Photo: CarNewsChina
We’ve known since last summer that Audi was planning on building A7 L models in China, based on the all-new A7 Sportback. The German carmaker, together with its Chinese joint venture partner, SAIC Motor, had to invest 4.13 billion yuan ($590 million) in order to set the stage for this new long-wheelbase variant.
Back in December of 2020, the first A7 L prototypes started undergoing public testing, albeit fully camouflaged. However, we could already tell that something was a little off about their design, with the trunk area appearing unnaturally long, even by Audi standards.
We can finally stop guessing now that the genuine article has been spotted in public, completely undisguised. The images come courtesy of CarNewsChina and according to the source, the A7 L will be powered by two gasoline units (2.0L and 3.0L), with the 55 TFSI quattro variant serving as the flagship specification of the range.
There’s no reason to doubt this car in terms of comfort or performance, but the looks are a bit controversial, to say the least. Some angles do seem better than others, but there’s no escaping such a large rear overhang, while the trunk looks more like an additional appendage rather than a seamless continuation. Audi should have extended the rear doors a little bit, cutting into that wheel arch. It would have made the car seem less clunky, maybe.
Since there’s no long-wheelbase version of the Mercedes CLS, the new Audi A7 L will likely rival the E-Class and 5-Series LWB directly in the People’s Republic. Depending on how large it really is, it could even rival some regular wheelbase full-size saloons, like the S-Class or the 7-Series—especially since the Audi A8 is only available as a long-wheelbase car over there.
In the end, the 2022 Audi A7 L should prove a less practical car than its more traditional Sportback sibling, although some customers might consider the former to be slightly more elegant.
We can finally stop guessing now that the genuine article has been spotted in public, completely undisguised. The images come courtesy of CarNewsChina and according to the source, the A7 L will be powered by two gasoline units (2.0L and 3.0L), with the 55 TFSI quattro variant serving as the flagship specification of the range.
There’s no reason to doubt this car in terms of comfort or performance, but the looks are a bit controversial, to say the least. Some angles do seem better than others, but there’s no escaping such a large rear overhang, while the trunk looks more like an additional appendage rather than a seamless continuation. Audi should have extended the rear doors a little bit, cutting into that wheel arch. It would have made the car seem less clunky, maybe.
Since there’s no long-wheelbase version of the Mercedes CLS, the new Audi A7 L will likely rival the E-Class and 5-Series LWB directly in the People’s Republic. Depending on how large it really is, it could even rival some regular wheelbase full-size saloons, like the S-Class or the 7-Series—especially since the Audi A8 is only available as a long-wheelbase car over there.
In the end, the 2022 Audi A7 L should prove a less practical car than its more traditional Sportback sibling, although some customers might consider the former to be slightly more elegant.
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