A7/S7/RS7 Audi RS7 First Drives

[JHF]

We review the new Audi RS7 Sportback, powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8

Verdict

4

Audi has delivered another RS model that moves the boundaries of performance for premium saloons. A 0-62mph time of under four seconds is unbelievably fast for a car like this, and the best thing is that it doesn’t feel like a scary car to drive at all – in fact it flatters you. Next to the Panamera Turbo it looks like great value but our hearts can’t help thinking the similarly priced CLS 63 is the more involving choice and our heads would tell you to go for the near-identical but £7,000 cheaper RS6 Avant.

The Audi RS7 Sportback is the performance flagship of the A7 four-door coupe range and boasts the kind of acceleration that could shame a supercar.
It’s all because of the 4.0-litre V8 that sits underneath the RS7’s bonnet. It’s twin-turbocharged, it produces 552bhp and delivers peak torque of 700Nm between 1,750 and 5,500rpm. Combine that with four-wheel drive and you get absolutely relentless acceleration and an official 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds.
This engine dominates the whole driving experience, delivering a hit of instant acceleration and – if you’ve specified the sports exhaust – a deep cackling soundtrack. It has a sensible side, too, and can run on four cylinders to improve fuel economy, for an official figure of 28.8mpg.
• Audi A7 Sportback review
As standard, you get adaptive air suspension but our car was fitted with a stiffer sports suspension which uses steel springs. Set in Comfort mode it’s firm but without the crashiness that sometimes affects RS models. Dynamic mode is a little too bouncy, and it may even be better to ditch the optional sports springs altogether – we drove an RS6 Avant recently with air suspension and it rode quite nicely.
Through the bends there’s a seemingly unending level of grip and traction. Flooring the throttle or turning in hard on the brakes doesn’t seem to upset its balance at all, it will just quickly right itself before exploding off down to the next straight. It’s impressive for all its ability but a Mercedes CLS 63 AMG feels more playful and involving.
Probably the RS7’s closest rival in terms of performance is the Porsche Panamera Turbo – both have identical top speeds and 0-62mph times – but the two have wildly different prices. Starting from £83,495, the RS7 is nearly £25,000 cheaper than the Porsche.
If you’ve got your mind set on buying a fast Audi, though, why not save yourself a further £6,600 and go for the RS6 Avant? It boasts identical performance, it feels pretty much the same in the bends and it’s the more practical choice.


Key specs

• Price: From £83,495
• Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
• Power: 552bhp
• Transmission: Eight-spd auto, four-wheel drive
• 0-62mph: 3.9 seconds

• Top speed: 189mph (w/Dynamic package plus)
• Economy: 28.8mpg
• CO2: 229g/km
• Equipment: Leather sports seats, LED headlights, sat-nav, DAB radio, Bluetooth
• On sale: August

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/audi/rs7/65137/audi-rs7-sportback

 

[tristatez28lt1]

I'd pick this over the RS6. Although I wish they'd changed the fenders like they usually do on RS models. Apparently it wasn't financially feasible to get a stamp made and they wanted to preserve the lines of the A7

 

[tristatez28lt1]

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/07/17/2014-audi-rs7-first-drive-review-video/

Saying the 2014 Audi RS7 Sportback is not as good as the not-for-North-America Audi RS6 Avant we recently tested is a bit like saying one more strip of crispy bacon would make our Waffle House All-Star Special breakfast even more special. The RS7 goes to ten while the RS6 goes to eleven, maybe, but they both rock our world. The RS7 is meant for the far wider buying audience worldwide, not just for western European family bombing runs, as with the RS6 Avant.

But, hey, this RS7 simply hurtles down the road in a singularly sexy way. And if you really want this bodystyle – and who could blame you? – the RS6 Avant doesn't really even matter anyway. After a full day on perfect dry and warm Swabian two-lanes driving this Audi very hard, we barely thought about it at all.



The RS7's bi-turbo 4.0-liter V8 pushes out 553 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque from 1,750 to 5,500 rpm. Dubbed EA824 (should the question ever come up in Trivial Pursuit), it's an asphalt junkie. This same motor, and its high 10:1 compression ratio, knocked us flat in the RS6 Avant with its intoxicating RS sport exhaust, and it kills us softly here. To get the full breadth of the RS7 experience, we tried a relatively base-trim example (the blue one in our photo gallery) on standard Yokohama 20-inchers, then we switched to a fully optioned RS7 with Dynamic Package Plus, 21-inch Pirelli P Zero treads and that witchy RS sport exhaust (the white car in our Short Cut video). They are both so good that we had trouble choosing a preference, but the non-Dynamic Plus version should be the choice for those seeking a daily driver. Just remember to at least add the RS exhaust, okay?

