The two films won’t arrive until close to mid-2021.
The release of F9, the latest movie in the Fast and Furious franchise, has reportedly been pushed back to May 2021. Blame the postponement of the new James Bond film, No Time to Die, which will now launch on F9’s previous release date of April 2, 2021. It seems you can’t have these two big-budget blockbusters face off against each other on the same weekend.
This marks the second time both films’ dates have been moved. Credit the coronavirus pandemic, as the deadly disease made the two movies’ summer 2020 release dates all but impossible. To work around the virus, No Time to Die’s premiere was moved to November, however, the continued threat of COVID-19 forced the studio to push the movie—a second time—to April 2, 2021. In response, F9 will seemingly push its opening day back in order to ensure it’s not competing with the 25th Bond flick for ticket sales.
Of course, there’s always the chance both movies are pushed back a third time. With millions of Americans having contracted the virus (more than 200,000 of which have died), relatively limited testing, and minimal contact tracing, the United States may not be in a position to cram individuals into theaters by April or May of 2021. That said, we hope this is not the case and the country can return to some semblance of normalcy by the time these two movies are due to hit the big screen.
If German naming conventions have you all twisted-up, understanding the Audi A7 is simple. Think of the A7 simply as a more elegant, stylish Audi A6, incorporating most (if not all) the A6’s powertrain options and interior design. Make sense? We hope so, considering you’ve had eight model years to figure the A7 out. Launched globally in late 2010, Audi’s swoopiest four-door didn’t make it to the States until the 2012 model year, filling a Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class-sized gap in the automaker’s lineup.
Initially, Audi’s ubiquitous 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 served as the only source of motivation, with 310 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque routed to the Quattro all-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Soon after, the nerd-tastic 3.0-liter turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel V-6 hit our shores, now offering 240 hp and a thick 428 lb-ft of torque through the same eight-speed automatic.
With a 0-60-mph run tested somewhere in the low five-second range and a top speed of 155 mph, the bog-standard A7 was hardly a slug, but the later S7 added an extra dollop of speed and performance onto the platform. As the A7 is to the A6, the S7 is essentially a rebodied S6 of the same generation, incorporating the S6’s excellent 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 and slick seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. A total of 420 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque are on tap, returning a 0-60-mph run in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. Model year 2016 saw updates across the board, with the A7 upgraded to 333 hp and the S7 to 450 hp. Along with extra power, the S7 also added upgraded suspension, brakes, tires, wheels, and interior components over the regular A7.
Still not enough? The mighty RS7 is one of the most potent of all Audi four-doors, boosting the S7’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 to 560 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The RS7’s 0-60-mph dash takes just 3.7 seconds, while upgraded brakes—and optional carbon ceramics—and revisions to both chassis and aero improve braking and handling. Finally, for the truly power-mad (and wealthy), Audi’s 2017 updates brought the debut of the RS7 Performance model, rated for 605 hp and 553 lb-ft and capable of 0-60-mph times in the low three-second range.
Second-Generation Audi A7
The second generation of A7 arrived for the 2019 model year, and landed with the newest variant of Volkswagen/Audi’s MLBevo platform, a new turbocharged V-6 engine, and a 48-volt mild hybrid system. Stick with the A7, and you’ll get a 3.0-liter that puts out 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque through all four wheels and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 0-60-mph dash takes 5.2 seconds, and top speed is limited to 130 mph.
By now, you should know how this goes. The second-gen S7 wasn’t long behind the new A7, upping the ante with the 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 pulled from the current RS5. This means 444 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic, cutting the 0-60-mph sprint time to 4.5 seconds, but keeping the top speed limited to 155 mph. Scarier still is the new RS7, packing an updated 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque that allows for a 0-60-mph scuttle in 3.5 seconds. Not convinced? Watch this space for the inevitable arrival of a new RS7 Performance.
Audi A7 Highlights
The effortlessly handsome Audi A7 wasn’t the first fastback sedan, but it was one of the cars that established the segment alongside the groundbreaking Mercedes-Benz CLS, and the A7 remains a staple of Audi’s lineup. The A7—and subsequent high-performance variants—aren’t at the top of the Audi dogpile in either price or size, but the A7 family possesses some of the strongest aspirational pull and consumer recognition. For many, the RS7 is about as good as a modern four-door can get, both aesthetically and dynamically, and we can’t say there isn’t a kernel of truth in this. Better yet, even if you don’t make the jump to the S7 or RS7, the regular bog-standard A7 is still one of the most luxurious and beautifully packaged vehicles on sale today.
