The Mercedes-Benz CLS is credited with re-starting the luxury four-door coupe segment, with other manufacturers jumping onboard, including the VW Passat CC, and upcoming BMW 8-Series (Gran Turismo). Audi isn’t sitting idle either, as it plans to release its A7 by 2010.
The A7 will become the automaker’s new flagship, suggesting it will be priced north of the company’s current top-line sedan offering, the A8. Only about 40,000 examples of the A7 will be sold annually, according to Autocar. The car will be a four seater, and will ride on a version of the same platform as the next-generation Audi A6. Overall length is expected to be near 193 inches.
Just like the CLS, the A7 will use air springs for better ride quality. Engine options, at least in Europe, will include a 2.8-liter direct injection V6, the same supercharged 3.0L V6 earmarked for the next-gen S4, along with a 4.0L forced induction, gasoline direct injection V8. Two diesel engines not likely to come to North America in the near future include a 2.7L V6, and either single or twin turbocharged versions of a 3.0 liter V6. Three transmissions are to be offered, with a six-speed manual (again likely to stay on the other side of the pond), and a choice of 7-speed dual-clutch or automatic transmissions.
S7 and RS7 variants are expected, with power for each likely coming from the twin-turbo, 5.2-litre V10 engine borrowed from the RS6, good for about 600hp. On the other side of the spectrum, a hybrid A7 will combine V6 diesel or gasoline engines and lithium-ion batteries from Sanyo.
As previously reported, the A7 should make its world debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.
[i]Audi will be producing both a hard-top and soft-top convertible versions of the A7 – making Audi the first premium automaker to produce a modern day four-door convertible. Although producing this model variant will be an engineering nightmare.
Following the coupe and convertible versions will be the high-spec S7 and super-spec RS7, the later is set to be powered by a tuned version of the RS6’s twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V10 engine with a power output of around 600hp and will feature a new torque-vectoring system.
The A7 will offer a choice of two direct injection engines starting with a 204-hp naturally aspirated 2.8-liter as well as a 300hp 3.0-liter supercharged engine – the same engine that is set to be used in the Audi A6 facelift and new S4. The 394-hp turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 has been saved for the S7 which will be launched in November 2010.
Audi are also developing a new hybrid-drive system which is primarily expected for the Audi Q5, but Autoweek says the A7 is set to benefit from the lithium-ion battery technology as well.
The Audi A7 is part of the German automaker’s aggressive product strategy which will see the current 23 model lineup expanded to 40, targeting a 50% increase in sales by 2015.[/i]
Pero p*** no me lo creo! Un A7 convertible?? Se han vuelto locos…
No es nuevo … Es una info que sabemos en el foro desde hace tiempo. Lo que creo que está confirmado nada más es esta versión. Creo que la otra aúnno tiene luz verde.
Está muy perfilado ya, no?
Teniendo en cuenta que debe llegar el próximo año y como muy tarde Frankfurt … Y, que compartirá muchas piezas, partes y componentes con el A6 …
La parrilla no puede ser tan grande como lo que se se insinua debajo de la lona ¿Y si es el fin de las grandes parrillas de Audi? quiza la parrilla este solo por encima de la defensa, ojala.
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