The 2024 Audi A7 Sedan Spy Shots Showed a Car That Became the New A6
In June 2024 the next gas-powered Audi sedan was due to be called A7. Audi changed its naming plan in 2025, and the car arrived as the new A6.
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In June 2024 spy photographers caught a traditional three-box Audi sedan that was due to be sold as the A7. It was the combustion-engined successor to the A6, renamed under Audi's plan to give gas cars odd numbers and electric cars even ones. The car did reach production, but not under that name.
The 2024 story
The prototype surprised because the A7 then on sale was a Sportback, not a sedan. It showed a wide grille, swept-back headlights, minimalist door handles and boomerang-shaped taillights, and it was expected to use the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture shared with the next A5 and Q5, with a focus on hybrid versions.
What happened next
In February 2025 Audi dropped the odd-and-even naming scheme after feedback from customers and dealers, CarExpert reported. The combustion car kept the A6 name, alongside the electric A6 e-tron. The A6 Avant was revealed on March 4, 2025, and the sedan from the spy shots followed on April 15.
The production A6 sedan uses the PPC platform as expected. Engines include a 201-hp 2.0-liter turbo four, a 362-hp 3.0-liter V6 with mild-hybrid assistance and a 2.0-liter diesel, and the drag coefficient is 0.23, according to AutoGuide. In Germany prices started at €55,500.
2024 vs 2026
| 2024 spy shots | Production car | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | A7 | A6 |
| Body | Three-box sedan | Sedan and Avant |
| Platform | PPC expected | PPC |
| Top engine | Not known | 3.0 V6 mild hybrid, 362 hp |
Our read
The spy shots were right about the car and wrong about the badge, because Audi changed its mind about the badge. Reversing a naming plan after a year is unusual, and it shows how much an established name like A6 is worth to dealers. The lesson for readers of spy shots: the hardware is a safer bet than the name.
