This is the standard operating Car the Audi A7-Sportback, This large hatch could be the most beautiful among all Audi yet. Long, wide and stylish look. it’s styled with smooth and supremely clean lines. The front end is better proportioned than the latest A8's and seems cool and almost stoic—especially with the optional LED headlights. The side view recalls the most handsome (if not the most reliable) of 1970s hatchbacks, such as the Rover SD-1 and Citroën CX; the rear end is cut off sharply, like an Italian supercar of that same era. This car is free of the gimmicks you'll find on many others in this class, and we haven't talked to anyone who doesn't admire its looks.
Now that I've established that the A7 is beautiful, I’ll note that the car really is little more than a dressed-up, next-generation A6. It uses Audi’s modular longitudinal architecture; a good 20 percent of the A7’s body is made from aluminum, which is more heavily relied on in the more expensive A8, but most of the A7 is made from less costly steel.
Calm Design and Synchronized Exterior :-
The A7 turns heads. Everywhere. You would think that the metallic beige Audi isn’t unique enough to catch the jaded Mumbaikar’s eye, but that’s just what it does. Credit goes to its low, brooding stance and slit eyed headlamps, but where the A7 is racier than the regular German executive cars is with its Mustang-like fastback rear. I think it looks fantastic and other road users seem to unanimously agree.
Experience behind the wheel of the A7 bodes well for the next A6. The chassis glides over uneven roads with far more grace than before; this is a very comfortable car, with none of the harshness and forced sportiness that characterizes many other Audi models. The 114.7-inch wheelbase, up almost three inches over the previous A6’s, definitely helps in keeping body motions controlled and the cabin serene. But whereas the A7 can be considered a big car, at least in Europe, it doesn't mind being pushed through the corners. This is especially true for those versions equipped with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which feeds 60 percent of torque to the rear wheels as a default; as much as 70 percent can be shunted to the front and 85 percent to the rear. All U.S.-bound A7s will have Quattro.
Even without the optional sport differential, the A7 is agile when pushed. It stays neutral up to insane cornering speeds and never discourages you from playing. Audi's wheel-selective torque vectoring is so well programmed that the stability control has one of the lightest workloads of any of the systems in this car. Besides the 3.0 TFSI Quattro—the U.S.-bound configuration—we drove a front-wheel-drive 3.0-liter TDI. It is also predictable in its handling and fairly agile but ultimately tends toward understeer and is less quick to recover speed when exiting corners..
This is a long, low car, and it feels that way when you get in. You stoop to enter, and sit a lot lower than in conventional saloons of this size, but it’s a comfortable place once inside. I liked the interior’s craftsmanship and trimmings that make it feel quite special. The swooping dashboard and door inserts, the precision machining of the aluminium centre console controls and the showy arrival of the MMI system’s screen that rises out from a slot in the dash, all create an alluring first impression.
At the rear, the fastback roofline will scuff the scalps of taller people, and sitting three abreast is a bit of a squeeze. Legroom isn’t bad but what makes it a tad uncomfortable is the upright seat back. The underlying message here is don’t buy this car if the rear seat is a priority. The boot is reasonably spacious and though it’s a bit shallow, it makes up with its length and you can split and fold the rear seats for a bigger load area.
There’s no stinting on equipment. Standard features include adaptive air suspension, two-zone climate control, a fuel saving start-stop system, Audi’s Multi-Media Interface, a parking system with a reverse camera, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The options list is quite long too, so you can really spec it up. But, as with all Audis, the spare tyre is a space saver.
Engine Specification:-
The engine is longitudinally mounted and sends power to all four wheels. Audi’s tried and tested 3.0 V6 diesel motor has been improved for the A7 by using higher injection pressures, new camshaft profiles and a revised turbo. As with most Audi Quattro systems, this one sends 60 percent of its power to the rear axle. Suspension is by way of double wishbones up front and a multi-link setup at the rear with Audi’s adaptive air suspension taking care of damping. A lot of the body is aluminium, including the front suspension struts, so this car weighs in a rather light 1770kg (for its size). The 54/46 front/rear weight distribution is impressive too.
