THE NEW Audi A7 provides SME business owners and directors with an upmarket hatchback in a new niche for Audi. James Allitt, product manager for the new A7, explains to editor Ralph Morton why the A7 is so appealing to businesses.
“I’D want one of these on my drive,” states James Allitt, Audi’s product manager responsible for the new A7 Sportback. “Wouldn’t you?”
I suspect the answer might well be yes.
The Audi A7 takes Audi into another niche that has all the appeal for a small business owner or director: exclusivity (only 3000 will be coming to the UK, compared to 10,000 Audi A6 saloons), style with its coupe shape, and practicality with its hatchback versatility.
“This car is made for business users,” explains Mr Allitt. “There is a high level of specification and low CO2 emission levels with the A7 TDI SE. For example, there is standard leather, standard satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity for a mobile phone, and emissions of 139g/km CO2 from a six cylinder diesel engine. That’s the same as our current 2.0-litre TDIe engine in the Audi A6.”
The Audi A7 Sportback, explains Mr Allitt, will only be a six-cylinder engine vehicle, unlike the A6, to maintain its exclusivity. Business users can choose between a 3.0-litre TDI in either front-wheel drive specification with Multitronic CVT automatic transmission, or four-wheel drive quattro with seven-speed S tronic automatic transmission. Trim levels are either SE or sportier S line.
The 19% company car tax A7
The front-wheel drive TDI model has emissions of 139g/km CO2 and fuel economy of 53.3mpg, giving the car a benefit in kind tax banding of 19% for company car tax purposes; the quattro model has higher emissions of 158g/km (but still below the critical 160g/km tax break) and economy of 47.1mpg, providing it with a BIK company car tax banding of 23%.
There is also 2.8 FSI and supercharged 3.0 TFSI petrol models to choose from, too, although with higher emissions, these are less likely to appeal to the small business company owner, says Mr Allitt, even though fuel efficiency is as high as 35.3mpg on the 2.8 quattro version.
Business buyers can upgrade the specification of the Audi A7 with the technology package, explains Mr Allitt, which costs an additional £2050.
“This provides MMI navigation with colour Google earth map satellite navigation, MMI mobile phone preparation high for online services that turns the car into a wifi hot-spot, and head-up display for the provision of driver-related information directly into the driver’s field of vision. As a package, that represents a 30% saving for all that technology – we expect it to be very popular.”
Audi A7 debuts Google earth view sat nav
Mr Allitt says that the Audi A7 is the first car to provide satellite navigation with Google earth view. This provides a 3D rendition of your route, providing detailed at-a-glance navigation that is very easy for the driver to assimilate.
As with BMW’s system, which uses Google maps, you can pre-program your route via your desktop pc and then send it to the car so it’s ready to go with you desired destination. But the A7 is the first to provide the Google earth view as you drive.
However, Mr Allitt says that desirable though that may be, business users can enjoy standard sat-nav on SE specification.
“From a business perspective, the Audi A7 comes as standard with most things an SME company director or business owner would want. There are, for example, heated seats, Bluetooth phone connectivity, xenon headlights, leather trim, digital DAB radio and 18 inch alloys all included in the £43,000 list price. We think that as a business package on its own, that represents extremely good value.”
The Audi A7 is available to order now; first customer deliveries are in January 2011.
Audi A7 prices
- 3.0 TDI SE 204PS, £43,755
- 3.0 TDI S line 204PS, £45,545
- 3.0 TDI SE quattro 245PS, £48,000
- 3.0 TDI S line quattro 245PS, £49,790
- 2.8 FSI SE quattro 204PS, £45,220
- 2.8 FSI S line quattro 204PS, £47,010
- 3.0 TFSI SE quattro 245PS, £48,070
- 3.0 TFSI S line quattro 245PS, £49,860
(Prices quoted include VAT @ 20%)
Further information
For more on the Audi A7, read the editor’s blog Wi-fi on the move.
