What's the news?
Hot on the heels of our test drive of the new Audi A8, we now get our first proper look at the 2018 Audi A7 Sportback. This sleek 'four-door coupe' carries on where the previous generation left off though adopts a slightly more conventional exterior design. The last A7 featured a rear that drooped down, giving it an elongated look that not everyone loved. So this time around, the design team has softened off the back end, making the new model look more like a grown-up Audi A5 Sportback.
Exterior
The new Audi A7 draws much from the recently launched A8, especially around the front. A broad front grille and sharp headlight units leave you in no doubt that this is a new Audi. The side's sculpted lines are complemented by a graceful, flowing roofline that tapers less dramatically into the rear than before. It blends elegance with modern design, making the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe look a little dated, for example. In true Audi fashion, the details are what sets the design apart, and this extends to the lights. The use of OLED technology to create a more significant visual impact across the rear of the car is spectacular.
Interior
From a technology standpoint, much of what you see inside the luxurious cabin of the new A7 is what has already been seen in the Audi A8. Large, high-definition touchscreens are the order of the day here, and they cover almost the entire centre console. The upper 10.1-inch screen is angled towards the driver and features the latest infotainment technology. When you don't want to be distracted, you can switch off the screen, which blends almost invisibly into the black panel it is fitted in. Below that, a slightly smaller 8.6-inch screen features all of the relevant functions for the climate control and seat heating. From the driver's seat, you face the now familiar 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit, which has come in for some graphical updates and still looks as impressive as it did when it was first launched.
Mechanicals
Audi is continuing its push to hybrid technology, and all engines in the A7 range will come equipped with mild hybrid systems. These use a smaller battery that is recharged through methods like regenerative braking and doesn't require plugging in. In certain driving situations, mainly when the car is cruising, it can shut off the combustion engine and allow the vehicle to coast along with all of the main ancillary systems powered by the battery. It can do this for up to 40 seconds at a time and, when the engine restarts, it does so in a near-seamless fashion thanks to the Belt Alternator Starter (BAS) system it uses. Audi also plans to launch a plug-in hybrid model that will allow for extended periods of pure electric driving, likely to be called the A7 Sportback e-tron.
Anything else?
Although it won't be available from the start, due to the need for changes to legislation, the Audi A7 will be capable of a certain amount of autonomous driving. Going under the name of Audi AI, this technology is at 'Level 3', meaning that, in certain situations such as slow-moving motorway traffic, it can take over the driving without the driver having to look forward or touch any of the controls. In all the A7 features 39 assistance systems that are designed to make life easier for the driver.
The new Audi A7 will go on sale early in 2018 and full prices will be revealed closer to that time.