Say what they will about German design, but we think they're good at moving things one step at a time. The same year we got the new Porsche 911, Audi adapts the S7 four-door coupe.
Obviously, the two have very little in common. If you look deep enough, you might discover how both have been adapted to meet the latest emissions regulations. But we also thought this Glacier White finish looks a lot like Porsche's Chalk, and the two share a fetish for black trim.
Just like in the case of the S6 Avant we just talked about, the new S7 is powered by a 3.0 TDI with electric supercharging. It makes 349 HP, 700 Nm of torque (516 lb-ft) and will get from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.1 seconds. That's a little bit of a downgrade over the old V8 model, while America and the Middle East will receive a 2.9 TFSI like the one offered in the RS5.
The belt-driven starter/alternator and lithium-ion battery allow for stop/start operation from as low as 22 km/h. Coasting for up to 40 seconds is another highlight, and Audi claims the sedan is capable of 6.5 liters per 100 kilometers.
Frankly, the stop/start would be super-annoying if it stopped as you were coming up to a junction. But the €82,750 S7 Sportback has a lot of computers and sensors, it should know where it is. The coupe body is designed to attract attention, it's still very practical. The S7 has a hatch at the rear. The trunk capacity is a tiny bit smaller, but loading bikes or even 2-meter-long flatpack furniture shouldn't be a problem.
If our ranting and short description weren't enough, you can get a whole lot more information from the two videos below. It may be a diesel, but this is a four-door coupe that BMW and Mercedes can't overlook.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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