Audi's A7 Sportback in Dubai

Even though the Audi A7 seems to have come out on top after duking it out with the sand dunes in Dubai, we know there's a lot more to that type of driving than just a capable all-wheel drive system.

To be fair, the desert is no place for any type of premium four door coupe, unless you count the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe and BMW X6 in that category. But those are SUVs, no matter what the marketing people would have you believe.

We weren't expecting to see an Audi A7 Sportback kicking up sand in the desert, but we're not surprised either. At first you'd think that you would need above average ground clearance in order to even attempt to go sand dune skiing, but that's not necessarily the case.

Believe it or not, except for the all-wheel drive system (and Audi's Quattro does a great job), the most important element in such an endeavor is the driver himself. Knowing how to drive on sand can make up for anything the car might not have going for it.

For example, you can start by lowering your tire pressure in order to increase the size of your "footprint". This improves traction not just on sand but also in snowy conditions. Remember when Jeremy Clarkson did it in one of his Top Gear winter specials?

After that, try to follow a set of already-made tire tracks - which seems to be the case in this video with most of the footage. No reason to assume that the A7 was responsible for all the tracks, right?

Last but not least, when stationary, don't accelerate hard but rather go for a smooth "take off". You can apply the same philosophy to accelerating or braking. Try to be as smooth as possible in order to avoid sand build-up in front of your tires.

Maintaining speed is more important than ground clearance, so never step on the gas like you just stole the car, even if you feel like you're starting to lose traction and coming to a halt. Trust in the all wheel drive system and trust your right foot when it comes to gradually building up speed and keeping it steady.

Read More

2017 Audi A7 Sportback

Marc Lichte joined Audi from VW earlier this year and has already completed the design work on the second-generation A7 Sportback model, expected to arrive in 2017.

Lichte spoke with Autocar magazine and confirmed that the new A7 will feature design elements that have already been seen in the recent Prologue concept at the Los Angeles Motor Show. However, the Prologue previews not just the 2017 A7 Sportback but also the 2016 A8 as well as the 2017 A6 - with all three designs having been already signed off for.

Out of the three models, the A7 will feature the most radical styling, according to Lichte, which is music to our ears since the A7 Sportback is already a very sleek looking car.

The 2017 Audi A7 Sportback will be based on the second-generation MLB platform, while its engine range will probably be hand picked from underneath the 2016 A8's hood.

Read More

Audi A6 Black Edition

The A6 Avant Black Edition is also equipped with black roof rails, while all three models ride on a lowered S Line sports suspension.

The interior decorations include Piano Black inlays, sport seats upholstered in black Valcona leather and black headlining, plus an upgraded BOSE surround sound system.

All three Black Edition models are built on the S Line specification, which itself adds exterior and interior styling enhancements, satellite navigation, light and rain sensors, Xenon all-weather headlights and LED rear lights, the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system, parking system plus and keyless go. The A7 adds a few more extras such as a powered tailgate, electrically adjustable front seats and a powered retractable rear spoiler.

The powerplant choices for the Black Edition package include all engines in the A6 Sedan and Avant range from the 175hp (177PS) 2.0-litre TDI upwards bar the S6, and for the A7, all powertrains sans the front-wheel-drive 3.0-litre TDI 201hp (204PS) and the S7 Sportback.

Read More