Audi A7 Buying Tips
Figuring out which member of the A7 family to buy breaks down to what you want out of your style-forward German luxury car. If you’re in the market for a reliable, trouble-free daily driver, go with a new A/S/RS7; there’s little point pumping endless dollars into a second-hand A7 unless you’re already a die-hard Audi enthusiast.
If you’re OK with driving a used S7 or RS7 as a second or third car for long distance trips or medium-distance use around town, look for a strong maintenance record. If you can’t find a good one or maybe can’t afford one of the cleaner ones, we say keep walking—this is a case of pay now or pay big later.
When you do find a nice pre-owned example, have it checked out by a local Audi dealer or independent specialist to make sure there isn’t anything insidious hiding under those sumptuous bodylines. If there are issues, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding parts, however expensive they may be; Audi still provides factory support for A7s both old and new.
Audi A7 Stories On Automobile
We’ve been fortunate enough to drive every U.S.-bound iteration of the handsome A7 family since its introduction. Check out a few of our favorites below.
We drove the first-gen S6 and S7 back in 2012.
An Audi RS7 Performance played the role of ultra-expensive, ultra-quick getaway vehicle when fires threatened Southern California.
We drove the second-gen Audi A7 in South Africa for our first drive.
Speaking of the Audi A7 and Africa, we happened to take the new A7 to Namibia soon after.
Our first drive of the second-gen 2020 Audi RS7 proves its lost none of its violence.
Audi A7 Quick Facts
First year of production: 2013 (U.S. )
Original price: $60,995 (2013)
Current price: $69,995
One of the most handsome sedans ever built
S7 and RS7 are brutally quick ultra-luxe sleds
No matter the version, the A7 family excels
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Automobile of the Year 2013 Audi A7
Automobile of the Year 2013 Audi A7
2017 Detroit Auto Show: Audi Q8 Concept Overview
2017 Detroit Auto Show: Audi Q8 Concept Overview
Audi h-tron Quattro Concept
Audi h-tron Quattro Concept
2017 Audi R8 Spyder: New York Auto Show
2017 Audi R8 Spyder: New York Auto Show
By Design: Audi Q8 Concept
By Design: Audi Q8 Concept
2017 Audi R8: Driven
2017 Audi R8: Driven
2018 Audi TT RS vs. 2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS—Head 2 Head Episode 105
2018 Audi TT RS vs. 2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS—Head 2 Head Episode 105
Garmin Catalyst Launch Video
Garmin Catalyst Launch Video
2020 Tesla Model 3 Performance Races Classic Dodge Coronet
2020 Tesla Model 3 Performance Races Classic Dodge Coronet
Lucid Air Tri-Motor Prototype Runs the Quarter Mile
Lucid Air Tri-Motor Prototype Runs the Quarter Mile
2022 Volkswagen Taos Prototype
2022 Volkswagen Taos Prototype
Lucid Air EV In-Car Lap at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca (Courtesy of Lucid)
Lucid Air EV In-Car Lap at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca (Courtesy of Lucid)
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Audi A7 FAQ
You have questions about the Audi A7. Automobile has answers. Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Audi A7.
Is The Audi A7 A Good Car?
While the answer depends on what you intend to use it for, we’d say the A7 family is, overall, one of the better four-door sedans you can buy today.
How Fast Is An Audi A7?
If we’re talking 0-60-mph times, the current A7 handles that in 5.2 seconds. For top speed, expect to hit the limiter at 130 mph.
What Is The Horsepower Of An Audi A7?
The 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 in the current Audi A7 puts out 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.
We escape to the desert to give this innovative rooftop tent a try.
California was on fire and I needed to find a place to go camping. Why? The fine folks at Roofnest had offered us the chance to borrow a 2020 Kia Telluride SX equipped with their Sparrow hardshell rooftop tent before the Golden State was ablaze, and there was no way I was going to miss the opportunity to get away from it all after being cooped up at home for so long.
