Filed under: Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury

It will still be awhile before you can get an up close and personal look at the new Audi A7 Sportback. Since Audi recently flooded the interwebs with an array of images, you’ve likely already made up your mind as to whether you loathe or love the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo competitor, but there’s nothing like being able to walk around a vehicle for yourself without the cumbersome medium of a photographer’s lens between you and the sheet metal. Fortunately, Audi has been so kind as to share a lengthy studio walk-around video of the new quad-ring creation.

The flick lingers over just about every inch of the A7 Sportback, including the interior and exterior. We get a quick peep at the car’s mechanized rear spoiler, as well as the cavernous amounts of room under the lengthy hatch. It may not be quite the same as getting your finger prints all over the paint, but it’s dang close. Hit the jump to take a look.

[Source: YouTube via World Car Fans]

Continue reading Video: Audi A7 in the studio

Video: Audi A7 in the studio originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2025 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Audi, Design/Style, Luxury

There’s a new automotive segment being born as we speak. Previewed by the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide and BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo, modern four-door sportback sedans combine the functionality of a hatchback with seating for four or five, all wrapped in a shapely, sleek package. Audi previewed its own offering at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show by way of the Sportback concept, and now the production model has officially been unveiled in Munich.

From a design standpoint, it’s obvious that the A7 Sportback was penned alongside the all-new flagship A8 sedan. Audi’s signature LED running lamps are intact up front, in a more angular shape than what you’d see on the A4 or R8, and the chopped rear deck is not only a throwback to fastback sedans from many decades ago, but its design mimics that of the larger A8, as well. The most striking view, however, is the side profile, which looks to be one part shooting brake and one part coupe, though if we’re honest, we wish the A7′s front overhang were reduced just a bit. Interestingly, at one point, Audi refers to the A7 has having a boattail, which initially made us cringe, but staring at it a bit more, this notion makes a degree of sense.

Powertrain details are slim as of this writing, but Audi says that the A7 Sportback will debut with four different V6 offerings, two petrol and two diesel. Expect the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 from the S4, S5 and A6 to be on hand, as well as the 3.0-liter TDI V6 found in the Q7 SUV. Audi will offer the A7 in both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the Multitronic CVT and seven-speed S-tronic transmissions being used, respectively. Interestingly, unlike the A8, the A7 will make use of electric power steering, so we hope Audi’s boffins have done their homework on dialing in feel and linearity.

Inside, we expect the standard raft of Audi amenities, including the automaker’s new MMI Touch infotainment interface. From there, the latest in Audi technology will be on hand, including wireless internet connectivity. The interior is very much akin to that in the new A8, and we fully expect that it will offer premium creature comforts while still being driver-focused.

No official confirmation for North American consumers just yet, but we expect an all-wheel drive model to make it to these shores - presumably with a gasoline and S-tronic gearbox only configuration.

Hit the jump to read the full details in Audi’s press release, and click through the attached gallery for high-res shots. We fully anticipate that Audi will open the floodgates on further information and images in the near future, so stay tuned.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading 2011 Audi A7 Sportback shows its shapely rump in Munich

2011 Audi A7 Sportback shows its shapely rump in Munich originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2025 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Car Buying, Classics, Audi, Luxury

In the grand scale of automotive existence, Audi hasn’t been selling vehicles in the U.S. for that long. The company first landed on our shores in 1970 with the introduction of cars like the Super 90 and 100, which means that chances are some of you out there have socks older than Audi USA. Flash forward 40 years to present day, and the company is celebrating its 2 millionth vehicle sold in the United States. The lucky car just happened to be a new A3 TDI - a fine choice if we do say so ourselves - and was sold through Keyes Audi in Van Nuys, California.

Audi is predicting that it will take considerably less time to hit the 3 millionth vehicle sold mark, and we’re inclined to agree with them. The company says that since 2000, it has doubled its model count here in the land of freedom fries - a trick that’s helped to make Audi a legitimate alternative to the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the hearts and minds of American buyers. Hit the jump for the press release.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi sells two millionth vehicle in the States

Audi sells two millionth vehicle in the States originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2025 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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War Rooms: The mid-size sports sedan battle rages on. 2009 Audi A6 3.0T vs.

Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury

The long-awaited production version of the Audi A7 will finally debut on Monday, July 26 at 8:30pm CET - that’s 2:30pm Eastern - and you’ll be able to watch live on the interwebs at Audi TV. interestingly, Audi has chosen to head over to the hometown of one of its primary rivals for the unveiling. The A7 will be unwrapped at the Pinakothek der Moderne art museum in Munich, just a couple of miles from the world headquarters of BMW.

The A7 is expected to take the form of a large, five-door fastback built on the modular platform shared with the A8 sedan. The styling is expected to be very close to the Sportback concept that we saw at last year’s Detroit Auto Show. Unlike BMW’s 5 Series Gran Turismo, the A7 doesn’t have the elevated roofline that adds passenger volume, so it’s likely to be tighter inside, but it’s also likely to avoid the 5GT’s ungainly appearance.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi confirms A7 Sportback global reveal for Monday

Audi confirms A7 Sportback global reveal for Monday originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2025 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: China, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Earnings/Financials

There’s a three-to-four month wait for a new 5 Series and BMW has raised its 2010 global forecast to 1.4 million units. Mercedes-Benz Q2 production exceeded 300,000 units and Daimler’s operating profit for the period was €2.1 billion ($2.7B U.S.) Audi‘s percentage increase in sales in 2010 compared to last year has outdone both BMW and Benz. The reasons for all that, says Bloomberg, is new product, growing U.S. demand and Chinese-market growth “that’s way beyond expectations.”

While there’s an undeniable story in the recovery of U.S. sales, this is even more so about China. The demand for luxury by that country’s million or so millionaires and their underlings is a leather-lined sinkhole, and the three German manufacturers are doing everything they can to fill it. Their best is barely enough. Benz and Bimmer have added workers and shifts this summer to try and fill orders.

From the sounds of it, they might not be able to manage that this year - China’s appetite is such that the demand “won’t be easily derailed even if economic growth slows,” according to one analyst. If nothing else, and assuming the analyst is correct, it should lay a decent foundation for 2011 and perhaps allay some concern about that double-dip recession talk.

[Source: Bloomberg via BusinessWeek | Image: Doug Kanter/AFP/Getty]

Report: German mfgs cleaning up as appetite for luxury cars is ‘bottomless’ originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2025 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Europe, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Lamborghini, Porsche, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari, Racing

Every two years in July, hundreds of vintage race cars gather at the famed Le Mans race circuit in France to fire up their engines and relive the glory days in the historic corners and long straights of the nearly 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe. But that’s just part of it. In addition to the priceless machinery racing on the track, thousands of other classic cars trek to the grounds to fill nearly every open spot at the huge venue. Autoblog was invited by Porsche France to enjoy the 2010 Le Mans Classic in person, and needless to say, it was absolutely spectacular.

According to the organizers, this year’s show welcomed 100,000 spectators, 8,000 display cars, 460 racing cars and 1,000 drivers. With sunny 95-degree temperatures over both days, the weather was unusually hot and the grounds chokingly dusty, but it didn’t seem to keep anyone - or anything - from the event.

When not enjoying the racing, we strolled the show and stumbled over well-preserved classics from Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Renault, Lamborghini, Audi, BMW and more. Porsche models were everywhere as the various European Porsche Car Clubs stormed the venue with more than 800 cars. Where else can you physically brush elbows with a race-ready BMW M1, a brand-new 2011 Ferrari 599 GTO and ride in the back of a historic war-era Willys Jeep all within the same 60 seconds? Le Mans Classic, baby. And these weren’t sterile, stuck-behind-the-ropes museum stock, either - everything was meant to be driven and enjoyed.

We’ve put together a massive gallery offering just a taste of the caliber of vehicles on display, running hot laps and racing last weekend. While we’ve attempted to caption many of these, some still have us stumped. If you can identify a few of the nameless, give us a shout in the comments (with the photo number as seen in the URL) and we’ll update the captions as quickly as our server’s cache will let us.

Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Autoblog attends 2010 Le Mans Classic, celebrates 80 years of legendary racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2025 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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