Volkswagen’s ID family of electric vehicles will soon grow to include a sedan for the first time ever, which will be christened the ID.7. Previously known as the Aero B, or the electric Passat, it was recently scooped in motion during winter testing in Northern Europe, with a limited amount of camouflage.
The latest spy shots taken by our vigilant man with the cam reveal more skin compared to the prototype displayed at CES 2023, in Las Vegas, as while that one had a special wrap that sent trippy vibes, the vinyl stickers on this one are rather discreet, and they only partially hide the front and rear ends.
Don’t mind the faux grille with horizontal slats, because the real thing will be closed off, and have a different design. The same goes for the aero bits in the front bumper, which are also fake, and the headlamps, as their surrounds were also partially hidden beneath the camouflage.
The prototype has semi-flush door handles, fake tailpipe trim in the rear diffuser, and more stickers on the taillights that kind of seem to have been inspired by Audi’s. The license plate holder sits on the trunk lid, and we can see a discreet spoiler on the upper end of the rear windscreen. It is also worth noting that the wheels of the scooped tester are different than the ones of the prototype previewed at CES.
Although only partially visible in these spy shots, the interior has already opened up to the camera during the Las Vegas event, revealing a large tablet-like infotainment system in the middle of the dashboard, next to the three-spoke steering wheel with many buttons on it, and a rather small digital instrument cluster. The car will feature illuminated touch sliders and digitally-controlled air vents, gimmicks that will replace the traditional physical controls. An augmented reality head-up display will also be on deck.
Underpinned by an updated version of the MEB+ architecture, which is the foundation stone of the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, ID.6, and ID. Buzz, as well as the Skoda Enyaq iV, Cupra Born, and Audi Q4 e-tron and Q5 e-tron in the non-plus configuration, the Volkswagen ID.7 will have 116.9 inches (2,969 mm) between the axles. This will open up more legroom for those sitting at the back, with the space being comparable to the Audi A6, whose wheelbase measures 115.1 inches (2,924 mm) when it comes to the latest generation, and 119.1 inches (3,024 mm) in the long wheelbase configuration.
Volkswagen also promises a zero-emission driving range of up to 435 miles (700 km) on the WLTP cycle in the most frugal variant of the car. The unveiling date of the ID.7 is still unknown, but it is expected to be due in the second quarter of the year, and will launch in North America, Europe, and China.
