Spy Shots: 2011 Audi A7

Highly doubtful that those wheels would come on the car. That tire has a very high side profile. Audi wouldn't put that on any "coupe". I doubt that that is the fished front clip either. It doesn't have the "S-Line" profile and notice how the fit of it is a few mm off. And I also hope that they don't put that ugly spoiler on. Looks very un-Audi.

Nice, but a lot of these Audi models are looking too similar to each other. I'm more interested in the R4 roadster. I'll take mine with a TDI diesel, thanks. How cool and unique would that be? A mid-engined, 2-seat, convertible roadster, powered by a turbo diesel, hooked up to a DSG gearbox, that's reasonably quick, looks great, and gets 40 MPG highway.

Yeah, +100 sting (Nice, but a lot of these Audi models are looking too similar to each other.

that is some front over hang

that is some front over hang

made for speed bumps i guess,..

I don't like it. This is NOT a four door sports coupe, it's just a notchback four door sedan (Mazda 6 5 door, anyone?) Even worse, they're going to want to charge $60,000 for it.

No joke, that is one pronounced snout! No matter how much creasing and curving they do, it's hard to hide that nose.

it definitely looks a heck of a lot like the A5 sportback so...WHY...just...WHY? I don't understand what has gotten into german automakers lately that they have become so persistence in trying to push more and more new models all the while crossing their fingers and hoping there's a niche in the consumer market for them. Personally, I would have thought that with the automotive market being as weak as it still is, car companies need to be focusing on their core models that traditionally sell in significant volume rather than creating confusing new models (i.e. bmw X6) that blur the defining lines between other current models and could potentially dilute the brand. I'm not saying that the A7 won't sell decently, especially if its sheetmetal oozes sex appeal like MB's CLS but I dunno... Well, I guess in any case this vehicle was probably too far along in the development process to just stop and not go through with it.

Anyways, as a general criticism of Audi's vehicle designs, they always look great but they've become so formulaic lately that they all look wayyy too much alike. I mean, the average buyer probably couldn't tell the difference between an A4, A6, and A8 sedan unless they were lined up side by side next to each other. Developing brand identity via corporate cues and design language is definitely important but Audi really needs to be more adventurous and daring with their exterior designs. They also need to keep interior designs between models unique instead of porting the same interior into many different vehicles (i.e. A4/A5/Q5). I think BMW does a better job of balancing the variety and unity between their vehicles designs.

All that said, I will still have my heart set on getting an A5 sometime in the near future.

While I am still not exactly a hatchback fan when it comes to a premium luxury car, I do find this car to be better executed than the new BMW 5GT.

+1 zoomzoom.

Looks like a cross between a Prius and an Infiniti EX.

Not exactly what I would call segment defining....CLS Benz has/had more going for it, in my opinion.

I'm still trying to make sense of the vehicle category (A7, 5GT, Crosstour....). Have the designers really run out of ideas and this is the best that's left? I thought in the late 90ies Audi's A2 was pretty innovative an ahead f it's time. We'll see who would prefer the A7 to a Q5/Q7.