Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
After much testing and teasing, Audi has pulled the covers off an all-new RS7 Sportback today in Frankfurt. It's the sister car to the recently revealed RS6, and while everything about it feels familiar, we realized that Audi wants much more separation between its vanilla cars and the RS models after seeing it in person at the 2019 IAA.
The RS7 shares only a few panels with the normal A7 - the front doors, roof, and hood. Even the headlights have an RS-specific look, so you will look at this car and say "that looks so much better."
The front fascia is different, featuring a wide Singleframe grille with black honeycomb mesh, a set of triangular side intakes which are very much real and some carbon fiber blades, at least in the spec chosen for Frankfurt. The 22-inch wheels are also specific to the RS7, and you can't miss the extra girth added via flared out fenders. Around the back, you can't miss the W-shaped carbon diffuser element or the dual exhausts, which Audi says are the biggest they've ever made.
We think it's one of the better-looking cars in this class. But which do you prefer, this, the M8 or the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-door? Let us know in the comment section.
The interior feels... a bit disappointing, probably the least exciting part of the debut. The seats and dash are the same as you get with A7 and S7, at least optionally. You do see an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and some RS-specific menus for the Virtual Cockpit, but BMW gives you M-specific buttons on the wheel and a dedicated shifter while AMG has those drive selector dial-screens.
We almost forgot to talk about the engine, which defines the RS7. It's a new bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that makes 600 HP and 800 Nm of torque. It's also hybrid with a 48V battery catching some lost energy. Air suspension is standard, said to be up to 50% stiffer and slightly lower than normal. But there's a whole lot of options you have to buy for the full experience - a sport rear differential, more brake pistons, and even an RS sports exhaust... because corporate profits.
The front fascia is different, featuring a wide Singleframe grille with black honeycomb mesh, a set of triangular side intakes which are very much real and some carbon fiber blades, at least in the spec chosen for Frankfurt. The 22-inch wheels are also specific to the RS7, and you can't miss the extra girth added via flared out fenders. Around the back, you can't miss the W-shaped carbon diffuser element or the dual exhausts, which Audi says are the biggest they've ever made.
We think it's one of the better-looking cars in this class. But which do you prefer, this, the M8 or the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-door? Let us know in the comment section.
The interior feels... a bit disappointing, probably the least exciting part of the debut. The seats and dash are the same as you get with A7 and S7, at least optionally. You do see an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and some RS-specific menus for the Virtual Cockpit, but BMW gives you M-specific buttons on the wheel and a dedicated shifter while AMG has those drive selector dial-screens.
We almost forgot to talk about the engine, which defines the RS7. It's a new bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that makes 600 HP and 800 Nm of torque. It's also hybrid with a 48V battery catching some lost energy. Air suspension is standard, said to be up to 50% stiffer and slightly lower than normal. But there's a whole lot of options you have to buy for the full experience - a sport rear differential, more brake pistons, and even an RS sports exhaust... because corporate profits.
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