One of the most expensive models from the German automaker is the Audi A7, but does it have a spoiler?
A retractable, adaptive spoiler that activates automatically as the Audi A7 approaches 80 mph is standard equipment. The spoiler can also be manually operated at the driver’s command, however at low speeds it won’t improve performance.
Continue reading to find out more about the Audi A7, why it’s such a high-end car, and the extra features it has.
In This Article...
A7 spoiler: Is it automatic?
- Automatic extension: At speeds over roughly 130 km/h, the rear spoiler automatically extends.
- Retraction occurs automatically when the vehicle is traveling at speeds less than about 80 km/h.
- Manual extension: Press the button for a brief period of time to fully expand the rear spoiler.
- Manual retraction: Press and hold the button to retract the rear spoiler at speeds up to around 20 km/h. Press the button for a brief period of time between 20 and 130 km/h to fully retract the rear spoiler.
It’s possible that a malfunction prevented the rear spoiler from extending. In this scenario, the vehicle’s handling may vary at high speeds. Without delay, travel (not more than 140 km/h) to a certified workshop to have the fault fixed. The current road speed affects the lamp’s color.
Please avoid placing people or items close to the moving spoiler when extending or retracting the rear spoiler to avoid injury.
- Never put your weight on the rear spoiler of the car if you need to push it it could get damaged!
- You shouldn’t lean on or exert any pressure on the rear spoiler to prevent damage.
- When the boot lid is open or any of the automated rear spoiler’s moving elements are blocked, do not manually operate it to avoid damage!
Every 2 to 3 months, clean the housing for the rear spoiler. To function properly, the rear spoiler housing needs to be clear of ice, snow, and debris.
What A7 is a spoiler?
The mid-size five-door Audi A7 “Sportback” hasn’t seen a significant update since it was introduced for the 2012 model year, but it has aged well. The A7 is an intriguing substitute for a more traditional luxury sedan, acting as a sporty bridge between the A6 mid-size sedan and the A8 flagship sedan. It has discovered a niche market because to its elegant combination of hatchback functionality and coupe-like style that allows it to compete with the more expensive BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes-Benz CLS Coupe (for now).
Finally, a redesign of the Audi A7 is being made for the 2019 model year. The all-new A7 has a menacing appearance and is more in keeping with the current Audi design language. The car’s aggressive front end resembles a meaner version of the elegant A8 flagship, while the rest of its body boasts dynamic lines that transition into imposing rear quarters.
This “coupe” continues with a sloping roofline and pillarless doors giving the A7 its “four-door coupe distinction in an effort to conceal the reality that it’s a five-door hatchback. The new 2019 A7 is sufficiently different from the outgoing model to stand out as an entirely new design, even though it still retains the distinctive appearance of an Audi.
When we finally make it to the back of the car, things start to become extremely interesting. Its long, horizontal taillight, which has angular corners at each end, gives the car’s rear end the appearance of a Sith Lord. A power retractable spoiler, subtle chrome trim, and neatly concealed tailpipes are also present on the back.
The turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 TFSI in the 2019 A7 generates 340 horsepower and 368.8 pound-feet of torque. The seven-speed S Tronic automatic transmission will be the only available choice. It will use a mild-hybrid system, similar to the current A8, with a 48-volt primary electrical system and a lithium-ion battery to assist the A7 achieve an anticipated 34.6 miles per gallon.
Audi describes the new A7’s interior as having a “lounge atmosphere.” According to Audi, the interior’s four defining characteristics are refinement, sportiness, progressivism, and intuitiveness. Audi accomplished a fantastic job of addressing all four of those goals with this stylish yet athletic interior, with clean lines, a driver-oriented cockpit, and lots of contemporary technology on display.
The Audi A7 sports a variety of available driver assistance features, such as Audi AI for self-parking and adaptive cruise control. Through the myAudi mobile app, autonomous parking will be accessible “at some point in 2018 and can park the car for you even if you’re not in it.
Updated models of the S7 and RS 7 will be unveiled “at a later date,” Audi assured us. Audi has been contacted for comment; if they respond, we’ll update this article. The new A7 will go on sale in the German market in late February 2018 for a starting price of 67,800 euros ($80,204 USD). This much is known about pricing and availability. It will arrive in the United States in late 2018 or early 2019.
What automobiles include retractable spoilers?
The McLaren MP4-12C, Lexus LFA, Porsche Panamera, Bugatti Veyrons, and a number of Audi models are well-known examples of automobiles that feature retractable spoilers.
All Audi TTs have spoilers, right?
Fixed spoilers are an option on some models. Yes, but the spoiler is often retractable and only becomes visible above a particular speed unless it is manually extended by pushing a button. Fixed spoilers are an option on some models. A retractable spoiler on the TTS opens at 75 miles per hour.
What automobiles have active spoilers?
Eight amazingly fun active wings and spoilers
- Panamera by Porsche.
- One Koenigsegg:
- a Ford GT
- McKenna Senna.
- Infiniti FXX-K.
- The Huracan Performante by Lamborghini.
- Speedtail by McLaren.
- TSR-S Zenvo.
An active spoiler is what?
An active spoiler is one that actively changes its effect, intensity, or other performance attribute as the car is moving in response to the environment. The most typical type of rear spoiler, which is most frequently used on sports cars and other passenger cars, retracts into or completely into the back of the car at low speeds before extending upwards at higher speeds, like the active spoiler on the Bugatti Veyron. Some models now come with active front spoilers, which reduce drag at high speeds by extending the front spoiler or air dam further toward the road below. The majority of the time, an electric motor that is automatically controlled by the onboard computer or other electronics and typically based on the vehicle’s speed, the driver’s preference, or other inputs is used to deploy the spoiler. The spoiler is frequently manually deployable if desired, but may not be retracted over a specific speed because doing so could dangerously impair the vehicle’s high-speed handling abilities.
