Audi has finally revealed the A7 Sportback in all its glory at a special event that took place at “Pinakothek der Moderne” art museum in Munich today.
The 5-door fastback coupe is Audi’s own take on the segment which currently has rivals in the form of BMW 5-Series GT and the upcoming Mercedes Benz CLS and to a lesser extent the Aston Martin Rapide and the Porsche Panamera. Based on the next generation A6’s modified platform the A7 Sportback was penned alongside the new A8 luxury sedan and according to the Audi is a perfect combination of elegant sports coupe, a sports sedan and practicality of a station wagon.
The overall styling remains true to the concept shown at the 2010 Delhi Auto Expo except for some minor details like the slightly reprofiled outside rear view mirror, bigger air dam on the front bumper and less pizza’s for the interiors which are more somber. The front is striking with angular headlamps while the side profile is a cross between the shooting brake and a coupe!
The A7 Sportback sits 4.97 meters long, 1.91 meters wide and 1.42 meters high. Its very practical as well with seating for four in true comfort and a boot capacity of 535 liters which swells to 1390 liter with the rear seats folded.
Powertrain details are still scarce but Audi says that A7 Sportback will comingwith 4 engines at launch – 2 petrols and 2 diesels with power outputs ranging from 204 bhp to 300 bhp. We are guessing the entry level 3.0 TDI V6 diesel to do with 204 bhp while the top of the range engine for now will be the 3.0 liter V6 Supercharged petrol with 300 bhp. The engines will be mated to either CVT multitronic transmission on the front wheel drive models or the dual clutch seven speed S-Tronic transmission with Audi’s Quattro all wheel drive system.
Audi hasn’t mentioned the go faster S7 or the RS7 or even the hybrid but they will be launched in due course. The A7 Sportback will hit showroom this fall with price starting from €51,600 in Germany.
Jump over for the press release and high resolutiom images.
Image Gallery: 2011 Audi A7 Sportback
Press Release
Audi is targeting a new vehicle class with the A7 Sportback. The large, elegant five-door model combines the emotional character of a grand coupe, the comfort and prestige of a sedan and the active practicality of a station wagon. With its lightweight body, the powerful and efficient V6 engines, the sporty chassis and the advanced assistance and multimedia systems, it sets standards in many fields of technology. The Audi A7 Sportback will roll into dealerships in the fall, with prices starting at €51,650.
Aesthetic and athletic – the Audi A7 Sportback
Emotion-packed design, sporty character and innovative technology: Audi is targeting a new market segment with the A7 Sportback. The large five-door model with the dynamically accentuated rear end brings together the best of three worlds: the sporty elegance of a coupe, the comfort of a sedan and the practicality of a station wagon.
The A7 Sportback is pure high-tech. Its body is very lightweight thanks to numerous aluminum components. The elegant interior shows a craftsman’s level of workmanship. The four V6 engines combine refined power with groundbreaking efficiency. The 3.0 TDI with 150 kW (204 hp) and multitronic has CO2 emissions of just 139 grams per kilometer (223.70 g/mile). The sporty chassis comes with new solutions, such as electromechanical power steering. When it comes to assistance and infotainment systems, the luxury-class coupe exhibits all of the innovative power expected of Audi.
The five-door coupe from Audi combines supreme, long-distance comfort with a sporty character. The interior noise level is very low even at fast highway speeds, with the V6 engines providing refined acoustic feedback as their power unfolds.
The excellent vibrational comfort likewise contributes to the atmosphere of cultured tranquility on board. This is the result of painstakingly tuning all components, systematic hydraulic damping in the axle and drivetrain bearings and the extremely stiff body. The body is comprised primarily of aluminum and high-tech steels, making it extremely lightweight and safe. The large rear hatch opens wide to reveal a large, extremely usable luggage compartment that is very easy to load. Its 535-liter (18.89 cu ft) capacity swells to a volume of 1,390 liters (49.09 cu ft) with the rear seat backrests folded down.
With the A7 Sportback, which will be rolling into dealerships in the fall at a base price of €51,600, Audi is taking up a new design line representing elegance on a grand scale. The five-door coupe is 4.97 meters (16.31 ft) long and 1.91 meters (6.27 ft) wide, but only 1.42 meters (4.66 ft) high. Its long hood, the short front overhang, the long wheelbase, the sportily flowing C-pillars and the sharply dropping rear create a dynamic overall impression. The five-door coupe is an aesthetic athlete with a wide, powerful road stance.
Optional LED headlights reinforce the unmistakable expression of the A7 Sportback and provide all light functions with light-emitting diodes while minimizing energy consumption. Bi-xenon headlights and LED tail lights come standard. The innovative all-weather light function has also been integrated into the headlights, replacing the classic fog lights.
The sinewy sportiness of the exterior carries over into the interior of the A7 Sportback, where Audi again demonstrates its leading role in automotive design. The salient element is the “wrap-around,” a horizontal line that encircles the driver and front-seat passenger in the interior to provide a feeling of safety and security. The wave-shaped application strip with its integrative dynamics is the salient element of the dashboard.