Drive it, and you’ll see the A7 is much more than just a looker. Press the engine start button and the 245bhp, 3.0-litre V6 diesel starts and settles into a beautifully refined idle. The strong point of this engine is the way it makes its 51kgm of torque. It peaks at a low 1400rpm and stays there all the way to 3250rpm. Keep the engine spinning in this range (easy to do via the seven-speed, twin-clutch auto) and you’ll find a car that is rapid in its responses. Flat out, it moves off with convincing urge and performance is befitting of its sporty looks – 100kph comes up in a very rapid 6.6sec and 200kph comes up in under half a minute. The engine is incredibly smooth and refined for the most part, and gets audible only when nearing its redline.
Interior and simplicity :-
Inside, the A7 simultaneously oozes opulence and simplicity. The high center console creates a sporty, cockpit-like feeling; the instruments are clear and crisp; and the materials are, as usual for Audi, stunning. The aluminum and wood trim options could be considered an industry benchmark, with the layered oak being the most luxurious variation.
Complementing the A6-based mechanicals are lots of gadgets that first appeared in the flagship A8, including the touch pad that can detect fingertip handwriting and a feature whereby test car constantly updated its navigation system with Google Maps data . The A7’s head-up system is crisp and clear, and there is a full set of nanny and assistance systems, including radar sensors to detect slow or stopped vehicles ahead, blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control that can operate to and from a complete stop, and lane-keeping assist. The data fed into the latter helps in the event the car begins to slide by increasing or decreasing the power steering assist. I like the speed-limit-recognition technology, which displays road signs in the IP as you pass them—handy if you’re driving in unfamiliar locales—but I'm unsure if it will make it to U.S. models.
Audi’s drive select system (standard on the A7) lets you tailor everything from engine responsiveness, steering weight, suspension setting and even seatbelt pre-tensioning. Select the dynamic mode and the steering weights up a bit more and you can feel the suspension tightly controlling body movements. Around corners, the A7 displays phenomenal grip and fantastic body control and is quite fun to drive on a twisting road. The electrically assisted steering is a big letdown though – it feels too inert, lifeless and vague. If not for the desensitised steering, the A7 would have been quite a hoot to drive.
The A7 costs Rs 64 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) which means it sits exactly between the A6 and the A8 on price. It is expensive but that’s the price you pay for style. The A7’s looks, drivetrain and equipment are all compelling reasons to buy one. It rides well, is very refined and is a lot more practical than its shape would suggest. Sweet chariot it is.
SPECIFICATIONS:-
PRICE RANGE:- Ex showroom (Delhi)- Rs 64 Lakhs
ENGINE:-
- Fuel:- Diesel
- Installation:- Front, Longitudinal, All-wheel Drive
- Type:- 6 cyl in-vee, 2967 cc, turbo-diesel
- Power:- 245 bhp@4000-4500 rpm
- Torque:- 51 kgm@1400-3250 rpm
- Type:- Auto
- Gear Box:- Seven-Speed Twin Clutch
- Length:- 4969 mm
- Width:- 1911 mm
- Height:- 1420 mm
- Wheel Base:- 2914 mm
- Weight:- 1770 kg
- Wheels:- 18 inch
- Tyre:- 255/45- R 18
- Spare:- Space Saver
- Front:- Double Wishbones
- Rear:- Multi-link Setup with Adaptive Air Suspension
- Type of power assist:- Electric
- Front:- Ventilated Disc
- Rear:- Ventilated Disc
- Anti-Lock:- Yes
- 0-20:- 1.01
- 0-40:- 1.95
- 0-60:- 3.17
- 0-80:- 4.76
- 0-100:- 6.60
- 0-120:- 9.25
- 0-140:- 12.37
- 0-160:- 16.45
- 0-180:- 20.89
Courtesy :- AARUSH
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