2011 Audi A7 Sportback Launched In Malaysia

The 2011 Audi A7 Sportback has been launched in Malaysia, providing an alternative to the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class four-door coupe. Effectively the same car as the A6 3.0 TFSI Quattro launched in September, the A7 is available with the same powertrain, but costs RM 599,000 (OTR without insurance), a premium of RM 84K for the style factor, swoopy coupe-like roofline and more practicality.

The Audi A7 shares the same platform as the A6, but is longer and wider for more visual presence, and sits lower on wider front/rear tracks for better handling. The extensive use of lightweight aluminium in its body, chassis and suspension lowers the weight of the A7 by about 20 percent compared with a similar-sized car constructed from steel as the only material.

The Audi A7 has four seats, one less than the A6, but the near-identical wheelbase (the A6's is shorter by 2 mm) means that rear legroom should not be a concern. The A6 is more generous with shoulder- and head-room, so that is the model to buy if you are looking for a more spacious ride. The boot boasts a generous 535 litres of loading space which can be expanded to 1390 litres. Accessing the luggage is easier in the A7 thanks to the wide-opening, electrically-operated tail-gate.

Plying its trade in the A6 and now the A7 is a 3.0-litre TFSI V6 engine, fully equipped with turbocharging, direct injection, thermal management system, stop-start system and brake energy recuperation. There is plenty of go on tap: 300 PS between 5250–6500 rpm and 440 Nm between 2900–4500 rpm, to be exact. With a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission and Quattro AWD system channeling the motivation to the ground, the A7 sprints from rest to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds—0.1 second slower than the A6; both are limited to 250 km/h.

The 2011 Audi A7 comes with adaptive air suspension for improved handling, as well as the Audi Drive Select system with four different driving modes: Auto, Comfort, Dynamic and the new Efficiency. Safety is provided by eight airbags and a full suite of stability, traction and braking controls. Creature comfort is catered for by items such as dynamic-range xenon headlamps, electrically-adjustable leather front seats, multi-function steering wheel with shift paddles, cruise control, reverse camera, 7" trip computer colour display, MMI system interfaced via a 6.5" colour display, and 600-watt BOSE surround sound system with 14 loudspeakers and a 12-channel amplifier. Enjoy the 2011 Audi A7 Sportback official gallery below!