L.A. Auto Show: Audi moves into luxury four-door coupe market with A7 Sportback
Given the global ambitions of Audi (and, indeed, parent company Volkswagen) it should come as no surprise that Audi is entering the luxury four-door coupe market.
Going on sale in the spring of 2011, the new A7 Sportback shares a platform with the next iteration of the A6 sedan. The initial powertrain will be a supercharged V-6 engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Horsepower is said to be in the 310 range.
If the V-6 is too dainty for your liking, stay tuned. Expect additional engines to end up in the A7’s bay in the future, including an S7 variant with a power output in the range of unholy.
Aesthetically, the A7 will likely draw conflicting opinions. The rear of the car is perhaps a bit too loyal to the hatchback design than a faux coupe (foop?), noticable when viewing the A7 from the side. This gives the rear end a heavy look.
Meanwhile, the front wisely reflects the Audi A8’s nose and headlights, a trait likely appreciated by A7 buyers who don’t want to pay A8 money.
The A7 will target the protean class of four-door coupes that includes Mercedes Benz CLS, Porsche Panamera and the BMW 5-Series GT.
Pricing has not been announced, but expect it to to start north of $60,000.
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-- David Undercoffler
Photos: Views of the Audi A7 Sportback. Credit: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
