Past meets present: Audi 100 Coupé S and Audi A7 Sportback

While new model coverage tends to dominate most of the subject matter of this blog, we still enjoy retrospectives just as much as the next guy. That said, we thought a brief "past meets present" article would be a fun departure. Looking back nearly 40 years, these photos show the iconic Audi 100 Coupé S next to the new Audi A7 - signifying the A7 Sportback's DNA runs deeper than some may have thought.

Debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1969, the Audi 100 Coupé S showed off a new "fastback" design that, up until the time, was arguably the most beautiful ever to wear four rings. In addition to the new fastback design; the 100 Coupé S brought the addition of a 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine producing 113 horsepower, wider tires, a variable-height steering wheel, ventilated front brake discs and upgraded interior equipment and trim.

Forty years later, Audi's debut of the A7 Sportback is nearly as awesome as that of this distant ancestor. It should be noted that the design of the A7 is hardly a retro throwback, but rather an evolution from one legend to a new. A true testament of Vorsprung durch Technik.

Photos: Audi