SEVENTH HEAVEN? (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 68

Audi's A7 Sportback moved to the next level in this second generation 4K8-era guise. Buyers in the full-Executive segment got 'Gran Turismo' body styling as before for a more individual demeanour but the smarter package on offer was thoroughly rejuvenated with mild hybrid engine technology, plus class-leading possibilities for driving autonomy, sophisticated media connectivity and cutting-edge cabin design. The result was a high-tech combination of style and practicality.

Modelsword count: 22

5dr GT hatch (2.0 TFSI petrol, 2.0 TFSI petrol, 3.0 TFSI petrol, 4.0 TFSI petrol / 2.0 TDI diesel, 3.0 TDI diesel)

Historyword count: 345

First time round, the A7 Sportback was merely a swoopier, more fashionable five-door take on Audi's A6. In 2018 though, we got an 4K8-era model that had arguably more in common with the brand's larger boardroom level A8 luxury saloon. There was a different demeanour here of course to the sense of prestige that characterised Ingolstadt's bigger model - in an A7, it was all about 'pure progressiveness' apparently - but the technology was pretty much the same, both inside and under the bonnet. And there was quite a lot of it, which was just as well because by 2018, competition in this profitable little niche had ramped up quite a lot since the launch of two direct rivals - BMW's 6 Series Gran Turismo and the third generation version of the model that pioneered this segment, the Mercedes CLS. But there's nothing quite like this A7 - and, from the launch of this second generation model anyway, also nothing quite like the so-called 'Level 3' autonomous driving tech it could potentially offer, which theoretically allowed its driver not only to relinquish control at certain speeds but actually to engage in other tasks unconnected with driving. And that was just the start. The petrol and diesel engines used became much more efficient in this MK2 design thanks to 'MHEV' mild hybrid electrification and the new-era cabin became completely touchscreen-orientated. In addition, the sleek exterior styling introduced a fresh design language for the brand and clothed a completely new and much stiffer aluminium-intensive MLB EVO body structure. Plus options included four-wheel steering and an astonishingly sophisticated active air suspension system. In short, it was all very Vorsprung Durch Teknic. The high performance 600PS RS 7 was launched in 2019 and in 2020, Audi introduced the S7 Sportback, which had a potent 350PS TDI V6 diesel. The 50 TFSI e and 55 TFSI e petrol Plug-in Hybrids were introduced in 2021. There was a light facelift in 2023 which saw the main A7 range through to the end of production in late 2023. There was no replacement.

What You Getword count: 364

This is certainly a very imposing piece of design. Is it beautiful? Well that'll depend on your definition - and possibly on the amount of money you have to spend on the chosen trim. Either way, you'll certainly get yourself a very sizeable piece of sculpted Executive segment German real estate, this second generation A7 Sportback being nearly five metres long and almost two metres wide, yet standing only 1.4-metres high. Classically elegant? Maybe not, but it's certainly handsome and sophisticated. Behind the wheel, the Vorsprung Durch Teknic charisma of this car really gets into gear. There's a different, more technological ambiance than you get with obvious rivals, but the interior still incorporates the required splash of luxury needed for a Gran Turismo of this status and there's a bit more driver focus to it than you get with the larger A8, the car from which this 4K8-era model borrows most of its technology. You're going to need to like screens because this cabin incorporates no fewer than three of them, largely replacing all the many buttons and dials of the previous model. The two you'll notice first power up as soon as the door is opened and dominate the upper and lower parts of the piano black-trimmed centre stack. The gently curved upper 10.1-inch display deals with the most important radio, media and telephone functions while the lower 8.6-inch monitor is reserved for more comfort-orientated mainly climate-related features. Both monitors interact with the configurable 12.3-inch 'Audi Virtual Cockpit' instrument binnacle screen you view through the three-spoke wheel. In the rear, Audi claimed that there was 21mm more legroom and 5mm of extra head room. It's still not as spacious as the rear bench you'd find in a rival BMW 6 Series GT, but it's about on par with the stronger-selling Mercedes CLS. And luggage space? Well the hatch opens electrically to reveal a 535-litre space that's exactly the same as what was offered by the previous generation version of this car. If you need more room, completely flattening the rear bench frees up 1,390-litres of capacity - which of course is where this A7 holds a massive advantage over that rival CLS model.

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