The Audi A7 is an
executive
Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to:
Role or title
* Executive, a senior management role in an organization
** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators
** Executive dir ...
luxury
Luxury may refer to:
* Luxury goods, an economic good or service for which demand increases more than proportionally as income rises
*Luxury tax, tax on products not considered essential, such as expensive cars
**Luxury tax (sports), surcharge pu ...
five-door
liftback
A liftback is a variation of hatchback with a sloping roofline between 45 and 5 degrees. Traditional hatchback designs usually have a 90 to 46 degree slope on the tailgate or rear door. As such the liftback is essentially a hatchback with a more ...
coupé produced by
Audi
Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
Th ...
since 2010. Also available as a three-box, four-door
saloon in China since 2021, it features a sloping roofline with a steeply raked rear window and integrated
boot lid (forming the so-called "Sportback"), and four
frameless doors.
Audi Sportback concept (2009)
![AudiSportbackConcept](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/AudiSportbackConcept.jpg)
The
Audi Sportback concept is a concept vehicle powered by a 3.0-litre V6 TDI clean diesel engine rated at and of torque. It features a 7-speed
S tronic transmission, quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system, five-link front suspension, continuous damping control shock absorbers, electromechanical steering, ceramic brake discs (380 mm front and 356 mm rear), front 6-piston monobloc aluminium brake calipers, rear floating-caliper brakes and 21-inch wheels.
The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009
Detroit Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show as of 2022 and prior to NAIAS, is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., at Huntington Place. The show was held in January from 1989 to 2019. ...
,
and it also previews the facelifted 2015 A7 Sportback.
First generation (Type 4G8; 2010–2018)
Initial release
The A7 is in essence, a four-door
fastback version of the C7-series
Audi A6
The Audi A6 is an executive car made by the German automaker Audi. Now in its fifth generation, the successor to the Audi 100 is manufactured in Neckarsulm, Germany, and is available in saloon and estate configurations, the latter marketed by A ...
, based on the
Volkswagen Group MLB platform
The Volkswagen Group MLB platform is the company's platform strategy, announced in 2012, for shared modular construction of its longitudinal, front-engined automobiles.
It was developed by Audi and first introduced in 2007 on the Audi A5 then, c ...
. The A7 was released before the more conventional A6
saloon/
estate. Both cars share the same core structure, drivetrain, chassis, dashboard and interior, whilst the A7 has its own unique exterior panelwork. It also differs from the A6 in that it uses aluminium for much of its front body structure. The A7 was also the first fastback to appear within the Audi C-platform series since the Avant version of the C2
Audi 100
The Audi 100 and Audi 200 (and sometimes called Audi 5000 in North America) are primarily mid-size/executive cars manufactured and marketed by the Audi division of the Volkswagen Group. The car was made from 1968 to 1997 across four generations (C ...
, which was discontinued in 1982.
The vehicle was unveiled in Pinakothek der Moderne art museum in
Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...
on 26 July 2010, and later at the
2010 Paris Motor Show,
2011 New York Auto Show, Wörthersee Tour 2011 (in Misano Red).
The vehicles went on sale in autumn 2010. Early models include 2.8 FSI () with multitronic, 3.0 TFSI quattro () with seven-speed S tronic, 3.0 TDI quattro () with seven-speed S tronic; followed by 3.0 TDI () with multitronic.
The 2011 model year A7 introduces
FlexRay high speed databus that controls all the
driver assistance systems from the
A8, but it adds
head-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD (), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a pilot being able to view informa ...
and
active lane assist. Full
LED headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term fo ...
s with
Automatic high beam switching or Audi
adaptive light (
Xenon
Xenon is a chemical element with the symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a dense, colorless, odorless noble gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Although generally unreactive, it can undergo a few chemical reactions such as the ...
) with
variable headlight range control.
US models went on sale 2012 model year vehicles.
Early models include 3.0 TFSI quattro () with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Audi S7 (2012–2017)
The S7 is a version of the A7 with a
biturbo T
FSI V8 engine rated at and of torque, as well as a
quattro four wheel drive system and 7-speed S–tronic gearbox. The S7 can accelerate from in 4.7 seconds.
The vehicle was unveiled at the
2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, and later in 2012 Audi quattro Cup.
Delivery of the S7 began in spring 2012.
Similar vehicles
Reviewers have cited the
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class as the inspiration to the Audi A7 in the four-door executive sedan market.
Engines and performance
The following
internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal c ...
s are available, with variations dependent on market.
