The New Audi A7 Sportback Is A Tech Fest 'Coupe' With A Big Mouth
Audi’s mission to supersize the front grilles of its cars shows no sign of abating. Following on from the big-mouthed A8, we have the all-new A7 Sportback, sporting an incredible set of front teeth.
It’s just as much of a tech fest as the recently revealed A8, too. There’s the usual Virtual Cockpit system that replaces the car’s dials with a 12.3-inch screen, but - like the A8 - the A7 does away with all the usual buttons and dials found on the centre console, replacing them with a pair of touchscreen displays. There’s an optional HUD just in case you want to up the display count even further.
There are some 39 driver assistance features on offer including an ‘efficiency assistant’, the ‘adaptive driving assistant’ system that works with the adaptive cruise control (it provides “helpful steering interventions,” apparently) and from 2018, an AI parking system.
The A7 also lets you store up to seven driver profiles, with 400 aspects of the car that can be personalised. Finding your ideal settings might take a while…
On the chassis front, the A7 gets an updated version of Audi’s air suspension system, and if you want to sharpen things up further, all-wheel steering plus a sportier rear differential are both available as options.
From launch there’ll be just one engine available - a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6, although an RS version will almost certainly make its shouty way into the fold at some point. The six banger is good for 335bhp and a curiously specific 368.8lb ft of torque, and is hooked up to a 48-volt mild hybrid system that lets the start-stop system kick in at 13mph, helping the A7 on the way to a wallet-friendly 41.5mpg figure.
0-62mph happens in a brisk 5.3 seconds, and at the top end its electronic limiter will hold you back at the familiar 155mph mark.
Want one? It goes on sale in the UK early next year, and will be yours from around £56,000 on the road.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Looks like Volvo headlights from a quick glance. You know the Thor’s hammer ones?
The new back end doesn’t look as good
This is how the Audi designers came up with the idea for the grill
It looks as if they are trying to make the interior more Tesla-like with all the screens. Lets hope its well-made though
A7 was beautifull car. The front of the new model looks pretty much the same as all new Audi cars. Which is taking away its originality. Screw new trends!
I prefer the older exterior with the new interior