German automakers used to offer a wide variety of model variants. But in the last few years, the focus has (rightfully) shifted to efficiency and cost savings. That means companies are slimming down ranges and discontinuing vehicles, leaving little room for niche models.
We've seen it already with a few manufacturers. Mercedes-Benz retired the CLS, BMW removed the 6 and 8 Series coupe models from its lineup, and the Volkswagen Arteon—both the American sedan and the European Shooting Brake—have both been discontinued.
Audi is heading down the same path, with the gas A4 sedan now becoming the larger A5 sedan. The company previously announced that the A6 would also become the A7, but quickly backtracked. The new Audi A6 is now scheduled to debut this summer, which could mean bad news for the A7 name.
Motor1 Germany reports that Audi has suggested there won't be a new A7 Sportback at all. That would make sense, given that the current A7 Sportback shares its platform with the outgoing A6. The Chinese A7L sedan will most likely be discontinued, too.
The second-generation A7 Sportback debuted at the beginning of 2018, followed by a facelift in mid-2023. The A7 offered a range of gas engine options in the US, including the high-performance RS7 Performance model, which produced 621 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. A new RS7—er, RS6, though, may lose its V-8 in favor of a V-6.
You can still pick up an Audi A7 for the 2025 model year in the US before it's gone. The luxury sportback starts at $73,295 with destination included. But it may not be around for much longer. We've reached out to Audi USA to confirm these reports.
Update: Audi responded to our email but could not offer any confirmation on the future of the A6 or A7 model lines in the US.
