Audi at Sixes and SevensThe non-enthusiast, or at least those unfamiliar with the Audi brand, might well imagine the A7 to be a size up from the A6, and indeed approaching the largest of the range. And because Audi’s strategy for naming their cars is carried out with as much Teutonic efficiency as is employed in the building of them, that’s exactly what it is.Amongst the pile of new models that Audi has produced recently are revised versions of the A6 saloon and A7 Sportback. We’ll look at both here, for there’s more than a fleeting connection between them as they share the same underbody kit…..what we used to refer to as the ‘chassis’. In effect therefore what we have here are hatchback and saloon versions of the same model.However, though they share common components the seventh generation A6 saloon and the new A7 Sportback do look very different cars. In aesthetic terms the A7 wins the contest, and really does look, as they say, the business. The A6 is rather less remarkable, though still attractive in a solid, Audi sort of way, and with its long history will naturally be the larger seller.A6 saloonAudi are renowned for the use of aluminium in their cars, and when you compare the A6 performance and fuel economy with its main competitors you can see the point. There’s plenty of aluminium – 20% of the car’s surface area – and aluminium/steel composite too, with the result that the car weighs 15% less than were it made solely of steel. Engine choice is heavily biased towards the diesels, and indeed the company expects just two in every hundred A6 cars to be petrol powered. Not surprisingly therefore there’s only one petrol engine, but it’s a good’un – the 3-litre TFSi, with its whopping 300PS. Diesels are 2- or 3-litres with a plethora of different power outputs.I concentrated on the 2-litre 177PS and the 3-litre 245PS diesels. The smaller of the two was the more memorable, simply because its performance is spectacular bearing in mind the size of the car, and is all you could reasonably need. Perhaps just as important is the refinement with which it delivers that power. Talk to your passengers on the motorway, and in most cars you’ll need to raise your voice a tad at the legal maximum speed. In this A6 you can chat like you’re in the bedroom; I refer to volume rather than content, but it’s up to you of course.The A6 is a large car, as is evident when you stretch out luxuriously in the rear seat, and that comfort isn’t bought at the expense of boot volume, which is 530 litres – enough for four large suitcases or four golf bags they say. The boot is of course carpeted, with a wide loading aperture, and though the A6 is indeed a saloon, the rear seat backs can be folded, not quite flat, to increase the luggage capacity. If loadspace is uppermost in your requirements, the Avant (estate) version is due to arrive towards the end of 2011, though Audi will be pleased to take orders for it from June.Size: 4.92m x 2.09m inc mirrorsBest Consumption: 2-litre 177PS diesel – 57.6mpgPrice at May ’11: from £30,145A7 SportbackFirst came the A5 Sportback (which you might see as a hatchback, but Audi would probably want you to know as a coupé) and now this – the A7. It’s got virtually all the A6 benefits referred to above, plus a body shape that is genuinely and enjoyably eye-catching. With its choice of two petrol and two diesel engines, all of them pushing out over 200PS, it’s fast, spacious and yes, refined, even if the petrol engines are tuned to give a smidgeon of sporty rasp to their exhaust note. If you want uncanny levels of quietude, go for the diesels. I drove the higher powered one – which comes with quattro drive plus a 6.3sec 0-62 time as standard – and the performance, ride and handling proved impeccable. If you’re a technophile look no further, for there are dozens of touches like the sat nav with Google earth view that should put a smile on your face.You’ll have gathered that this is a top quality car which really impressed me, and seemingly the rest of the hacks who attended the launch. So is there a downside? That would depend on the depth of your pocket, for the A7 doesn’t come cheap. List price is high, and as ever with Audi the range of options is massive. Our test car’s on-the-road price was £48,000, and the nineteen options increased that by a fiver short of £14,000. But then, as an Audi spokesman happily admitted, “this is not an especially price-sensitive segment”.Size: 4.97m x 2.14m inc mirrorsBest Consumption: 3-litre 204PS diesel – 53.3mpgPrice at May ’11: from £43,760Full details of the A6 and A7 are available on the manufacturer’s website: www.audi.co.ukPeter Cracknell – May 2011
Audi at Sixes and Sevens
The non-enthusiast, or at least those unfamiliar with
the Audi brand, might well imagine the A7 to be a size
up from the A6, and indeed approaching the largest of
the range. And because Audi’s strategy for naming
their cars is carried out with as much Teutonic
efficiency as is employed in the building of them,
that’s exactly what it is.
