Occupants will ride in splendour with plenty of legroom, and that hatchback-like sportback adds practical utility.
As expected, there’s an extensive array of gadgetry – from Multi Media Interface (MMI) featuring touchpad control and Google 3D nav mapping, adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and a new park assist feature which looks after parallel parking for you.
It almost seems sacrilege to throw such a luxurious vehicle around the equivalent of a rugged logging road. But the A7 loses none of its serene composure over the rough surfaces. Heading onto a large, icy skid pad, I anticipated some heavy understeer from the large car.
But it remained neutral through the corners, with 60 percent of its power channeled through the rear wheels, the Quattro system quickly redirects as much as 70 percent to the front when it sensed slippage.
My tester is equipped with the optional “sports differential” – the technical explanation of which left most of the attending media looking like frightened deer in the headlights. Simply put, the state-of-the-art differential can split the torque between the rear wheels with lightening fast accuracy. Along with Audi’s wheel-selective torque-vectoring which can send extra power to the outside wheels throughout the turn, the A7 can be pushed really hard through the corners without losing grip. Even with the sports differential turned off, the amount of understeer is fairly negligible and it recovers quickly without resorting to counter-steering correction.
The A7’s style will distinguish it in a segment that includes the Mercedes Benz CLS and the Porsche Panamera V6, but its prowess when the going gets rough and slippery is what will really set it apart.
As expected, there’s an extensive array of gadgetry – from Multi Media Interface (MMI) featuring touchpad control and Google 3D nav mapping, adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and a new park assist feature which looks after parallel parking for you.
It almost seems sacrilege to throw such a luxurious vehicle around the equivalent of a rugged logging road. But the A7 loses none of its serene composure over the rough surfaces. Heading onto a large, icy skid pad, I anticipated some heavy understeer from the large car.
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| The A7’s style will distinguish it in a segment that includes the CLS and the Panamera V6, but its prowess when the going gets rough and slippery is what will really set it apart. (Photo: Audi) |
But it remained neutral through the corners, with 60 percent of its power channeled through the rear wheels, the Quattro system quickly redirects as much as 70 percent to the front when it sensed slippage.
My tester is equipped with the optional “sports differential” – the technical explanation of which left most of the attending media looking like frightened deer in the headlights. Simply put, the state-of-the-art differential can split the torque between the rear wheels with lightening fast accuracy. Along with Audi’s wheel-selective torque-vectoring which can send extra power to the outside wheels throughout the turn, the A7 can be pushed really hard through the corners without losing grip. Even with the sports differential turned off, the amount of understeer is fairly negligible and it recovers quickly without resorting to counter-steering correction.
The A7’s style will distinguish it in a segment that includes the Mercedes Benz CLS and the Porsche Panamera V6, but its prowess when the going gets rough and slippery is what will really set it apart.
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