Autocar: New Audi A7 revealed

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ahpadt

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http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Audi-Concepts/233083/

Autocar said:
The new Audi A7 will set new standards for performance, elegance and quality in the fast-emerging luxury four-door coupe market, according to the German manufacturer.

The four-door coupe is due in 2010 as part of Audi?s new-model programme, which aims to increase the firm?s sales by an ambitious 50 per cent over seven years by introducing 17 new models.

The A7 is Audi?s rival for the Mercedes-Benz CLS, BMW?s forthcoming 8-series and next year?s Jaguar XJ replacement. It will be armed with a formidable array of technology, heralding what design boss Stefan Sielaff describes as a ?new direction? in design and interior quality.

This is a flagship model for Audi; it is only expected to account for 40,000 sales per year, but is intended to boost the brand?s image. ?The segment for four-door coupes is growing, most significantly in North America. It is not something that can be ignored,? said a senior Audi source.

A new platform underpins the A7, and it will also form the basis of the next A6. Based around the MLP (Modular Long Platform) matrix unveiled on the A5 last year, it concentrates as much weight as possible within the wheelbase for optimum weight distribution.

Unlike the next A6, which will retain coil-sprung suspension, the A7 has been conceived to run air springs so it can match the CLS?s ride quality.

Audi is readying three direct-injection petrol engines for the A7: 2.8 FSI and 3.0-litre TFSI V6s and a 4.0-litre TFSI V8. Diesel options will include a 2.7-litre V6 unit, as well as both turbocharged and twin-turbocharged versions of the existing 3.0-litre V6 TDI.

A six-speed manual gearbox will be standard, with the option of a seven-speed twin-clutch unit and a new seven-speed automatic.

High-performance S7 and RS7 versions are being lined up. The RS7 will use a tweaked version of the RS6?s twin-turbo, 5.2-litre V10 engine, delivering 600bhp through quattro four-wheel drive and a new torque distribution system, which will make its debut on the S4.

A hybrid system is also being developed for the A7, but it will arrive first on the Q5 SUV next year. Audi?s hybrid system uses lithium-ion batteries from Sanyo and uses either a V6 petrol or a diesel engine.

Keen to retain its reputation for class-leading cabin quality, Audi says it has ensured that the A7?s interior is, in the words of one insider, ?a cut above the four-door coupe competition?. Along with higher-quality materials, the new A7 will use a second generation of the MMI (Multi Media Interface) controller. There will also be a new speech recognition system that development boss Michael Dick calls ?a real breakthrough?.

Despite the car?s generous dimensions ? length is put at 4900mm ? Audi plans to offer the A7 exclusively with a four-seat layout. With the A6 or A8 on offer for customers seeking greater practicality, Audi is keen not to cannibalise sales.
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Wow. I'll have one in black please.
 
Motherfucker, Audi gotta stop putting out all those awesome cars. Wonder what it's going to cost though. The RS7 is going to have quite a bit more power than the R8.
 
I like Audi design, especially A4 and A6, but this is just hideous. It looks like a bunker with tiny windows.
 
I hope that's a photoshop..
 
It is definitely a photoshop. The idea actually sounds quite nice though! :D
 
It looks like they got an elephant to sit on the bonnet and boot of the A8.

Audi - racing neck and neck with BMW to find the most pointless niches!
 
That's a photoshop, I remember seeing it in "Auto, Motor & Sport" a while back.

However, this will be a very good car. Audi is clearly on a roll and have achieved a great arrangement of styling, performance and quality, that is unique to them.

And even though is just another industry generated market niche, these four-door "coupes" have increasing demand and offer a nice alternative to the still kinda boring four-door saloons.
 
I don't really get the whole thing about those saloons (or even liftbacks?:yucky:) with the practicality of coupes. Why would you want a car that combines the disadvantages of saloons and coupes and looks worse?
 
Well yeah, clearly its a photoshop so no comment in regards to styling...


The concept of a four-door coupe by Audi is promising. I have high expectations of Audi with this venture.
 
I reckon the A7 is gonna look like a lovechild from an A5 and the A8. And on that basis I bet that photoshop isn't far off from how the real thing is gonna look like.
 
If they are in fact making this their flagship, you know it's going to look exceptional inside and out. Especially considering the designs of the latest cars to come from Audi, I have no doubt in Audi
 
SL65 said:
Well yeah, clearly its a photoshop so no comment in regards to styling...
Click to expand...

and a bad one at that, it looks like they just strechted an A5 and A8-ified the front slightly.
 
Car manufacturers: Stop jumping on the CLS wagon, we do not need more 4-door coupes that are simply posh saloons with tall window line! :shakefist:
 
I don't care what anyone says, I can't call something with 4-doors formatted like this, like the CLS, or like the Panamera, and call it a coupe.

According to Webster's Dictionary: "a 2-door automobile often seating only two persons; also : one with a tight-spaced rear seat"
 
The front looks a lot like the 300C lookalike in GTA4. Hopefully they'll not make it that flat. But otherwise, yet another awesome looking car!
 
they already have THREE entire lines of four door cars

Another crossover would almost make more sense...
 
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