AUDI A7 UNVEILED, HEADED FOR SOUTH AFRICA

The Audi A7 has been revealed. “The Audi what” someone might say? The Audi A7, a big four-door coupe with a length of almost 5 metres. Where does it fit in exactly? As the model badge points out, family-wise it sits between the A6 and the A8, but assumedly harbours sportier ambitions than both. Its main competitor is the Mercedes-Benz CLS but one or two of its models will also punch it out with the Porsche Panamera and the Aston Martin Rapide.

Some hallmarks include things like LED headlights (not daytime running lights) which will be optional in some models, a mostly-aluminium body, those four doors, and strictly speaking, four seats, although the rear arrangement does not completely rule out someone sitting in the middle. The luggage area can swallow up to 1390 litres of stuff.

Audi has given the interior lots of high-end appointments to increase passenger and driver comfort levels. Such includes the new MMI system with navigation and other goodies, an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system, ambient LED lighting, head-up display also an option and others.

There will be four engines available at market launch. They range in power from 150kW to 220kW, both petrol and turbo diesel. Just look at the new A8 and even A6 for exactly what kind of engines we can expect. Does that include the 426kW RS 6 engine? Your guess is as good as mine. But given that pretty much every Audi model (except A3 and A8) has an RS version…

Standard drive is a front-wheel setup, with quattro being offered for the more expensive versions.

Audi South Africa is certainly bringing the A7 over in 2011, probably as a high-end family sports coupe, which means steeper-than-normal pricing and only the powerful engines.