PGA Cars launches the sleek, new Audi A7 Sportback

MANILA, Philippines - People always tend to get iffy when a completely new car is launched. Mostly the reactions to a completely new design can be divided into two: either the traditionalists hate it or the more adventurous brush it off as bland. Mostly. You can count on Audi to kick traditional expectations in the balls.

Amidst oohs and aahs from respected automobile designers, the Audi A7 Sportback – a five-door that practically unites the strengths of a coupé, a sedan and a station wagon – debuted in style. The car’s design was so impressive, in fact, that it was recently selected as the winner of the “Auto Bild” Design Summit 2011. “An absolutely harmonious design concept. Unembellished flanks, sinewy shoulders, streamlined sides – perfect,” described Othmar Wickenheiser, professor of Transportation Design, Munich University.

Well, PGA Cars, official distributors of Audi vehicles in the country, wasted no time in giving the Filipino buying public its first glimpse at the sexy, new Audi. Over an intimate dinner held at the new Audi showroom in Bonifacio High Street, PGA Cars chairman Robert Coyiuto, Jr. and his team proudly unveiled the Audi A7 Sportback to a handful (literally, there were just five of us, two of whom were from The Philippine STAR) of media people and some loyal customers. The oohs and aahs necessarily followed.

The Audi A7 Sportback is a relatively large five-door model with a dynamically flowing rear end. Said rear end is what “unites the strengths of a coupé, a sedan and a station wagon”. Measuring 4.97 meters (16.31 ft) in length, the five-door is an Audi in a new top form. Its low, dynamically drawn roofline lends it the character of a coupé. Optional LED headlights up front accentuate its appearance. LED tail lights are standard.

The five-door coupé combines supreme long-distance comfort with a sporty character. The excellent vibration behavior is the result of painstakingly tuning all components, systematic hydraulic damping in the axle and drivetrain bearings, and the extremely stiff body. Made primarily of aluminum and high-tech steels, it is extremely lightweight and very safe. The long rear hatch opens to reveal a large luggage compartment.

The chassis, too, combines sporty precision with luxurious comfort. The Audi A7 Sportback rolls on large 20-inch wheels with electromechanical drive. The Audi drive select dynamics system is standard and is supplemented by the adaptive air suspension.

“The Audi A7 Sportback completes our line-up of large cars. Along with the new A6 and the new A8, the car will definitely appeal to its own set of Audi fans. We are very confident that just like the aforementioned models, it will exceed all expectations,” said Coyiuto immediately after unveiling the A7 Sportback.

According to PGA Cars, the locally available A7 Sportback models will have the same engine as the award-winning models – a V6 gasoline-fed 3.0 TFSI quattro. They will also be equipped with the sporty 7-speed S tronic transmission with quattro drive. As for pricing, PGA Cars will only go so far as to say that the A7 Sportback will be priced between the current A6 and A8 models.

For information on new Audi A7 Sportback and other available Audi models in the Philippines, visit any of the Audi showrooms in Greenhills, Alabang, Audi Global City and in the Audi Approved Plus display facility at Petron Dasmariñas Village, Makati or contact 727-0381 to 85.