Amongst the pile of new models that Audi has
produced recently are revised versions of the A6
saloon and A7 Sportback. We’ll look at both here, for
there’s more than a fleeting connection between them
as they share the same underbody kit…..what we
used to refer to as the ‘chassis’. In effect therefore
what we have here are hatchback and saloon
versions of the same model.
However, though they share common components the
seventh generation A6 saloon and the new A7
Sportback do look very different cars. In aesthetic
terms the A7 wins the contest, and really does look,
as they say, the business. The A6 is rather less
remarkable, though still attractive in a solid, Audi sort
of way, and with its long history will naturally be the
larger seller.
A6 saloon
Audi are renowned for the use of aluminium in their
cars, and when you compare the A6 performance and
fuel economy with its main competitors you can see
the point. There’s plenty of aluminium – 20% of the
car’s surface area – and aluminium/steel composite
too, with the result that the car weighs 15% less than
were it made solely of steel. Engine choice is heavily
biased towards the diesels, and indeed the company
expects just two in every hundred A6 cars to be petrol
powered. Not surprisingly therefore there’s only one
petrol engine, but it’s a good’un – the 3-litre TFSi, with
its whopping 300PS. Diesels are 2- or 3-litres with a
plethora of different power outputs.
I concentrated on the 2-litre 177PS and the 3-litre
245PS diesels. The smaller of the two was the more
memorable, simply because its performance is
spectacular bearing in mind the size of the car, and is
all you could reasonably need. Perhaps just as
important is the refinement with which it delivers that
power. Talk to your passengers on the motorway, and
in most cars you’ll need to raise your voice a tad at
the legal maximum speed. In this A6 you can chat like
you’re in the bedroom; I refer to volume rather than
content, but it’s up to you of course.
The A6 is a large car, as is evident when you stretch
out luxuriously in the rear seat, and that comfort isn’t
bought at the expense of boot volume, which is 530
litres – enough for four large suitcases or four golf
bags they say. The boot is of course carpeted, with a
wide loading aperture, and though the A6 is indeed a
saloon, the rear seat backs can be folded, not quite
flat, to increase the luggage capacity. If loadspace is
uppermost in your requirements, the Avant (estate)
version is due to arrive towards the end of 2011, though
Audi will be pleased to take orders for it from June.
Size:
4.92m x 2.09m inc mirrors
Best Consumption:
2-litre 177PS diesel – 57.6mpg
Price at May ’11:
from £30,145
A7 Sportback
First came the A5 Sportback (which you might see as a
hatchback, but Audi would probably want you to know
as a coupé) and now this – the A7. It’s got virtually all
the A6 benefits referred to above, plus a body shape
that is genuinely and enjoyably eye-catching. With its
choice of two petrol and two diesel engines, all of them
pushing out over 200PS, it’s fast, spacious and yes,
refined, even if the petrol engines are tuned to give a
smidgeon of sporty rasp to their exhaust note. If you
want uncanny levels of quietude, go for the diesels. I
drove the higher powered one – which comes with
quattro drive plus a 6.3sec 0-62 time as standard – and
the performance, ride and handling proved impeccable.
If you’re a technophile look no further, for there are
dozens of touches like the sat nav with Google earth
view that should put a smile on your face.
You’ll have gathered that this is a top quality car which
really impressed me, and seemingly the rest of the
hacks who attended the launch. So is there a downside?
That would depend on the depth of your pocket, for the
A7 doesn’t come cheap. List price is high, and as ever
with Audi the range of options is massive. Our test car’s
on-the-road price was £48,000, and the nineteen
options increased that by a fiver short of £14,000. But
then, as an Audi spokesman happily admitted, “this is
not an especially price-sensitive segment”.
Size:
4.97m x 2.14m inc mirrors
Best Consumption:
3-litre 204PS diesel – 53.3mpg
Price at May ’11:
from £43,760
Full details of the A6 and A7 are available on the
manufacturer’s website: www.audi.co.uk
Peter Cracknell – May 2011
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