Is the Audi A7 an icon" That may be going a bit too far, but the sleek, rebodied variation of the A6 sedan proves that a four-door car can be a thing of extraordinary beauty. As such, it is difficult to redesign. “It’s not an easy task,” Audi chief designer Marc Lichte has told us.
Yet, judging from what we’ve seen so far, Lichte’s team has succeeded in creating a visually successful sequel to the original model, which was at its most stunning after its mid-cycle facelift. The next-generation car features a wide new signature grille, first shown in 2014 on the Prologue concept, while the daylight opening?also known as the DLO, which is what designers call the outline of the side windows?remains close to that of the current model, and the taillamps have become wide and slim. Inside, there are many additional elements inspired by the Prologue concept, but Lichte told us the interior will be “even more futuristic.” Forward-looking elements will include swiping functions for the screen and several thin-film-transistor (TFT) displays that may use OLED technology. The available suite of assistance systems will include a function to summon the car from, say, a tight garage space, a parlor trick that is wildly popular among Tesla devotees.
The new A7, slated for an unveiling in late 2017 and a market appearance in 2018 (likely as a 2019 model) will be built on Audi’s MLB Evo platform, an architecture that is said to save...