In China, consumers have a penchant for rear legroom, and automakers have met this demand by offering long-wheelbase versions of their products. Audi has jumped into the LWB game with several models catered to the Chinese market, and soon it’ll offer another – a long-wheelbase Audi A7. A report over the summer hinted that Audi would develop such a model, and new spy photos prove that the report was correct.
However, Audi is doing more than just slapping some more inches between the wheels. The A7L will lose the model’s sloped fastback roofline. Instead, it will transform into a more traditional-looking sedan. The test vehicle spotted in Germany is nearly covered in camouflage, though it can’t hide the reshaped rear end. Even the headlights and taillights, and grille are covered. However, for all the extra coverage, the styling doesn’t look that different. The taillights look the same, as does the lower front fascia.
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The Audi A7L will be built and sold exclusively in China, production taking place at SAIC-VW in Shanghai. The A7L will also ride on Audi’s MLB Evo platform, introduced in 2015, and it’ll be the first China-made car to use it. The A6L rides on the older MLB platform. Powering the luxury saloon will be a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing between 190 and 240 horsepower (141 to 178 kilowatts). A hybrid at a later date could be possible.
The interior should see the most drastic change in the rear, with the added wheelbase improving the rear legroom. Audi could give rear-seat passengers a few special amenities, but customers shouldn’t expect a decked-out rear-seat experience. Audi offers the larger and more luxurious Audi A8L, which customers could upgrade to if they want something more extravagant. The Audi A7L is expected to debut in China in the first half of 2021.