All About Japan Autos

The all-new 2012 Audi A7 goes on sale later this month, and the automaker has just released pricing information. The A7 will start at $59,250 for the base model, the 3.0T Quattro Tiptronic. This price does not include the $875 destination charge.

The base A7 will have a 3.0-liter TSFI V6 supercharged engine that’s paired with an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. This powertrain will make 310 horsepower. The EPA hasn’t released fuel economy data yet, but Audi says the A7 should average 18/28 mpg city/highway.

If you’re familiar with Audi, you know going up a trim usually gives you more features and a more powerful engine. With the A7, there are more features available, but you’ll still have the 3.0-liter turbocharged engine that comes with the base model. The next step up is the $62,870 Premium Plus trim, which adds Audi Connect, a rearview camera and navigation. The top-of-the-line Prestige trim starts at $65,580 and includes a power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, a Bose sound system and 12-way power adjustable front seats.

So far, the automotive industry is looking forward to the A7’s debut, and thinks it’s a good deal. “There’s no question that the A7 offers a decent value for its segments—so much as any car at nearly 60 large can be a good value—but were we in the market, we’d be holding out for the hotter S7 version, which we expect will sport a turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8, making well over 400 hp,” says Car and Driver.

The industry isn’t sure, however, about where the A7 belongs in the luxury sedan lineup. According to Inside Line, Audi says the A7’s closest competitor is the Mercedes-Benz CLS550, which starts at $74,000 — $14,750 more than the A7. But, the A7 and CLS550 “aren’t head-to-head competitors,” says Inside Line, “especially from a technical specification standpoint. The A7 is equipped with a 310-horsepower supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The CLS550 is equipped with a 382-hp 5.5-liter V8 engine linked to a seven-speed automatic transmission.”

If the CLS550 is too pricey, consider the BMW 5-Series and the Jaguar XF. Both of these models are less expensive than the A7. The 5-Series starts at $45,050, and the XF starts $52,500. In terms of horsepower, the XF makes more than the A7 and 5-Series – 385 horsepower with a 5.0-liter V8 engine. The 5-Series makes the least: 240 horsepower with a 3.0-liter V6 engine.

The Audi A7 goes on sale later this month.

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