Just as the A5 uses the A4 platform, so the A7 will be based on the new A6. But the next-gen A6, which means a lightweight aluminium platform with various steel reinforcements.
Air suspension will be standard on high-end models, and unless sales don’t surpass the expected 40,000 units, four-cylinder power won’t happen. Instead buyers will be offered a based 2.8-litre V6 FSI or the new supercharged 3.0-litre V6. Oil-burning owners will pick between a 2.7-litre, and a 3.0-litre V6 with either one or two turbos. Then if you can make sense of it all, there will be various six and seven-speed manuals, autos and dual-clutch S-tronic boxes.
Audi will slot, no make that shoehorn, its 5.0-litre twin-turbo V10 into the A7 to create an RS7, while the S7 will use a detuned version. Never fear though, because a hybrid version will be on hand to balance your polluting ways.