Awards
In the ''
ICOTY'' Awards, the Audi A7 was named the International Car of the Year in 2012.
''
AutoWeek
''Autoweek'' is a car culture publication based in Detroit, Michigan. It was first published in 1958 and in 1977 the publication was purchased by Crain Communications Inc, its current parent company. The magazine was published weekly and focused ...
'' magazine named the Audi A7 as the Best of the Best/Car for 2012.
''
Esquire'' magazine named the Audi A7 as the 2011 Esquire Car of the Year.
''
Automobile Magazine
''Automobile'' was an American automobile magazine published by the Motor Trend Group. A group of former employees of ''Car and Driver'' led by David E. Davis founded ''Automobile'' in 1986 with support from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, u ...
'' named the Audi A7 "2012 Automobile of the Year".
Marketing
As part of the A7 Sportback product launch, a launch campaign was created in collaboration with the London advertising agency
Bartle Bogle Hegarty
Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) is a British global advertising agency. Founded in 1982 by British ad men John Bartle, Nigel Bogle, and John Hegarty, BBH has offices in London, New York City, Singapore, Shanghai, Mumbai, Stockholm and Los Angeles ...
. The birth story of the A7 Sportback became the inspiration of the Paper Liberation spot.
As part of the A7 launch in the US, a papercraft version of 2012 Audi A7 was produced.
As part of the S7 launch in the US, a Super Bowl commercial was produced.
2012 update
A7 3.0 TDI quattro () (as A7 3.0 BiTDI quattro) was added to the UK market.
The A7 3.0 TDI clean diesel quattro was unveiled at the
2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.
US model of A7 3.0 TDI clean diesel quattro was set to go on sale in fall 2013 as 2014 model year vehicle.
A7 Sportback Black Edition (2013–)
The A7 Sportback Black Edition is a version of the A7 (excluding 3.0 TDI (), S7) for the UK market. It includes 21-inch rotor-design alloy wheels with a dark titanium finish with further lowered S line sports suspension, black grille and number plate surrounds and the window frame strips, and by privacy glass extending from the B-pillar rearwards; Piano Black inlays, sports seats upholstered in black Valcona leather, black headlining, BOSE audio system with DAB radio and AMI from SE specification and above, S line equipment package (satellite navigation, light and rain sensors, Xenon all-weather headlights and LED rear lights, Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system, Audi parking system plus, keyless go), powered tailgate operation, electrically adjustable front seats and a powered retractable rear spoiler.
Sales began in November 2012, with deliveries began in early 2013.
RS 7 (2013–2019)
![Audi RS7 (14473787081)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Audi_RS7_%2814473787081%29.jpg)
The RS 7 has a
4.0 TFSI
The spark-ignition engine, spark-ignition petrol engines listed below operate on the four-stroke engine, four-stroke cycle, and unless stated otherwise, use a wet sump motor oil, lubrication system, and are water cooling, water-cooled.ETKA offi ...
twin scroll
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...
twin turbo
Twin-turbo (not to be confused with a twincharger setup, which is a combination of a supercharger and a turbocharger) refers to an engine in which two turbochargers work in tandem to compress the intake fuel/air mixture (or intake air, in the case ...
V8 engine
A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder piston engine in which two banks of four cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V8 engine was produced by the French Antoinette company in 1904, developed and u ...
rated at and of torque, as well as
cylinder on demand system deactivates intake and exhaust valves of 4 cylinders (2, 3, 5 and 8), eight-speed
tiptronic
The modern usage of the automotive term manumatic denotes an automatic transmission that allows the driver to select a specific gear, typically using paddle-shifters, steering wheel-mounted push-buttons, or "+" and "-" controls on the gear sele ...
transmission with D and S driving modes,
quattro with torque vectoring with
self-locking center differential
A locking differential is a mechanical component, commonly used in vehicles, designed to overcome the chief limitation of a standard open differential by essentially "locking" both wheels on an axle together as if on a common shaft. This forces ...
with a high locking rate and
oil cooler
Oil cooling is the use of engine oil as a coolant, typically to remove surplus heat from an internal combustion engine. The hot engine transfers heat to the oil which then usually passes through a heat-exchanger, typically a type of radiator kno ...
