Over the past few months, Audi has been implementing a simplified revision of its existing naming strategy, with even numbers now representing EVs, and the odd number just above representing the combustion version of the same car. For example, the Audi A4 is temporarily extinct, to return as an EV, and there’s a new A5 Sedan (and a new S5, which we recently drove in the nicest part of France).
Further up the scale, Audi has yet to reveal the heavily updated A7, but over the last two months, CarBuzz spy photographers have managed to capture video of the new ICE-powered sedan. Unfortunately, they hadn’t gotten close enough to see the interior – until now.
It’s Literally A Combustion A6 e-tron Interior
After months of not letting spy photographers within close proximity of A7 prototypes, test engineers now open the door for them, revealing no camouflaging canvas spread over the cabin. The reason why is obvious: ignoring the brightly colored emergency cutoff and fire extinguisher activation switches on the dashboard, this cabin looks nearly identical to that of the A6 e-tron. That means an 11.9-inch driver display connected to a 14.5-inch central touchscreen within a single panel. Although not fitted here, we suspect the upper-class A7 will also be available with an optional 10.9-inch passenger display. BMW is rumored to be readying something similar in the 5 Series.
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Audi has observed the divergent paths to EV styling taken by Mercedes and BMW, and like the latter (see BMW i7 and 7 Series, i5 and 5 Series, etc.), Audi is simply making the same cars across the range twice – once with combustion and once with e-motors. If you like the brand, you want the best of the brand no matter what sort of powertrain is beneath you, not to be hamstrung by a choice between styling and technology. Practicality is also coming to the fore, with the awkward Sportback slant replaced by a liftgate that looks like a trunk lid, and an Avant station wagon coming in both ICE and EV guises.
Engines, But Still With Electricity
EVs are not the silver bullet to cleaning up the environment – no single technology is – but there’s no doubt that highly optimized hybrid systems can reduce overall emissions when driven correctly (using only electric power as much as possible). Thanks to the yellow decals placed on various areas of this test mule’s exterior, it’s clear that some form of electrification will come to the new A7, which sits on an updated version of the excellent MLBevo platform. This is now called Premium Platform Combustion.
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As in the A5, the A7 is likely to feature four-cylinder engines, but what form of electrification remains to be seen, especially in America. Our drive of the S5 was with a mild-hybrid powertrain that won’t be coming to the US because American buyers don’t enjoy the engine shutting off in its ‘coasting’ mode and because the stop/start system, as well as the switchover between electric and combustion power, is too jerky. As for the V8 of the RS7, the continued existence of the RS Q8 for 2025 could suggest it still has life when paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system, but it remains to be seen for how long. We’ll report back once we know more.
