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2011 Audi A7 Sportback Preview

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Michel Deslauriers
Three for one
Is it a coupe? Is it a sedan? Is it a wagon? Audi would like you to think that the A7 is all of those things. The German company is actually calling it a five-door coupe. Confused?

As a BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo competitor, the A7 Sportback makes a better first impression. With its long hood and short deck, the Audi is more elegant than the 5 GT’s high-riding pseudo-crossover approach.

Photo: Audi

The A7 borrows styling cues from the rest of the family, including a character line that starts at the front bumper, sweeps over the front fender, the door handles, and wraps around the rear just over the taillights. A rear spoiler extends at 130 km/h and retracts back down at 80 km/h, à la TT and R8.

The most striking visual aspect is the way the sloping hatch seems to pour over the rear fascia. The result is a car that looks like it’s moving perpetually, even when standing still. The car also draws inspiration from the 1969 Audi 100 Coupé S.

The soon-to-be-redesigned A6 should look pretty much like the Sportback, but obviously with a proper trunk.

At 4,970 mm in length, the A7 is slightly longer and wider than the current-gen A6, but about an inch shorter than a BMW 5-Series GT. Audi claims 535 litres of cargo space, although you could squeeze as much as 1,390 litres through the hatch if you fold down the rear seatbacks. Curb weight is kept to a minimum, thanks to the use of aluminum; the car weighs about 3,800 pounds, or about a thousand less than BMW’s GT.

On the outside, bi-xenon headlights will be standard while LED units will be available, while wheel sizes will vary from 18 to 20 inches. Electric-assist power steering and Audi’s Drive Select dynamic driving system are also included, and an air suspension is optional. A power hatch will be standard, and an S line Sport Package will also be offered.

Inside, the four-passenger A7 gets available creature comforts such as climate and massaging front seats, ambient lighting, a head-up display, a 1300-watt, Bang & Olufsen sound system with 15 speakers, a new-gen MMI system with touchpad input that was introduced in the redesigned A8, 10-way power and heated front seats or 14-way power sport seats, a heated wheel, several types of leather upholstery as well as aluminum or wood trim.

Photo: Audi
Michel Deslauriers
Michel Deslauriers
Automotive expert
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