Audi has struck a major blow in the battle
for diesel supremacy with its new ‘ultra’ engines, and now it has expanded the
range with this: a 215bhp 3.0-litre V6. The first model to get this new power
plant is the A7 sport back, which has also been given a mid-life face-lift. So,
this is a V6 executive hatch that does an average of 60.1mpg, and emits 122g/km
of CO2.
A
new 60mpg V6 TDI ultra model is just one of the highlights of the new
generation Audi A7 Sportback range, which has also been refreshed by other new
engine configurations, plus new transmissions, new headlights and tail lights
and upgraded infotainment systems.
What’s it like to drive?
There’s hardly any diesel rumble at idle,
and if you leave the new seven-speed automatic gearbox to its own devices it’ll
rife through its ratios, keeping revs to a minimum, ensuring smooth and serene
progress. if you fancy driving a bit faster, the smoothness and flexibility of
this new V6 mean you can hold it at high revs, or hit the redline without it
feeling strained.
The S tronic gearbox kicks down quickly
when you put your foot down as the road opens up, and responds instantly when
you take control of shifts yourself. However, this new powertrain does expose
some of the A7 sport back’s weaknesses. At a motorway cruise, the quietness of
the engine makes the volume of wind and road noise all the more obvious.
Many
aspects of the 3.0 TDI clean diesel with 272PS have been newly developed. In
the “ultra” version with 218PS and front-wheel drive, the 3.0-litre V6 is
capable of returning an outstanding 60.1mpg, corresponding to CO2 emissions of
122 grams per kilometre. The top of the range engine, the 4.0-litre TFSI, is
available in the Audi S7 Sport back. It delivers 450PS of power and uses
innovative COD (cylinder on demand) technology.
Push too hard into a bend, and the Audi
leans over, and the tyres squeal even at fairly low speeds. The car feels quite
slow to respond to steering inputs, and the steering is too light mid corner to
give the driver real confidence. The A7 sport back feels heavy too, while the
brake pedal is a bit imprecise. Even on the optional air springs of our S line
test car, the A7 sport back is still quite stiff, thumping over the potholes we
encountered, and getting thrown off-line by mid-corner bumps.
It’s comfortable and controlled on the
motorway though.
What’s it like inside?
Not much has changed here, but that’s no
bad thing. Small tweaks include an optional new version of the MMI infotainment
system, with a more powerful processor, and a touchpad controller that allows
you to pinch and zoom.
To be honest, we really didn’t notice a big
difference between this system and the old one. You still get a well-built
cabin, though. All of the plastics and metals ft together perfectly, and all
feel dense and luxurious to the touch. Standard equipment includes sat-nav, a
pop-up display and leather seats, but full Led headlights and several new
extras have been added to the options list.
The
perfect supplement to MMI Navigation plus is Audi connect, and in the latest
generation A7 sport back this option now links the five door coupe with the
Internet via the latest LTE high speed data transmission standard for
ultra-fast 4G click-through and download functionality.
Should I buy one?
Definitely, the A7 sport back was already
accomplished, and this punchy, refined and efficient new engine only enhances
it.
Its low cO2 output will translate to
cheaper tax bills for company buyers, and in the SE Executive trim we’d
recommend, its list price is £625 less than that of the Mercedes-Benz cLs220.
For anyone doing regular motorway trips the high-speed comfort, smooth gearbox
and high cabin quality will be major plus points, even if it isn’t terribly
engaging to drive.
