Originally Posted by Mike-in-Orange
Once again..... ahhh, Southern California, that rolling car show.
I saw my first A7 on the road here almost a year ago but, surprisingly, I've only seen a handful since. You'd think people out here would be snapping them up since it's soooo much better looking than the Porsche Panamera and those things are all over the place out here (and rather ugly, truth be told).
I have to agree with your assessment of the A7 - it is a terrific looking car. Of course, for those on a real budget, take a look at the 2013 Ford Fusion....... very reminiscent of the A7, but I think the A7 has better overall proportions.
I actually didn't realize these have been out on the streets since 2011, but that would make sense for a 2012 model. I agree with you that the A7 definitely looks much sharper than the Panamera, and I think it looks better than the CLS as well. The CLS really caught my eye when it first came out for its bold styling, and I guess that's what has drawn me to the A7 as well. I appreciate car manufacturers aspiring to give car enthusiasts a 4 door passenger car that wants to be more than a bland commuter/weekend hauler (sorry but *cough* 4-door G37 *cough*), even though it is perfectly functional as one.
Given the fact I haven't seen any A7s until the other day, perhaps on the east coast they have not been readily available or simply haven't caught on around here. If you are simply looking for a people hauler, Audi offers much more obvious choices in its lineup so I guess the A7 is intended for a smaller group of eccentric? car enthusiast.
The new Ford Fusion is certainly a nice looking vehicle, my fiancee even test drove one before settling on the older Jetta - but again the comparison is apples to oranges. If I was looking for a practically priced alternative to the A7, I would look to pick up a used Mercedes CLS55 AMG.