The utmost care has been devoted to every last detail in the interior. Workmanship is at a craftsman’s level. Optional climate-control and massage functions are available for the front seats covered in high-grade Audi leathers. The optional ambient lighting fills the entire interior with atmosphere.
Like Audi’s A8 flagship, the A7 Sportback also combines a new level of technical intelligence with logical, intuitive ergonomics and self-explanatory operation. The advanced MMI operating system with central menu button and reduced number of buttons comes standard, while one of the options is a new head-up display that projects the most important information on the windshield. The MMI touch system combines a hard drive navigation system with the convenience of touchpad input.
The driver can use the touchpad to perform numerous functions, such as using his or her finger to write the letters of the destination or the digits of the telephone number.
The online services work together with Google to connect the five-door Audi coupe to the Internet via the Bluetooth car phone. A UMTS module delivers images and information from Google Earth to the monitor and combines them with the navigation route. A WLAN hotspot is used to connect mobile devices. Further to the Bose sound system, the top-of-the-line option is the Advanced Sound System from Bang & Olufsen featuring 1,300 watts of power and 15 speakers.
The top navigation system works closely together with the many optional driver assistance and safety systems in the A7 Sportback. It forwards the route data to the control units for the headlights, the automatic transmission and the adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, enabling these systems to recognize complex scenarios. In many cases, the Audi pre sense safety system can reduce the severity of accidents and their consequences. The new Audi active lane assist helps the driver to keep the A7 Sportback firmly on course, and the new park assist system relieves the driver of the chore of steering when parallel parking.
Audi will initially offer the A7 Sportback with a choice of four powerful and cultivated V6 engines: two gasoline and two TDI units. Their power output ranges from 150 kW (204 hp) to 220 kW (300 hp), and their efficiency sets impressive new standards in the vehicle class. The new 3.0 TDI with 150 kW (204 hp) and multitronic consumes on average just 5.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (44.38 US mpg), corresponding to CO2 emissions of just 139 g per km (223.70 g/mile). All engines use Audi’s innovative thermal management system, a recuperation system and a start-stop system.
The standard automatic transmissions also play a role in the high efficiency of the Audi A7 Sportback. Audi offers two different transmissions depending on the engines: The continuous multitronic sends the power to the front wheels, while the sporty seven-speed S tronic works together with quattro permanent all-wheel drive. The latest evolutionary stage of quattro features a crown-gear center differential and torque vectoring.
The drive system is particularly flexible and dynamic. The optional sport differential actively distributes the power between the rear wheels.
The chassis also combines sporty precision with luxurious comfort. The Audi A7 Sportback rolls on large wheels measuring from 18 to 20 inches in diameter. The chassis features aluminum control arms and a newly developed power steering system with an electromechanical drive for high efficiency. The Audi drive select dynamics system is standard and can be supplemented by the optional adaptive air suspension with controlled damping.
At a glance
The Audi A7 Sportback
Design and body
Elegant coupe design with four doors and a large, wide-opening luggage compartment hatch that opens and closes electrically (standard)
4.97 meters (16.31 ft) long; variable luggage compartment with up to 1,390 liters (49.09 cu ft) of capacity
LED headlights optional; bi-xenon headlights and LED tail lights standard
Lightweight body, large percentage of aluminum and high-strength steels
Interior and controls
Elegant, modern lines, a craftsman’s level of workmanship, elegant colors and materials, novel layered wood inserts
Start-stop button standard
Front seats optionally with ventilation and massage function
MMI radio operating system standard; head-up display available as an option
Optional MMI navigation plus system with touchpad and large 8-inch display, Internet services from Google, Audi music interface and Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System
Optional ambient lighting package with LED technology in the roof module, in the center console ringed with lights and the illuminated door sill trims
Advanced safety and assistance systems such as Audi pre sense, adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, Audi active lane assist, night vision assistant, speed limit display and park assist system
Highly efficient, fuel-saving climate control system
Engines
Four V6 engines – two powerful and highly efficient gasoline and TDI units each with power ranging from 150 kW (204 hp) to 220 kW (300 hp)
All engines with thermal management, start-stop system and energy recovery
3.0 TDI with 150 kW (204 hp) and multitronic (front-wheel drive) with just 139 g CO2/km (223.70 g/mile)
Drivetrain
Front-wheel drive with multitronic; quattro all-wheel drive combined with seven-speed S tronic
quattro with crown-gear center differential and torque vectoring
quattro with sport differential for the active distribution of power at the rear axle available as an option
Chassis
Sophisticated chassis construction, aluminum control arms
Newly developed, high-efficiency electromechanical power steering
Audi drive select assistance system comes standard
Optionally available adaptive air suspension with controlled damping
18-inch to 20-inch wheels, powerful brakes
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