According to the folks over at Sweden’s Sportbilen, the prototype was uncovered during the European press launch of the new Audi Q3 in Zurich, Switzerland. And mind you, this wasn’t a static presentation as the media had the chance to drive the pre-production model on the road.
While we do not have a definite answer to what it may be, possible scenarios include a test car for a new Skoda Octavia and a prototype for a Volkswagen-badged model for select markets outside Europe.
We’re still waiting for the RS7 but the development of the S7 appears to be reaching its final stages as you can see in these photos of a prototype spied in Europe. Being that unlike the flashy-looking RS range, all of Audi's ‘S’ branded models are rather inconspicuous, it comes to no surprise that the only telling feature of the prototype model other than the S-Line aero package, which can be had on all A7s, are the four-exhaust pipes at the back.
Even though the prototype is a test mule based on the S4 Avant, there are certain elements that tell us there’s something different about this model. These include the heavily blistered front and rear wheel arches housing the same dark 20-inch alloy rims found on the RS5 Coupe, as well as a modified front bumper with different air vents to supply additional cooling to the engine.
Being based on the more upscale A7 Sportback, it comes to no surprise that the new A6 looks like a sedan version of the first with a less curvalicious roofline and a more mundane rear-end that brings to mind the smaller A4 sedan. The similarities are far more evident in the interior as with a few exceptions aside such as the door panel detailing, the A6's cabin is identical to the A7 Sportback.
We didn't even need to search or speculate on the model as Audi provided the answer in the photos' description: it's the new 2012 A6 sedan, and according to the Ingolstad-based automaker, it will go into production this year at the Neckarsulm site.
Even though the white wrapping succeeds in hiding the A6's styling, our spy shots suggest that Audi's BMW 5-Series rival will more or less remind an A7 with a normal boot and a less swoopy roof line. You can refresh your memory on the spy shots by checking out our previous article here.