Fortunately, our National Parks system has great online resources and a quick search was all my fiancée and I needed to locate a campsite in Joshua Tree and reserve a space, despite less than a week’s notice. Our last-minute planning session fits the spirit of camping in a tent affixed to the top of a car—as long as the roof box is already secured to the vehicle, one can theoretically grab their gear and get out of Dodge at a moment’s notice.
I hadn’t been camping since I took a Honda Passport on a road trip from Oakland to the Trinity Alps for a backpacking trip, and since my camping friends prefer not to car camp, I hadn’t had what I view to be a luxurious camping trip in a long time. After a quick run to REI to pick up whatever remaining essentials we needed, we loaded up the Telluride and hit the road midday on a Saturday. It’s worth noting that despite our fairly space-inefficient gear, Kia’s three-row SUV is so spacious we only needed to flip down the back seats to have oodles of room to spare. It was great not having to stress about using my Tetris skills to get everything to fit.
Streamlined Sparrow, Stable Telluride
Both in town and on the highway, the Roofnest Sparrow was barely noticeable on top of the car. I had driven the Telluride before this excursion, in almost the exact same specification as the one pictured here, so I was familiar with its handling and feel. Its naturally aspirated V-6 engine produces a stout 291 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, and the Telluride never felt encumbered by wind resistance or weight. Roofnest built the Sparrow out of ABS plastic reinforced with hand-laid fiberglass, keeping the weight down to a modest 130 pounds. Even in the curvier mountain passes we traversed to get up to the desert there was little sense of a higher center of gravity.
The tent box is anchored to the roof with a Thule Rapid Podium Foot Pack fastened to the Telluride with a vehicle-specific Fit Kit. The Roofnest is attached to Thule SquareBar Evo 135 cross bars which cost $339.90 in total, so be sure to factor that into the budget if you’re in the market for a new roof-top tent.
Setting Up the Tent and Spending the Night
Getting situated with the Roofnest Sparrow is easy, and packs some wow factor. All you have to do is pop off the latches on each side of the hard-shell roof box and the tent springs up with rapid hydraulic action. Roofnest includes a collapsible ladder that attaches to either bottom side of the tent’s shell to provide access to the sleeping quarters. It’s very light and easy to hoist into place, although due to its segmented construction there was quite a bit of flex when I climbed up to stow our stuff. Once I got used to the flex, though, I had no issues scurrying up and down from the top of the SUV.
Since setting up the campsite took just a few minutes, we were able to spend the rest of the day hiking and appreciating the awe-inspiring rock formations. After an evening of star gazing, we clambered up the ladder to get a good night’s rest before the drive back to Los Angeles in the morning. The thick anti-condensation mat inside the tent was comfy enough to sleep on and felt great after a day outside.
Overhead there was a convenient cargo net from which we could hang a lantern and I could safely place my glasses. We tossed most of our stuff at the foot of the bed and still had room for our legs. If we were any taller (I’m the taller one at 5'9") we’d have had to put our backpacks up above to have a comfortable amount of room. The five-foot wide compartment was just spacious enough for the two of us, but larger folks will be very snug if they attempt to sleep side-by-side. แทงบอลออนไลน์
Roofnest Sparrow: Tough Struts We kept the awnings that cover the netted doors and windows down, so it stayed warm all night. The sides of the tent are thick enough that the light hardly penetrated through the material, so in the morning we were woken up by the heat rather than by the sun’s brightness.
For the Sparrow, Roofnest upgraded the folding support struts to be stronger than previous models. The struts on our unit seem to have been a lot more powerful than other Sparrow tents depicted in video reviews online. Our tent popped up way faster than what I saw in my pre-trip research.
Our test tent’s mighty struts were convenient when we opened it but presented a challenge when it came time to pack up. Closing the shell required quite a bit of strength—the rear seemed to want to pop back up unless we strapped it down with the provided tab and buckle. Once that was sorted, pulling down the front of the shell required my body weight and then some. After fighting with the struts, the tent stayed down only with help of the latches on each side of the box. It seems like my experience isn’t universal however, and that there may have been an issue with the example we borrowed.
The Roofnest Sparrow costs $2,895 and is on sale now. If this is in your budget and you want to live the bugout-at-any-time lifestyle, it’s a great way to see our country’s natural beauty by car, even at a moment’s notice.
