Spies break first pics of totally new Audi A7 that will go against the Mercedes CLS-Front view

Audi of Ingolstadt will release this fall a concept car for the upcoming new Audi A7. However, already now – although the production version is not expected to be due before 2009 - first mules of the four door coupe have been sighted taking repeated laps at Germany’s trace track Nürburgring. The prototype can be distinguished from its wider fenders, bigger tyres and expensive alloy wheels - painted black. The production car will get a luxury style four seat interior, frameless doors, a glass roof, and offers a choice of six different fuel and Diesel V6 and V8 engines, and for the top of the line version the Lamborghini V10.

This new model by Audi will aim directly at the competitor Mercedes CLS, which became a best seller recently, due to the fact that Daimler-Chrysler is still the only one with this type of car on the market. Therefore, not only Audi but also Jaguar and Volkswagen are striving to get a rival up and going soonest. Jaguar’s will be the upcoming XJ replacement, and Volkswagen is developing a Passat-based coupe with four frameless doors, too

Hans G. Lehmann/ Hidden Image

wwww - 6/9/2006 2:23:28 PM

+1 Boost

e--s--f, I believe the A5 would still be a coupe aimed at a hatch/coupe layout 2-3 doors 2+2 which Audi had showned in concept form previously. A7 would work better in a lineup to compete with CLS, since the CLS in price range is higher than the E, and A6 is the contemporary of E. So A7 having a higher value woudl equate CLS.

I believe Audi is also using ODD numbers designated for its odd shaped/body style cars. A3 is a 3 or 5 door hatch, while the Even numbers would denote sedans/wagons. I believe they also have plans to bring in an A1 or 2 of some sort that is to go against the MiniCooper/ 1 series/ C30 from volvo in a forrm of a 3 door hatch

MercBasher - 6/10/2006 12:05:00 AM

+1 Boost

Audi should watch the sales figures for the M-B CLS, it was a fashion item - so last year! In the US sales are collapsing. Its probably not worth the engineering effort for Audi to build a competitor for the CLS.

Spend the effort on a smaller SUV, or on a real sexy-looking coupe.

chewy - 6/10/2006 6:27:42 PM

+1 Boost

This looks better than the other photoshop. In the end it will look better than this photoshop still.