Article from Drive Moore Monthly News and Specials

The 2012 Audi A7 breaks down the walls that confined designers into molds like “sedan,” “wagon” and “coupe.” Why not enjoy the benefits of all three in one luxury car that just happens to look like a knockout? Get ready to be impressed with the exceptionally high level of luxury in the top-of-the-line A7 model, the Prestige.

Without a doubt, the 2012 Audi A7 (MSRP $59,250) steals your gaze. It also stole the hearts of Esquire magazine’s editors who named it their “Car of the Year.” In the magazine’s words, “The A7 is what car companies do when they are at the top of their game – a glistening, swing-for-the-fences valentine to sheet metal.”

The Audi A7 inspires love at first sight for many. In the Prestige model (MSRP $65,580), the S line^® exterior adds a sporty flair to the bumpers and Audi Singleframe grille. Behind the beauty lurks added practicality. The trunklid is in fact a seamlessly integrated tailgate that provides access to a generous 24.5 cubic feet of carrying space. That’s more than any sedan on the market today, and it’s about 60 percent roomier than the 15.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats of the BMW 535i Gran Turismo and the 15.3 cubic foot trunk of the Mercedes-Benz CLS “four-door coupe.”

You’ll have a hard time hiding your grin when you feel the surge of the supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI^® V6 engine. Its 310 hp and 325 lb/ft of torque will make you feel like you’re driving a V8, a feeling backed up by the 5.4-second zero-to-60 mph acceleration performance. You’ll also be moved by the mechanical artistry and performance of the advanced eight-speed Tiptronic^® automatic transmission, which also contributes to the 28 mpg highway fuel economy rating.

That outstanding level of efficiency is all the more impressive when you consider that the 2012 Audi A7 comes standard with the brand’s latest generation of quattro^® all-wheel drive. No mere foul-weather friend, quattro enhances handling on any road, in any condition.

Standard in all 2012 A7 models, Audi Drive Select lets you choose your driving mode from among “Comfort,” “Auto,” “Dynamic” and “Individual.” Each tailors the responses of the engine, transmission and steering to suit your driving taste or mood. Feeling sporty? Choose Dynamic for sharpened responses. Taking friends to dinner? Choose Comfort to make the A7 a cocoon of tranquility.

Luxury abounds inside the 2012 Audi A7 Prestige where the design envelops passengers with seating for four. The two rear passengers will find more space and comfort than in traditional coupes. The driver and front passenger relax in standard eight-way power seats with four-way lumbar, which come with standard heating and ventilation in the Prestige model.

In the Audi A7 Prestige, the four-zone climate control system lets each occupant choose individual cooling or heating settings. A power-adjustable steering column makes it easier to fine-tune the driving comfort. Meanwhile, the Adaptive Lighting System customizes illumination based on the driving environment. Whether you’re traveling in the city or on the highway, traveling down a long, straight expanse or cornering, the system continually adjusts road lighting for the immediate condition.

Audio performance in the A7 Prestige ranges from the stunning to the spectacular with the standard 14-speaker Bose^® sound system – featuring HD Radio, a CD changer and Jukebox feature – or the available 1,300-watt, 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen^® Advanced Sound System. You’ll connect to the music and other infotainment easier than ever with the Audi Music Interface and available MMI^® Plus, which combines audio, navigation and telephone functions into a simple and easy-to-use interface with an eight-inch screen. You can even enter navigation or telephone information by using your finger to write it on the MMI (for “Multi Media Interface”) touchpad.

The Audi Connect system, which comes with a six-month complimentary data trial period, provides such services as Google Earth navigation with voice recognition, Google Local Search and Wi-Fi connectivity for up to eight devices.

Add the optional Innovation Package and equip your Audi A7 Prestige with Adaptive Cruise Control technology to automatically maintain a set distance from vehicles ahead, Audi Side Assist to detect vehicles approaching in your blind spots and Night Vision Assistant, which can “see” pedestrians in the dark up to 1,000 feet ahead, even when you can’t. The package also includes Audi Pre Sense, which monitors traffic and alerts if it senses a potential collision, and an all-new Head Up Display, which shows pertinent system information in the driver’s line of sight, as well as full LED headlights and daytime running lights.