Audi A7 Sportback

• Body Glass
  • Front and rear electric windows
  • Heat insulating darkened glass in side and rear windows
  • Rain and light sensors
  • Rear wiper
  • Windscreen with heat-insulating glass
• Brakes
  • Electromechanical parking brake
  • Electronic stabilisation control including ABS, ASR and EDL
  • Hill hold assist
• Carpets/Rugs
  • Front/rear floor mats
• Chassis/Suspension
  • Standard suspension
• Communication
  • Audi connect safety and service (e-call)
  • Audi connect with Amazon Alexa Integration
  • Audi smartphone interface includes wireless Apple carplay/Android Auto
  • Bluetooth interface
  • Voice control system
• Driver Aids
  • Audi drive select
  • Audi parking system plus - acoustic and visual park assist system for front and rear
  • Camera based traffic sign recognition
  • Cruise control system with speed limiter
  • Lane departure warning system
  • Progressive steering
  • Rear view camera
• Driver Convenience
  • Automatic start/stop system with coasting functionality
  • Operating buttons in black, glass look with haptic feedback
• Driver Information
  • Audi virtual cockpit
  • Colour driver's information system display
  • MMI nav plus with MMI touch + 10.1" and 8.6" HD haptic touch screen/3D city models/country information/online map/route info and personal route assist
  • Service indicator
• Driving Mirrors
  • Body coloured door mirrors
  • Electrically adjustable heated and folding + automatically dimming exterior mirrors with memory function
  • Frameless auto dimming interior rear view mirror
• Embellishment Trims
  • Aluminium fragment inlays
• Entertainment
  • Audi music interface
  • Audi sound system with 6 channel amplifier, 180 watt amplifying capacity and 10 loudspeakers including subwoofer
  • Auxiliary input socket
  • DAB digital radio module
• Exterior Body Features
  • Black rear diffuser with chrome inlays
  • Body coloured bumpers
  • High gloss black air inlets
  • High gloss black radiator grille with chrome single frame surround
  • Rear side wing doors
  • Retractable rear spoiler
• Exterior Lights
  • HD Matrix LED headlights
  • LED daytime running lights
  • LED rear lights with dynamic indicators
  • Third brake light
• Heating/Cooling/Ventilation
  • 2 zone deluxe electronic climate control
• Interior Features
  • 3 spoke high multi-function leather steering wheel with shift paddles
  • Cloth headlining
  • Door sills trims with aluminium inlays
  • Front centre armrest
  • Height/reach adjust steering wheel
  • Leather gear knob
  • Leatherette upper instrument panel and door shoulders
  • Luggage compartment lid, electrically opening and closing
  • Tool kit
  • Twin leather upholstery
• Interior Lights
  • Audi phone box light
• Packs
  • LED interior ambient lighting pack - A7
  • Non smoking pack - A7
• Safety
  • 3 point seatbelts on all seats
  • Audi pre-sense front
  • Driver and passenger airbags
  • Extended pedestrian protection measures
  • Manual child lock in rear doors
  • Seatbelt monitoring
  • Tyre pressure warning light
  • Warning triangle and first aid kit
• Seats
  • 4-way electric lumbar support
  • 40/20/40 split folding 3 seater rear seat bench with rear centre armrest
  • Electrically adjustable front seats - driver seat with memory
  • Front and rear headrests
  • Heated front seats
  • ISOFIX child seat mounting and top tether in front and outer rear seats with front passenger airbag deactivation
  • Single front passenger seat
• Security
  • Anti theft alarm with tow away protection
  • Anti-theft wheel bolts and wheel loosening detection
  • Immobiliser
  • Keyless Go
  • Preparation for tracking system
  • Remote central locking
• Towing
  • Towbar preparation
• Transmission
  • Quattro on demand
• Vanity Mirrors
  • Illuminated sun visors with vanity mirrors

