 looks boring, boring, boring - the CLS was cutting edge, this is a poor me-too copy.
I feel I'm back in the 1980's
This is awful, it looks dated before it's gone on sale, the low slung back end and long bonnet make it look like a 1980's hatch, such as the Vauxhall Cavalier or Rover 800/SD1 in shape. Someone else said Jaguar did this better, I quite agree, the XF and XJ look classy and unique, this just looks like a stretched car from years gone by. Audi clearly havent mastered the art of large hatch design. Frankly with the A5 5-door, I cannot see the point of the A7?
Yawn!
Boy are Audi lucky that Mercedes have wrecked the CLS, otherwise this would be an even poorer seller than I expect it will be. I would imagine it will come complete with the usual Audi equipment of a wooden ride, as they desperately try to control all that mass hanging out in front of the axle plus the inevitable inert steering.
Boring!
I agree with James, whats the point of this when you have the A5 5-Door, which to me is pointless anyway.
I don't see why you would ever want to own an A7, 10/15 years ago big hatchbacks were horrid, even though most were French and loaded full of gear. Having said that I'd take a C6 over a BMW 5 Hatchback or the A5 5door or A7. It's a big lump of German metal with no style. Audi are going mad. I'll stick with my Jag.
Boring!
I agree with James, whats the point of this when you have the A5 5-Door, which to me is pointless anyway.
I don't see why you would ever want to own an A7, 10/15 years ago big hatchbacks were horrid, even though most were French and loaded full of gear. Having said that I'd take a C6 over a BMW 5 Hatchback or the A5 5door or A7. It's a big lump of German metal with no style. Audi are going mad. I'll stick with my Jag.
Boring Car for Boring Bank Managers
Let's face it, it's only boring bank managers that will be able to afford this premium hatchback so we won't see many of them on the road. Suit you sir!.
???
Is this based on the A6 or the A8. If it is based on the A6 lets hope they don't make an A9. Because no one would buy it...
Minority of One
Ok there has to be one, and I'm it! I think it looks great! I've never liked the new Audi aggressive nose, but apart from that I think it looks lovely. I don't want my pulse racing at the sight of yet another gimmicky car full of awkward lines and too much chrome. No, just plain, simple and tasteful suits me fine. To me, that is what this is.
Audiotic...
I've got to agree with most of the other posters here, this is a monstrosity...
I've thrown quite a lot of tongue in cheek criticism at V.A.G recently, but this is getting serious now. The Germans are more than capable of designing chic products, and we all know that most things teutonic are built to last. So what the hell is going on at Audi? This is lazy design and the motoring public will see right through it...
dull, dull, dull!
a nose is the same as in every other Audi since years and back looks like from 80's like some Datsuns or some cars from 70's.
Such a disappointment :(
Minority of one more
I think this is the best Audi design for ages and one of the best designs in car industry today. Very clean lines and proportions reminiscent of a RWD car something that can't be said for many cars today. I wouldn't buy a coupe because to me it doesn't make any sense to pay more money in order to buy fewer doors and less practicallity, but I like the looks of them. On the other hand I wouldn't buy any of Audi's sedans currently on sale because they're all plain ugly. This is a cool car. But then again.... what do I know. To my eyes the new XJ (mentioned on a previous post) is a really ugly car.
Pompous video....
- come on Audi; you're just not THAT important...
(and for the umpteenth time, the Passat CC is the only halfway decent looker of the Geman trio...)
- but still
I'm sure it has plenty of "I've got money"-road-prescence; and some will buy it for that...
- but still
I'm sure it has plenty of "I've got money"-road-prescence; and some will buy it for that...
lmao, those who say ugly are either Audi haters or blind imho. check out the car in this picture, jaw dropping stuff, simple as that! :
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3137/screenshot2010072800004.jpg
lmao, those who say ugly are either Audi haters or blind imho. check out the car in this picture, jaw dropping stuff, simple as that! :
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3137/screenshot2010072800004.jpg
catchmyshadow,
Sorry - still looks completely out of proportion. Maybe in real life it looks better? But why buy German when you have Jaguar making great cars? I live in Germany and they are incredibly arrogant about their car industry. Hit them where it hurts - buy Jag!
Is it even new????
Depending on what angle you take....it's a A8 clone with a raked roofline and buffer tail, or a fatter A5 Sportback. I don't know know why Audi isn't satisfied with the rather good A8 to underline its luxury line or with the Sportback to underline its different-ness. wasted effort.
My driveway will become an Audi-free zone
Due to change my A6 estate Jan 2011. Apart from the facts that there are only two rear seats and that you'd need to be 5'6" or less to sit in them then the A7 would be a contender. I feel an XF coming on!
Minority of another
i love this car so much, and infact i love all audis, i think there brilliant, theyre not as flash or pompas as mercs or bm's (which i hate) and yet they still have an eroma of class about them. people respect an audi drive wer as they spit at bmw drivers. i think th CLS is pig pig ugly and wouldnt even consider bying it, the passat it great but it's still a vw. i am a british man and so i lv jags, howevr i think the a7 has the xj beat. i will b bying an a7 asap !!!
and i dont care what any1 else thinks of it !!!
Why?
Am very happy with the looks of the audi A5 and the new A7 but i don't understand why these audi's just have two seats in the rear,it don't make sense, am aware that BMW do this too, But really audi you need to stop following and be a leader.
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Mercedes doesn't need to worry about this one
No Competition - even the new "uglier" CLS looks a whole lot better than this turkey. It just looks wrong at the back with it's long overhang and the interior is hardly what you'd call exciting - especially in that brown color. Can't think what the designers were thinking about when they penned this one - must have been a Friday afternoon.
By slkmainac on 26 July, 2010, 9:52pm