Audi are once again facing up to taking on the big guns, their new Audi A7 is aimed at those customers who traditionally buy the Mercedes Benz CLS range. The A7 Sport back is looking at providing a large four-person car with a hatchback style. Athletic and sleek lines give it that sporty feel, while its large, convenient hatchback boot offers plenty of storage space.
The first prototypes where shown at the Detroit Auto show last year and the finished road version is similar to that design. The A7 has all the typical Audi signs, large dominant grille with the badge prominently displayed, luxuriously made interior and overall possesses a clean-cut image.
Although distinctively Audi, it has been given a singular feel of its own, a ‘model apart’ is how Stefan Sielaff the cars chief designer has described it. He feels that this is the styling that the future generations of the A6 and A8 will eventually also conform to, but for the present it only applies to the A7 range.
The interior is superbly worked, what Sielaff refers to as its ‘delicate looks’. It retains the wrap-around dashboard and is packed full of the technology and communication features that are essential to the modern car.
Weighing in at over 100kg less than its nearest rival and with its choice of four V6 engines it provides great road handling. As with most car manufacturers these days, Audi has paid particular attention to the cars green credentials and its diesel version is set to be the eco-model. It produces 139g/km of CO2 with a combined petrol performance of 53mpg but is still capable of travelling from zero to 62mph in 8.2 seconds.
Twenty per cent of the A7 is made from Aluminum, keeping the weight as low as possible, also helping to reduce C02 emissions.