Roofnest Sparrow Roof-Top Tent Highs Super easy setup Very low impact on vehicle dynamics Spacious and cleverly designed interior Roofnest Sparrow Roof-Top Tent Lows A lot more expensive than just using a normal tent Difficult to collapse, especially for shorter folks
Modern in-car technology can be confusing, but Ram’s new app aims to fix that.
Not tech-savvy? Sorry, not an option in 2020. Trucks are more feature-packed and technologically advanced than ever before. To help educate owners and get them engaged with their vehicles, Ram Trucks has developed a new mobile app called Know & Go, which will debut with the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX and then roll out to other FCA vehicles. The TRX is Ram’s new off-road beast (most comparable to the Ford Raptor) highlighted by its supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 that produces 702 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. After purchasing a TRX, owners will be able to download the app to their smartphones. ufa.bet
The Know & Go app offers augmented reality to overlay instructions and explanations on certain features, notifications of undiscovered features, overviews on functionalities, how-to videos, and bookmarked feature-specific owner’s manual pages. For the augmented reality portion, the app uses your phone’s camera to overlay a description of whatever the lens is pointed at on the TRX.
As the winner of FCA’s Pitch Night program in June, where the company solicits new ideas from its employees, the Know & Go app went from concept to market-ready in less than three months. More than 500 ideas were submitted for Pitch Night, which were reduced to 50 through employee online voting and then further reduced to 14 by leadership. The finalists received further coaching before presenting their ideas to a panel of FCA big wigs. The Know & Go app won because of its originality, feasibility, viability, and desirability. We’re looking forward to giving it a go in the future.
The new diesel is the off-road champ, and it isn’t bad on the street, either.
MALIBU, California—People often ask me how I write car reviews, and I tell them my usual modus operandi is to find a hook—the feature or aspect of the vehicle that really stands out—and then hang the story on that. Where I run into trouble is with something like this 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel test drive, which covers a vehicle that has more than one hook.
The obvious one is how much sense a diesel engine makes in an off-road Jeep. But there’s also the hook of a diesel-powered pickup, which is a great idea for people who use their pickups to, y'know, do things. And then there’s the plain old hook that, to a car guy like me, diesels are just cool. This is when the writing becomes a struggle: Which is the best hook?
2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel Test Drive: Off-Roading? You Need One Of These Off-roaders reap great benefits from Dr. Rudolf Diesel’s invention. Take this particular 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel test drive: I started out my day with an off-road run on the trails at Calamigos Ranch, which is familiar territory; I’ve probably done 100 laps here, and most of them in Jeep Wranglers. Doing so has made me sentimental for the old 4.0-liter straight-six engine Jeep used ages ago, which had just-off-idle torque to beat the band. Most Jeeps nowadays have FCA’s 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, which is a wonderful engine but has one serious off-road flaw: On steep obstacles, you really have to get it going before it will go. And when you’re off-road, revving the engine can make things messy.
The 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel does away with that little problem. It’s powered by the same 3.0-liter, turbodiesel V-6 found in the diesel-powered Wrangler, with 260 horsepower and a mighty 442 lb-ft of torque available. (As Jeep staffers will gleefully point out, that’s a 73-lb-ft advantage over the four-cylinder diesel in Chevrolet’s lovely Colorado.) Full twist is available between 1,400-2,800 rpm.
Off-road, the advantages are immediately obvious. The 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel can tip-toe its way over tough obstacles with the engine at idle speed or just above. If you come across something that gives it pause, just lock the differentials (assuming your Gladiator has this option) and feed in a little more power, and it’ll ease over whatever is under the tires just as gently as you please. In these same circumstances, the gas-powered Gladiator requires more throttle input, which leads to more wheelspin and more drama (and I can say this for certain, because I’ve been in these same circumstances with Pentastar-powered Jeeps). The diesel allows more precision and finesse—think scalpel versus blunt steak knife and you’ll get the idea.
Oh, and this is as good a time as any to mention the Gladiator’s nose-mounted camera, which I hadn’t tried before. Obviously, it comes in very handy for those steep climbs when all you can see out of the windshield is sky and you don’t have a spotter outside of the car.