• Emissions - ICE
  • HC+NOx:
  • Particles:
  • Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb: 177
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEH: 186
  • WLTP - CO2 (g/km) - Comb - TEL: 177
• Engine and Drive Train
  • Camshaft: DOHC
  • Catalytic Convertor: Yes
  • CC: 1,984
  • Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE
  • Cylinders: 4
  • Engine Code: 4KA03Y
  • Engine Layout: NORTH SOUTH
  • Fuel Delivery: TURBO DIRECT INJECTION
  • Gears: 7 SPEED
  • Number of Valves: 16
  • Transmission: SEMI-AUTO
• Fuel Consumption - ICE
  • EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: No
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb: 7.8
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEH: 8.2
  • WLTP - FC (l/100km) - Comb - TEL: 7.8
  • WLTP - MPG - Comb: 36.2
  • WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEH: 34.4
  • WLTP - MPG - Comb - TEL: 36.2
• General
  • Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No
  • Badge Engine CC: 2.0
  • Badge Power: 265
  • Based On ID:
  • Coin Description: TFSI Quattro
  • Coin Series: Sport
  • Generation Mark: 2
  • Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 44E
  • Man Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12
  • Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3
  • NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %:
  • NCAP Child Occupant Protection %:
  • NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09:
  • NCAP Pedestrian Protection %:
  • NCAP Safety Assist %:
  • Safety Concerns?: No
  • Service Interval Frequency - Months: 24
  • Service Interval Mileage: 18,000
  • Special Edition: No
  • Special Order: No
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 60,000
  • Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3
  • Vehicle Homologation Class: M1
• Performance
  • 0 to 60 mph (secs): No
  • 0 to 62 mph (secs): 6.2
  • Engine Power - BHP: 265
  • Engine Power - KW: 195
  • Engine Power - PS: Yes
  • Engine Power - RPM: 5,250
  • Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 273
  • Engine Torque - MKG: 37.7
  • Engine Torque - NM: 370
  • Engine Torque - RPM: 1600
  • Top Speed: 155
• Test Cycles
  • Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP
  • RDE Certification Level: RDE 2
• Tyres
  • Alloys?: Yes
  • Space Saver?: No
  • Tyre Size Front: 245/45 R19
  • Tyre Size Rear: 245/45 R19
  • Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT
  • Wheel Style: 5 ARM DYNAMIC
  • Wheel Type: 19" ALLOY
• Vehicle Dimensions
  • Height:
  • Height (including roof rails): 1,422
  • Length: 4,969
  • Wheelbase: 2,926
  • Width (including mirrors): 2,118
• Weight and Capacities
  • Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 63
  • Gross Vehicle Weight: 2,385
  • Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 535
  • Max. Loading Weight: 625
  • Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 2,000
  • Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750
  • Minimum Kerbweight: 1,760
  • No. of Seats: 5
  • Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 12.2

Ten Second Review
The second generation Audi A7 Sportback has been carefully but comprehensively updated, with smarter styling, revised engines, a hi-tech all-digital cockpit and a range of intelligent driver assistance systems. It's still a beautifully constructed thing but now offers just that little bit more polish in the face of some very talented rivals.

Background
You might think that a full-sized Executive car - say something like an Audi A6, a BMW 5 Series or a Mercedes E-Class - was a pretty desirable thing. Buyers in this segment though, don't always agree, which is why in recent times, so many of them have drifted away into up-market SUVs and crossovers. In response over the last few years, the prestige brands have produced more dynamic and individual four and five-door designs to sell alongside their standard executive models. Here's Audi's offering, a much improved second generation A7 Sportback. As before, the underpinnings feature some of Audi's more exclusive technology, the kind of thing you'd find in the brand's luxury segment A8 saloon. This car though can be more efficient than any A8. That'll be important for business segment buyers, but I've a suspicion that it's technology that'll really sell them this car. Much of this is optional of course, but if you tick the right boxes for things like the hi-tech Matrix headlights and the advanced autonomous driving and connectivity technology, this car really can be state of the art.

Driving Experience
To start with, A7 Sportback buyers choose between two engines. There's a 340PS 3.0 TFSI petrol unit in the '55 TFSI' variant, which comes mated to a 7-speed S tronic auto gearbox. Most customers though, will want the 286PS 3.0-litre '50 TDI' diesel which uses an 8-speed tiptronic auto transmission. Both variants feature quattro 4WD and buyers choose between four suspension options, including updated adaptive air suspension that makes the car feel supple and luxurious during cruising without curbing its ability to iron out more challenging roads. Through the corners, you'll appreciate a new 'Progressive steering' system, which features a ratio that becomes more direct as lock is applied. And for optimal ability through the switchbacks and increased lower-speed manoeuvrability, dynamic all-wheel-steering is also available from the options list, as is the quattro sport differential which actively distributes drive torque between the rear wheels for maximum cornering adjustability. As usual with Audi models, there's a 'drive select' driving modes system that activates different drive profiles that tweak steering, throttle response, steering feel and ride characteristics. Audi says that this time round, the differentiation between comfort and dynamic options is more pronounced than in the previous model.

