Audi A7 review - stylish fastback provides A6 alternative - Audi A7 engine and gearbox
A7 Sportback is the stylish alternative to big saloons
Four diesel models, based on one 2967cc V6 engine with varying numbers of turbos, and one 3.0 TFSI petrol unit make up an easy-to-understand A7 range. The base 3.0 TDI kicks out 215bhp and either 295lb ft (Ultra) or 369lb ft (quattro); the ultra makes its peak power from 4000-5000rpm, compared to the quattro’s 3250-4750rpm, but while maximum torque is down, the ultra counters with a wider plateau – delivering that 295lb ft from 1250-3750rpm, whereas the quattro’s 369lb ft is available across 1250-3000rpm.
There’s a more powerful iteration of the single-turbo 3.0 TDI, churning out 268bhp from 3500-4250rpm with an excellent 428lb ft spread over 1250-3250rpm, but the diesel hero is the 3.0 BiTDI quattro, a twin-turbo unit serving up 316bhp at 3900-4600rpm and a colossal 480lb ft from 1400-2800rpm. The TFSI V6 makes 328bhp at 5500-6500rpm and 325lb ft from 2900-5300rpm, if you’re interested.
All A7s have self-shifting transmissions, the seven-speed dual-clutch S Tronic on everything bar the biturbo diesel, which gets an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic. Apart from the front-wheel drive ultra, all A7s are quattro all-wheel drive cars too, and the drivetrains are beyond reproach; they’re punchy, quiet and economical, while the gearboxes are smooth and fast-reacting.
