MOTORING – AL L-NEW AUDI A7
SUV’s may be the ‘in’ thing at the moment, but if like me you have owned and driven one for the last 14 years and feel it is time for a change then I may have found just the car for you, a sleek Coupe but with 4 doors, plenty of load space and an interior fit for the whole family and of course all-wheel drive.
Audi built its rapid growth that started in the middle of the last decade by building saloon shaped cars with something different about them. The original A5 Coupe is probably still one of the best looking cars you will see on UK roads, while the A7 sort of created a market for itself, it was a big luxury cruiser that looked like a coupe but came as a Sportback with 4 doors, rivalling an estate for boot space. Both were huge commercial success stories, brilliant for their time.
Fast forward a couple of prime ministers and the stunning all new A7, the vehicle I was lucky to collect from Listers Audi Birmingham and call mine for the weekend is looking back at you on these pages, it’s sporty sleek exterior looking to perform the same party trick in a completely different skin and competitive environment.
And all new it looks. Audi’s design boss, Mark Lichte, has previously admitted that the ‘Russian-doll’ uniform approach was fine when Audi was an underdog all those years ago, but now you can throw a duvet over the big 3 premium German car makers in the UK by sales volume, so same again design simply won’t do. New Audi’s from now on will need to stand out from the crowd and each other, they need to be prouder than the almighty amount of technology Audi has shoehorned inside.
Which brings me onto how you lock and unlock the car, not normally something that you would expect to see so early on in a road test of a car that starts within a London pint or so of £55,000, I admit, but all I can say is look it up on YouTube… LEDs illuminate in animated flourishes across the width of the car when you unlock it, and put on a full ‘Knight Rider’ show when you lock it again. It’s a perfect combination of jaw dropping artistry, being a little unnecessary, and a show of exuberance that has been missing during these ‘Russian-doll’ years. You will never get tired of it and it puts a smile on your face even before you get behind the wheel, and that’s a very good thing.
Once you do, the A7 continuous a tradition that has been ongoing for as long as anyone can remember - this Audi comes with a sumptuous interior. It includes the very latest and all new dual-screen infotainment display that I have to say was really easy to get used to and use. The top screen, measuring 10.1” deals with the radio, sat nav and smartphone integration, while the bottom 8.6” screen deals with climate control. While moving away from the old MMI wheel, the functions, sub menus and general navigation is still ‘very Audi’ so transferring from an existing car will be straightforward.
The touchscreens include razor-sharp graphics, some of the best I have seen, showing the way to vehicles twice the A7’s price bracket, whilst the haptic feedback makes it feel like pressing physical buttons, such a simple idea and yet so brilliant, combining the best of both worlds.
You also have the much acclaimed virtual cockpit right in front of you with digital dials and the ability to control sat nav and music functions to your preference as standard, so you spend less time looking anywhere else other than straight ahead.
An electric driver’s seat with 4 way lumbar support is also standard and the view while driving is very good, as are the headlights, rear visibility however is a victim of the aggressively sloping roofline. However, you do get both front and rear parking sensors and a rear view camera as standard which is pleasing.
As it is so early in its life, the A7 comes with simple engine and trim configurations – there are two of each. You can have either a 3.0 TDI diesel 286PS badged ‘50’ under Audi’s new naming system or 3.0 TFSI petrol 340PS, badged ‘55’. You can also choose from standard ‘Sport’ or the more expensive ‘S line’ trim levels, the latter adding 20” alloys, HD Matrix LED headlights, S line exterior body styling, and Sports seats in a lovely combination of leather and alcantara. quattro all-wheel drive is standard across the range, as is the 48v electrical system that was first showcased in the SQ7, then the A8, meaning the A7 is technically what is curiously referred to as a ‘mild hybrid’.
I will keep this as simple as possible…The main benefit of this electrical system is that it enables the engine to shut down completely when coasting between 34 and 99mph, saving fuel on non-stop cruises. A strangely satisfying haptic nudge on the accelerator pedal tells you when it’s possible to do this. When you are outside of the operating window, a belt generator is used to fire the engine back up when needed, and you really have to concentrate on nothing else to even detect the engine re-starting.
Even with the current political backdrop, the 50 TDI is expected to garner the lion’s share of sales, but the 55 TFSI engine is unsurprisingly the more exciting choice for the keener driver. It turns the A7 into a genuinely quick car, although you have to work it significantly harder to maximise performance, you get your rewards.
In regards to options, I would tick the air suspension box (£2,000). It’s well controlled, being just on the right side of firm for a long distance drive while providing a floatiness across undulating or uneven roads, combined with the eerie lack of wind noise (fast becoming an Audi trait) and it delivers a very relaxing drive indeed..
The all new Audi A7 starts from £54,940 OTR and is available to test drive at Listers Audi in Birmingham, Coventry, Stratford-upon-Avon or Worcester. If you are looking at the usual range of 4 door family cars and wanting something different that still delivers on space and comfort but brings back the excitement to driving then go test drive the A7, you cannot fail to be impressed and it just might put the smile back into family motoring for you.
0121 746 5500 Birmingham | 024 7667 5675 Coventry | 01789 414 477 Stratford | 01905 421 000 Worcester
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