Design and Build
With its large surfaces, sharp edges and taut, athletic lines, the second generation A7 Sportback draws inspiration from the Audi prologue concept study that spearheaded the introduction of the latest Audi design language. Like the larger A8 saloon, one of this model's key defining features is a flat light strip which creates a continuous light pattern across the rear. The digital cabin's completely new and very futuristic, with a sleek instrument panel adding to the feeling of airy spaciousness. Compared with the previous model, interior length has increased by 21 millimetres, resulting in more rear knee room. Rear passengers also enjoy more head room. A three-seat rear bench is standard for UK models, and when its backrest is fully stowed, the luggage compartment capacity expands from 535-litres to a generous 1,390-litres. As with the A8, the communications hub of this A7 Sportback is Audi's latest MMI touch response' operating package which is based around 10.1-inch upper and 8.6-inch lower touchscreen displays which appear to blend into the dashboard when switched off. The two large, high resolution touch displays replace the rotary controller and satellite button system used by the previous model. They provide haptic and acoustic feedback as confirmation when a fingertip triggers a function.

Market and Model
Prices square up fairly closely to rival BMW's 6 Series GT and Mercedes Benz CLS models, starting at around £55,000. There's a choice of two trim levels, 'Sport' and 'S line'. The specification is appropriately high, with LED front and rear lights, 19-inch alloy wheels, leather-upholstered seats with full electric adjustment upfront, LED ambient interior lighting and the fully digital Audi Virtual Cockpit all supplied as standard. The infotainment set-up is Audi's top 'MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch' system, which features the Audi Smartphone Interface and the Audi Phone Box system, which includes wireless charging for QI-enabled compatible phones. The list of electronic driver assistants features the 'Audi Parking System Plus' set-up with rear-view camera. In addition, you get the Audi Pre-sense Front collision warning and automatic braking system and Lane Departure Warning. 'S line' specification ramps up the visual appeal even further with 20-inch alloy wheels, HD Matrix LED headlights with dynamic front and rear indicators, sport suspension and S line-specific body styling. Inside, the front sport seats are upholstered in leather and Alcantara and there's 'S line'-specific interior detailing.

Cost of Ownership
A core component of the standard technology package fitted to all A7 Sportback models is the mild hybrid drivetrain (MHEV) engineering made possible by the newly introduced 48-volt primary electrical system. At speeds of between 34 and 99mph, it enables the V6 engines to be deactivated and the A7 Sportback to coast in freewheeling mode. The Belt Alternator Starter re-fires the engine smoothly and comfortably after coasting, and is capable of channelling up to 12kW of energy back into the lithium ion battery during recuperative braking. The start-stop function has also been significantly expanded and now activates at 13mph. In combination with the standard front camera, the engine is restarted predictively while at a standstill as soon as the vehicle ahead begins to move. In real-world driving, the MHEV technology reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.7 litres every 62 miles. As a result, the volume 3.0-litre '50 TDI' diesel variant can manage 50.4mpg on the combined cycle when on 19-inch wheels - and a CO2 return of 147g/km. For the alternative 3.0-litre petrol-powered '55 TFSI' model, the figures on 19-inch wheels are 40.4mpg and 158g/km.

Summary
This second generation Audi A7 Sportback is clearly a car that a massive amount of thought and development budget has been ploughed into. It's a very considered thing, a car which pushes boundaries with its styling and engine technology but which feels reassuringly familiar to drive. The latest model improves the oily bits while at the same time keeping the look fresh and the technology indoors bang up to date. Every part of this car has been designed with a thoroughness that's deeply impressive, if sometimes rather clinical. Of course, the end result is hardly inexpensive - and you'll need to spend plenty on options to fully sharpen its driving manners. Still, if that's not an issue, then you're likely to find this A7 very desirable indeed. It is perhaps the definitive expression of how Audi wants you to perceive its brand. Not all executive decisions should be difficult. Here's one you should enjoy making.