Audi RS 7 Sportback 2014 Review

We’ve driven the RS 7 Sportback twice now – first in France last July and then again in Austria last October and both times we struggled to come up with enough superlatives to describe the subtle aggression and understated elegance with which this super grand tourer hammers down its unquestionable performance credentials.

Now, after our first local drive – taking in 400km between Canberra and Cooma via Tumut and the Snowy Mountains on some of the country’s greatest driving roads – we’re still lost for adjectives.

Audi’s quattro go-fast division has produced some enduring automotive icons over the years, most notably the RS 5 and R8 coupe, and after years of producing just one model at a time, when its rivals at Mercedes-AMG and BMW M offered many, the German hot-shop now has a line-up of no less than seven models.

Launched in Australia this week alongside the far less convincing RS Q3 super-SUV, the RS 7 will find just 20 homes this year, and represents the pinnacle of Audi Sport know-how – apart from the top-shelf R8 V10 Plus, which will be discontinued when the second-generation R8 emerges next year.

We’ve already raved about Audi’s mouth-watering 4.0-litre twin-turbo RS-spec V8 in the RS 6 Avant, which not only makes it a wolf in sheep’s clothing but a block-busting super-wagon of epic proportions.

But now the 412kW and 700Nm German V8 has found a more appropriate home in the A7 Sportback, giving the classy five-door luxury ‘hatchback’ portfoilio a formidable range-topper without losing any of its practicality, and Audi an intimidating answer to exotic four-door supercars like BMW’s 6 Series Gran Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz CLS.

In fact, including the similarly powerful BMW M6 Gran Coupe and more powerful CLS 63 AMG – both of which cost more – the RS 7 is both quicker and more efficient, ripping to 100km/h in a claimed 3.9 seconds and consuming just 9.8L/100km (ADR Combined).

That’s despite its hefty 1995kg unladen weight, which would have been higher without the aluminium doors, bonnet, tailgate and front quarter panels, and fuel-saving idle-stop and cylinder-shutdown technologies.

Only Porsche’s flagship Panamera Turbo can match the 0-100km/h pace of the brutal RS 7 and, subjectively, only the Maserati Quattroporte can match its beauty and exclusivity, yet the RS 7 is about $80K cheaper than the Maserati and undercuts the M6 Gran Coupe by more than $160K.

Because this bona-fide high-performance grand tourer is quicker than all of its bigger-engined and more expensive rivals, its most direct competitors are ‘mainstream’ four-door ‘coupes’ like the 650i Gran Coupe (from $238,445), CLS 63 AMG (from $260,654) and V8-powered Panameras (from $287,100).

On the road, the RS 7 doesn’t quite feel like a sub-four-second 0-100km/h car, probably because nothing this big and heavy has a right to be so quick. But it’s quick by any definition, its hairy-chested V8 burble – made even better by opening its exhaust flaps via the Sport button – accompanied by instant, seat-squashing thrust.

It’s when the pair of twin-scroll turbos approach their 1.2-bar boost peak that the bent eight really gets going though, providing enough twist to stretch the friendship of the wide 21-inch rubber and torque-sensing quattro all-wheel drive system, which directs 60 per cent of torque to the rear wheels by default.

In fact, there’s so much torque available over such a wide speed range (700Nm between 1750 and 5500rpm, to be precise) that an eight-speed torque-converter auto replaces the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission fitted to the S7, whose twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 offers ‘just’ 309kW and 550Nm, and full-throttle acceleration exercises are inevitably limited to a few seconds at a time for fearing of licence loss.

Yes, as with most RS cars, the most expensive A7’s engine is monumental, but it’s not the only thing special about the RS 7.

There are brakes to match the colossal performance too, including mammoth wave-shape discs that are ventilated, perforated, floating, save a total of 3kg and measure 365mm at the rear and 390mm up front, where they’re gripped by six-piston callipers.

If that’s not good enough (and we can assure you it is), there’s a pricey set of ceramic brake discs that save 10kg,measure 420mm front and 370mm rear, and cost an alarming $20,940 extra.

The brakes aren’t the only part of the RS 7 chassis that have been extensively modified by quattro GmbH, which also tweaks its electromechanical power steering to make it more responsive and communicative – but still not as alive as the rear-drive Panamera, CLS and 6 Series.

Also justifying its $60K premium over the S7 is standard adaptive air suspension that is mode-selectable via the ‘Audi drive select’ button, although – unusually – ‘RS sports suspension plus’ with steel springs and Dynamic Ride Control costs extra.

Both cars we drove were fitted with the steel-sprung RS suspension set-up, but we think the $2300 option is money well spent given the commanding body control and wide variety of Dynamic Ride Control damping adjustment available – from soft and supple to bone-jarringly firm.

In fact, that’s about all we’d choose from the dizzying array of options, including a huge range of leather, trim, wheel, seat, audio and cosmetic add-ons, all of which allows well-heeled buyers to personalise their RS 7.

But it has to be said that, for this price, the $10,375 Assistance package – comprising adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring and night vision – should be standard.

Buyers otherwise shouldn’t be disappointed with the level of standard equipment, which extends to metallic or pearl paint, 21-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, Audi’s MMI infotainment system with 8.0-inch pop-up monitor and touch pad, 14-speaker 12-channel 600-Watt BOSE sound, Audi Music Interface, digital TV and radio, DVD/CD player and Bluetooth with audio streaming.

There’s also Audi drive select, four-zone deluxe climate-control, powered two-way steering wheel adjustment, an electric parking brake, interior and exterior lighting package, ambient cabin lighting package, leather-covered armrests, carbon inlays, keyless entry and starting, and cruise control.

Standard safety kit extends to a head-up display, front and rear parking cameras, tyre pressure monitoring, twin front, four side and full-length curtain airbags, stability/traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution and an electronic differential lock.

The RS interior treatment includes honeycomb Valcona leather-clad and heated/powered RS front sport seats with driver’s memory, a flat-bottom three-spoke leather RS steering wheel with shift paddles, twin leather-trimmed rear bucket seats flanking a central storage compartment and matt aluminium exterior highlights.

All this is wrapped in a rangy but sleek 5012mm-long body with five doors, a long bonnet and low, coupe-like roof that gives the RS 7 undeniable road presence and the practicality of enormous rear legroom and 535 litres of luggage space below the expansive rear hatchback, expandable via a 60:40-split rear seatback to a total of 1390 litres.

Yes, there are only four seats but if it’s a full-size performance limousine you’re after then buy an S8. If you’re in the market for one of the coolest four-door grand tourers that’s also quicker, more efficient and cheaper than most, the RS 7 Sportback should fit the bill.

Not so much:
>> Price tag
>> Options prices
>> Steering feedback

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