(optional
quattro with sport differential with two superposition gears), polished 20-inch forged wheels in a seven twin-spoke design (optional 21-inch cast wheels in a choice of three designs), four internally vented diameter brake discs with diameter front discs and black (optional red) painted six-piston calipers (optional
carbon fiber
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers (Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon compo ...
ceramic discs with anthracite grey calipers),
electronic stabilization control with Sport and off modes, adaptive air suspension lowering body by (optional tauter sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control), optional
Dynamic all-wheel steering with continuously variable steering boost and ratio, high-gloss black protective grille with honeycomb structure at the front of the car, add-on parts in matte aluminium,
power extending spoiler, two elliptical tailpipe trims, a choice of 10 body colours (including Nardo grey, exclusive finish Daytona grey, matte effect), optional matte aluminium and carbon styling packages, footrest, pedals and soft keys in the standard
MMI navigation plus The Multi Media Interface (MMI) system is an in-car user interface media system developed by Audi, and was launched at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show on the Audi Avantissimo concept car. Production MMI was introduced in the second generation Audi A ...
terminal in an aluminium-look finish; decorative trim below the retractable monitor in piano finish, carbon inlays (four optional additional materials), headlining in black cloth (optional lunar silver or black Alcantara), RS sport seats with side bolsters and integrated head restraints and RS 7 logos upholstered in black Alcantara and leather with diamond quilting at center sections (optional honeycomb-quilted Valcona leather in either black or lunar silver), optional power-adjustable comfort seats with memory function, contoured rear seats,
xenon plus headlights, a
tyre pressure monitoring system
A tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) monitors the air pressure inside the pneumatic tires on vehicles.
A TPMS reports real-time tire-pressure information to the driver, using either a gauge, a pictogram display, or a simple low-pressure wa ...
, the
parking system plus, three-zone automatic air conditioning, cruise control, Audi sound system, MMI navigation plus,
adaptive cruise control
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an available cruise control advanced driver-assistance system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. As of 2019, it is also called by 20 un ...
with
Start-stop system including Audi
pre sense front.
The RS 7 can accelerate from in 3.9 seconds and is limited to . The optional dynamic package and dynamic package plus increase top speeds to and respectively.
Other options include the exterior mirrors with exposed carbon housings and the all-
LED headlight
A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for ...
s, head-up display, a comfort package, the dynamic package, the dynamic package plus,
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limi ...
online
car phone
A car phone is a mobile radio telephone specifically designed for and fitted into an automobile.
This service originated with the Bell System and was first used in St. Louis on June 17, 1946.
Overview
The original equipment weighed , and the ...
,
Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System.
The vehicle was unveiled at the 2013
NAIAS
The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show as of 2022 and prior to NAIAS, is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., at Huntington Place. The show was held in January from 1989 to 2019. ...
.
Audi announced the RS 7 Performance along with the RS 6 Performance on 22 October 2015. It is powered by the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine as the standard RS 7, but now with at 6,100-6,800 rpm and of
torque
In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of th ...
at 2,500-5,500 rpm. The top speed remains limited to as standard, and there are optional Dynamic and Dynamic Plus packages that raise the top speed to and respectively. The RS 7 Performance will accelerate from in 3.7 seconds and in 12.1 seconds. Despite the improved performance, the fuel economy and are unchanged from the standard RS 6 Avant.
Mid-2014 facelift (model year 2015)
Audi unveiled the 2015 A7 facelift in May 2014.
Changes include:
*Styling tweaks to the car's exterior, engine line-up, transmission.
*Latest
Multi Media Interface The Multi Media Interface (MMI) system is an in-car user interface media system developed by Audi, and was launched at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show on the Audi Avantissimo concept car. Production MMI was introduced in the second generation Audi A8 ...
modular infotainment platform (faster
Nvidia
Nvidia CorporationOfficially written as NVIDIA and stylized in its logo as VIDIA with the lowercase "n" the same height as the uppercase "VIDIA"; formerly stylized as VIDIA with a large italicized lowercase "n" on products from the mid 1990s to ...
Tegra 3
Tegra is a system on a chip (SoC) series developed by Nvidia for mobile devices such as smartphones, personal digital assistants, and mobile Internet devices. The Tegra integrates an ARM architecture central processing unit (CPU), graphics proc ...
processor, improved graphics) including
handwriting recognition
Handwriting recognition (HWR), also known as handwritten text recognition (HTR), is the ability of a computer to receive and interpret intelligible handwritten input from sources such as paper documents, photographs, touch-screens and other de ...
.
