Unique Cars Australia – September 2019

36 TradeUniqueCars.com.au

whenyouhitthestartbuttontorevealtwolarge
instrumentandinfotainmentscreens.I reckon
Audidoesinteriorsbetterthananyoneandthis
newlookwithminimalbuttonsandeverything
controlledthroughthescreenstakesit toa
higherplane.Naturallyyougeta fullclusterof
instrumentsinthebinnaclethatincludesthe
previouslymentionedvirtualcockpit.
ThetwolargecentralscreenscontaintheHVAC
controlsandMulti-mediainfotainmentthat

includesAppleCarplay,Androidauto,satnavand
a bunchofotherapps,plussettingsfora plethora
ofmenustoadjusteverythingfromthetreblein
theaudio,tothedampingofthesuspension.The
onlydownsidetothiswonderfulcreationisthat
aftera coupleofdaysthescreensarecoveredin
fingerprintsasthoughthekidshavebeeninthere
playing.Mattefinishwouldbebetter.I alsofound
thebuttonsneeda goodprodtoactivatethem
andI wassurprisedthelargerearwindowwasn’t

equippedwitha wiper.Minorqubblesthough.

AstestedtheAudiA7leaptfroma $131,900

startingpriceto$146,300asit wasdeckedout

witha coupleofoptionpacks.The$4200Dynamic

SteeringPackaddedlow-speedall-wheelsteering

toreducetheturningcircle,whilethevariableratio

steeringgivesit amazingturningabilitywithvery

fewturnslocktolock.

Alsooptionalwasthe$8000Premiumpack

inclusiveofadaptiveairsuspension,that

constantlyaltersthedampersfora magiccarpet

ride,privacyglassanda sunroof,four-zoneaircon,

LEDambientinteriorlightingandhuge21-inch

alloywheelsthatreallyaddtotheA7’svisual

appeal.

Withtheconvenienceoffourdoors,thestyleofa

coupe,GTperformancethankstoitssilky-smooth

V6turboenginehookeduptoQuattroall-wheel

driveviaa seven-speedauto,plustheversatilityof

a hatchback,theA7ticksalltheboxes.

“WITH 250KW ON TAP, STANDSTILL TO

100KM/H IS DESPATCHED IN 5.3 SECONDS”

TOYBOX

RIGHT

’Quattro’,

with us for

almost 40

years and still

meaningful.

ABOVE Audi

A7 Designer

Andreas

Koglin with his

creation.

ELEVATED

OPTIONS

IF YOU want an elevated

driving position, but

still want five doors and

plenty of oomph, the

similarly priced $128,900

Audi Q8 might be your

go. Like many brands

Audi has created a

coupe version to add

to its SUV range. The

roof isn’t as angled as

the BMW X6, making it

more practical. Inside it

gets the same minimalist

dash treatment as the

A7 with large screens

that illuminate at engine

start. It is spacious and

extremely comfortable

with plenty of leg,

shoulder and headroom

plus a decent size cargo

area. Performance-wise

the Q8 almost matches

the A7 with the SUV

getting to 100km/h in

5.9 seconds and a top

speed of 250km/h.

While both have the

same engine, power and

torque outputs the Q8

runs an eight-speed auto

and it’s only due to its

heft that it runs a slower

but still impressive zero

to 100km/h time of 5.9

seconds. Horses for

courses then.