Of course the diesel is more fuel efficient, and that’s useful, too—if you’re venturing way, way, way the hell off the beaten path, the further a tank of fuel takes you, the better.
So, yes—off-road, there is no question in my mind, the diesel is the one you want.
2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel Test Drive: Did Someone Say, “Towing”? If you bought your new Gladiator to do pickup-truck things, the argument for the diesel is also pretty strong.
You might expect the diesel to give you more towing capacity, but it actually doesn’t. (Towing capacity isn’t just about power and torque, it’s also about chassis, braking, and cooling capability, and in this case it’s the latter that limits the Gladiator.) Across the Jeep Gladiator lineup, the towing champ is the gasoline-powered Gladiator Sport automatic with 4.11:1 sprint gears, at 7,650 pounds. The new 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel I test drove—which comes exclusively with an eight-speed automatic and 3:73 axles—tows 6,500 pounds in most trims, and 6,000 pounds in Rubicon form. That’s a little more than the gassers in some trims and less in others. The payload capacity is slightly lower as well in most trims (1,075-1,325 pounds) owing to the engine’s greater weight.
But what’s good about the diesel is the way it develops power—that big wave of low-end torque makes it easy to get the power down to the ground gently. (I tend to tow living things, primarily horses, and driving gently and smoothly is of paramount importance.)
Is it the best-driving engine? Not really. Turbo lag is an issue; there’s a pronounced delay between prodding the accelerator and getting an engine response. Same for foot-to-the-floor acceleration from a standing start: Stomp the pedal and there’s a pause, and you can almost sense the Gladiator EcoDiesel carefully picking up its skirts before it takes off. Actually, it doesn’t take off so much as it wallops you in the small of the back with a sledgehammer. Then there’s another pause as the automatic changes gears, then another wallop. Pause, wallop, pause, wallop, and after four or five of these, you’re doing 60 mph.
But if you’re not mashing the pedal every time you want to go—and believe me, you really don’t need to—both the engine and the transmission do their duty smoothly and seamlessly. Noise is minimal; you can just hear the thrum of the diesel over the wind and tire noise (of which there is no shortage in a soft-top 2021 Jeep Gladiator).
Speaking of tires, I should mention this is the first time I’ve driven the basic Sport model of the Gladiator, the one that wears the closest thing to street tires, and I was impressed with how well it handled. I’m used to Gladiators (and Wranglers) with big, knobby tires that make the steering soft and approximate, but this one went where I pointed it and gripped the road much better than I expected. It’s something to think about if you want a Jeep Gladiator and don’t plan to do much off-roading.
2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel Test Drive: Worth The Money? Back to the diesel: Would I buy one? Absolutely. I like the way diesels develop power, and the fuel economy—24 mpg in the EPA combined cycle for Sport and Overland models, versus 19 mpg for the 3.6 gasser—is a nice advantage. So is the cruising range, which is on the order of 500 miles.
Of course, it’s easy for me to say the diesel is a better option, because I’m borrowing the 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel for a quick test, and I’m not buying it with my own money. Buying the diesel will add some $6,000 to the Gladiator’s price ($4,000 for the engine and another $2,000 for the automatic transmission). Add in destination fee, and we’re talking about $41,000-plus before you add a single option. And how likely are you to find a Gladiator at a local dealership without a single option? (Hint: Not very.) แทงบอลออนไลน์
So, we can probably rule-out the diesel based on good financial sense. We can also rule it out on towing, since the gasoline-powered Gladiator, when properly equipped, tows more. And while I think the diesel is better off-road, we can’t pretend there aren’t thousands of Jeepsters out there perfectly satisfied with the 3.6 engine.
What the diesel has, though, is an immeasurable cool factor. Both the Wrangler and the Gladiator just feel right with a diesel. If I was going to buy a 2021 Jeep Gladiator—which, let’s face it, makes very little financial sense compared to a Chevrolet Colorado, a Ford Ranger, or a Toyota Tacoma—I’d go for the diesel. Why? Well, why not?
Hey, maybe that’s the hook on which I should hang this story.
2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel Pros Low-rpm torque makes it a better off-roader Better fuel economy and longer range Cool factor 2021 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel Cons Turbo lag Uneven power delivery at full throttle Man, is it expensive