*Audi connect
telematics
Telematics is an interdisciplinary field encompassing telecommunications, vehicular technologies (road transport, road safety, etc.), electrical engineering (sensors, instrumentation, wireless communications, etc.), and computer science (multimedia ...
with
4G mobile internet
The mobile web refers to mobile browser-based World Wide Web services accessed from handheld mobile devices, such as smartphones or feature phones, through a mobile or other wireless network.
History and development
Traditionally, the Worl ...
(and mobile updates for the navigation map).
*Adaptive glare-free
Matrix LED
A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term fo ...
headlights.
*Improved
Night Vision Assistant can now recognize animals.
*Both TFSI and all three TDI engines now meet the
Euro 6
The European emission standards are vehicle emission standards for pollution from the use of new land surface vehicles sold in the European Union and EEA member states and the UK, and ships in EU waters. The standards are defined in a seri ...
emission standard.
File:Audi A7 3.0 TFSI quattro S line Facelift Heck.JPG, MY15 facelift
File:Audi S7 (2017) (33533747615).jpg, Audi S7 (facelift)
File:Audi S7 (2017) (33533750435).jpg, Audi S7 (facelift)
File:2014 Audi A7 Sportback Typ 4G Facelift 3.0 TDI competition quattro Biturbo clean diesel V6 tiptronic Cockpit Innenraum Interieur.jpg, Interior (facelift)
Second generation (Type 4K8; 2018–present)
The second generation A7 was revealed in October 2017, officially launching in Germany in February 2018, and has been on sale in Europe since late 2017. It made its North American debut at the
North American International Auto Show in Detroit on 12 January 2018. Production started in February 2018 at Audi's Neckarsulm plant.
File:2018 Audi A7 S Line 50 TDi Quattro 3.0 Rear.jpg, Rear view
File:2019 Audi A7 Sportback TDi Quattro 50 Interior.jpg, Interior
File:Audi A7 55 TFSIe Quattro Genf 2019 1Y7A5450.jpg, Audi A7 55 TFSIe Quattro
The RS 7 Sportback was first unveiled at the
2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Specifications
* Engine: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminium block and heads, direct fuel injection.
* Displacement:
* Power: at 6250 rpm
* Torque: at 2050 rpm
File:Audi RS7 C8 at IAA 2019 IMG 0307.jpg, Audi RS7
File:Audi RS7 C8 at IAA 2019 IMG 0310.jpg, Rear
A7L
In April 2021, Audi launched the three-box sedan version of the A7, called the A7L. It is only sold in China as the first Audi model manufactured by the
SAIC Volkswagen
SAIC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd., formerly known as Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. is an automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Anting, Shanghai, China and a joint venture between Volkswagen Group and SAIC Motor. It was ...
joint venture. The engine is the same as that used in the liftback version, 3.0-litre TFSI engine with and of torque.
File:Audi A7L 001.jpg, Audi A7L
File:Audi A7L 002.jpg, Side
File:Audi A7L 003.jpg, Rear
File:AUDI A7L INTERIOR.jpg, Interior
Engine
At launch, the A7 was powered by a six-cylinder petrol engine making and , an engine also used in the new Audi A8. Further engines will follow soon after the start of production.
All units will receive a
48-volt vehicle electrical system, which together with the
belt alternator starter (BAS) comprises the MHEV system (Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle).
Asia
* China - The second generation A7 Sportback was launched in China in December 2018. An additional extended wheelbase three box sedan variant was launched in China in April 2021 called the A7L. the A7L is manufactured by
SAIC-Volkswagen
SAIC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd., formerly known as Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. is an automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Anting, Shanghai, China and a joint venture between Volkswagen Group and SAIC Motor. It was ...
as one of the first Audi products to be produced by SAIC.
* Pakistan - The A7 Sportback MK2 Type C8/4K was Launched in Pakistan in 2019.
* India - The new A7 was launched in India in 2018.
* Bangladesh - The second generation of the Audi A7 will be the first generation of the A7 to be sold in Bangladesh.
* Oman - The second generation of A7 will be sold in Oman in September 2018.
* Vietnam - Introduced to the Vietnamese market in October 2018.
* Thailand - Introduced to the Thai market in February 2019.
See also
*
Audi A7 sportback h-tron
References
External links
Audi A7 official website(U.S.A)
{{Audi vehicles timeline (North America)
A7
Executive cars
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Vehicles with CVT transmission
All-wheel-drive vehicles
Hatchbacks
Sedans
Plug-in hybrid vehicles
Cars introduced in 2010
2020s cars