Over fixed spoilers, active spoilers may provide more advantages. When the car is parked or moving slowly, when it is most likely to be noticed, they can give it a cleaner or less cluttered appearance. Vehicle designers who want to enhance the high-speed aerodynamics of a known or classic model (such as the Porsche 911 or Audi TT) without significantly altering its appearance may find a hidden spoiler to be appealing. At low speeds, a spoiler can be concealed to enhance aerodynamics. Due to the lack of airflow over it at low speeds, a fixed spoiler may actually increase drag rather than helping the car handle better. While still lowering drag at high speeds, a retractable front spoiler might lessen the risk of the automobile scraping against curbs or other road defects.
Powered fans, like those found in the Chaparral 2J, function similarly to spoilers by increasing downforce, which improves the car’s traction and handling. The use of fans to change a vehicle’s aerodynamics is still a topic of research. [6]
Do spoilers increase a car’s speed?
When placed properly, spoilers can aid in achieving a number of aerodynamic goals, particularly when it comes to increasing downforce and improving steering in race vehicles.
Without spoilers, a race car’s weight is its only means of bringing the wheels to the ground. A vehicle designed for rapid acceleration might easily slip away at high speeds if it is too light. However, increasing the weight has a significant impact on both acceleration and speed.
Another issue with packing on unnecessary weight to get a better grip is that being heavy really works against you when you need a hold.
To improve a car’s grip on the track, automobile designers have developed a superior substitute.
By pushing the air up and the car down, a well-designed spoiler aids in improving grip. The impacts of the car’s spoiler are more noticeable as it travels quicker.
More drag is produced by spoilers, which is another effect. Drag is the air’s innate response to the motion of the car through it. Drag is undesirable. A poorly built spoiler either produces too much downforce or none at all, rendering it ineffective (which makes the car go slower rather than faster.)
The “lift/drag ratio” is a feature of some exceptionally fast cars, such the McLaren F1. In order to provide precisely the right amount of downforce for the automobile to go through turns at high speeds without becoming too slow, automotive designers and engineers strive to maximize this ratio to the greatest extent feasible.
How quickly do spoilers work?
Over 7 years have passed since this article was published. Some information might not be up to date anymore.
Will my car actually drive differently if I spend more to have a spoiler put to it?
Ottawa’s Tim
Warning: The likelihood is that your sedan’s spoiler serves little use other than to make it look sporty.
According to Dr. Martin Agelin-Chaab, assistant professor of automotive engineering at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) in Oshawa, Ont., “the great majority of spoilers out there don’t accomplish anythingyou don’t get any bang for your money.” They only function correctly when installed, and even then, only at speeds of at least 100 kilometers per hour.
Aerodynamic lift, the force that tries to lift your car off the ground, is supposed to be revealed by spoilers. Your car is supposed to be pushed onto the road by them.
According to Dr. Ron Miller, an engineering professor at Carleton University who has worked on race-car design, spoilers are typically used to boost downforce because they deflect air upward, creating a downward force on the car. “This aids in keeping the tires firmly planted to the pavement, improving the car’s grip and, consequently, its cornering ability.”
Agelin-Chaab claims that spoilers might help lessen drag. Additionally, you’ll use less petrol if your car has less air resistance. But unless you’re taking the freeway, you probably won’t notice the difference while you drive the kids to soccer.
At 120 km/h or above, 50% of fuel is used to reduce drag, according to him. Therefore, at high speeds, even a little reduction in drag can have a significant influence on fuel economy.
Agelin-Chaab continues, “But a spoiler only works if it’s cutting through the air at the right angle.”
“On more expensive sports vehicles, factory-installed spoilers are quite effective. There are certainly many others out there that are less efficient, and some automakers even claim that their spoilers are primarily for aesthetic purposes.”
According to Agelin-Chaab, fitting a spoiler correctly takes at least three hours in a wind tunnel (the UOIT’s costs $700 an hour). If you’re installing one yourself, you can perform a coastdown test to determine how much drag your car is experiencing.
Even while a spoiler might not improve the handling or fuel efficiency of your automobile, it can’t harm, right? I hate to be a spoilsport, but a spoiler that is improperly installed could disrupt the airflow surrounding your car. A spoiler may or may not interact correctly with the flow surrounding the vehicle to improve things because it was not incorporated into the car’s aerodynamic design, according to Miller. It might even make matters worse.
Understeer can be brought on by a poorly placed spoiler that gives the back wheels too much traction.
The straight rear wheels often take precedence over the twisted, less-grippy front ones, which might make the automobile more reluctant to turn, he says.
Does a spoiler benefit a car?
#SpoilerAlert: How Wings, Side Skirts, and Spoilers Work Your car’s grip on the road is reduced as the trapped air tries to elevate the vehicle. A spoiler enhances airflow and, consequently, vehicle performance and efficiency in some minor way by preventing or significantly lowering lift.
How Does a Spoiler Work?
Your car can be made to ride more aerodynamically by adding a spoiler. Although they occasionally appear on the front of your car as well, spoilers are often mounted to the back of your vehicle.
Different performance enhancements for your car will depend on the type of spoiler and its placement.
Better airflow over and around your car is the major reason people install a spoiler. Additionally, this improves traction or grip on the road.
What distinguishes a spoiler from a wing?
Similar to an upside-down aviation wing, an automotive airfoil (wing) directs airflow upward to produce down-force on the back of the car.
A spoiler is a device that restricts localized airflow while enhancing the airflow everywhere around a vehicle. In essence, you’re creating a barrier around a bad air flow area to direct the air elsewhere.
Please see our most recent post for a more thorough explanation. A spoiler is not a rear wing.