Audi’s latest move in the luxury sedan game has left us scratching our heads. Spy photos of the 2026 Audi A7, caught testing on Swedish roads, reveal a design that feels like a time warp back to the late ‘90s Ford Taurus—hardly the bold riposte to BMW’s divisive grilles we expected. If BMW’s designs pissed you off, Audi’s saying, “Hold our beer,” but serving a flat, uninspired brew.
The A7’s front end is a letdown, with a bloated, rounded grille and soft, uninspired lines that echo the bulbous Taurus sedan of yesteryear. Gone is Audi’s sharp, predatory elegance; instead, we get a dated, almost generic look that feels more budget commuter than premium flagship. The rear fares no better, with bland taillights and a boxy shape that lacks the muscular flair of past Audis. Sedan, Avant, Allroad, and RS 7 variants were spied, but none escape the retro misstep.
Underneath, the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) promises turbo V6s, mild-hybrids, and a plug-in RS 7 to challenge BMW’s 717-hp M5. The interior, glimpsed earlier, boasts a 14.5-inch touchscreen and 11.9-inch driver display, but tech can’t mask the exterior’s lackluster vibe.
UPDATE from our astute reader Jeff Gall: "This was also NOT photographed in Sweden. I’ve seen these picture without the plates blacked out. It has California manufacturer plates. This is NOT an A7. It’s a A6 tester. The A7 badge on the pillar is likely an early pre-production part. At one point, the A6 was to be renamed A7, but that decision was reversed."
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While BMW’s Neue Klasse EVs dial back the grille drama, Audi’s A7 stumbles with a design that feels two decades behind. Set for a 2025 reveal, this A7 needs serious polish to compete. Audi, take note: nostalgia’s great, but not when it’s this uninspiring.
And while you're at it Audi get a rebate on those taillights!