MSRP remains unannounced for the United States, but if it follows the price difference in Germany between the S7 and RS7, it will mean a 40-percent hike to get all this fun and frolic in your driveway. The base S7 sits at $78,800, so we see the RS7 starting at a pretty exciting $105,000. Deliveries begin in Europe as of mid-November, while US and Canada units get handed over to owners by mid-February of 2014.



RS7 thunders to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds in Dynamic mode.


Audi estimates the RS7 thunders to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds in Dynamic mode. We think it'll do at least a repeatable 3.5, so we don't know who they think they're fooling in Neckarsulm. The Sportback does weigh a tick less than the Avant, too, and it has aerodynamic advantages, so it could actually be a bit quicker when drag-racing trim-for-trim. Yet the RS7 is slightly more collected about the drama going on, even if it weighs in at a not-insignificant 4,200 pounds or so.

The only bit that's numbing about the whole RS7 experience is its electric power steering, but that whole discourse bores us to death at this point, as it's true of most any Quattro chassis (not all Audis can be of R8 V10 Plus caliber). Here we have a well-balanced 40:60 default torque split on a large and portly car with a weight distribution fore:aft of 56:44. What can you really expect? It seems as if we've learned to live with these sorts of Audi dynamic preferences, so while tasty options like the rear sport differential from the Dynamic Package can be very useful under hard driving, frankly it will rarely really help an everyday RS7 driver. (We'd still get it, though.) And the steering - for an electric setup – is at least smooth, well weighted and predictable – especially as we had the most aggressive optional Dynamic Steering aboard. Everything is naturally assisted by the eight-tenths of an inch lower stance from either the standard air suspension or optional steel-sprung sport setup.



The steering – for an electric setup – is at least smooth, well weighted and predictable.


Europeans have the base 155-mph RS7 trim of our blue car, but the optional Dynamic Package lets top speed out to 174 mph (along with other enhancements). In addition, Europeans can specify a further Dynamic Package Plus with 190-mph v-max and ceramic brake discs, but in North America, there will be no Plus option. And initially there will be no optional ceramic brake discs available at all for North America, though Audi tells us they could come over by the end of 2014. The standard compound wave design brake discs stop things just fine all day, but sometimes the pedal feel is less 'there' for us than we'd like for something with this much momentum. The ceramic discs we tried on the Plus-equipped white car were amazing at hauling in this heavy Audi, but they would probably command a further $8,500 or so.

The two key engineered-in differences between the RS6 Avant and this RS7 Sportback are, first, a standard exhaust note the pulls back just a few decibels from that of the stock RS6. Then the optional RS sport exhaust – supplied by Faurecia, angels bless 'em – also drops a few decibels throughout its range. The second difference is with the tires, which on the RS7 are always 275-width, while on the RS6 Avant they are 285. Besides these subtle touches that chip away at the model's flagrant aggression, the cabin isolation is enhanced in the RS7 to bring a greater sense of civility.



Through its various drive modes, this cogswapper is sophisticatedly smooth.


Playing with gears of the eight-speed Tiptronic reveals that theVolkswagen Group has done a fine job tuning this ZF transmission. Through its various drive modes – Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Individual – this cogswapper with its seventh- and eighth-gear overdrive is sophisticatedly smooth and ready. Even though it's a conventional paddleshift automatic, compared to Mercedes-Benzand its current batch of 7G transmissions, this unit stands up well to our expectations of an RS-style ride, even during most (though not all) downshift moments on challenging roads. Curiously, the less-powerful S7 gets a bona-fide dual-clutch gearbox, though it's down a cog on the RS7's unit.

In the optional 174-mph optional Dynamic Package, Americans are due to get blackened carbon-effect exterior trim, full LED lighting, sport rear locking differential, sport suspension with denser steel springs and dynamic steering. We had all of this on our white RS7 used in the video (called Suzuka Gray metallic, go figure) and, with the 21-inch optional blackened Blade wheels and ZR-rated Pirellis, the German countryside whizzed by quickly and deftly. The larger RS Audis are like that: built like brick houses. There is always going to be some understeer at the front end while scorching the curves and perhaps miscalculating approach angles and throttle inputs, but the RS7 is far beyond what Audi's RS models were capable of just five years ago. Standard torque vectoring when combined with the optional Dynamic Ride Control package pretty much maximizes what this chassis is capable of.



The larger RS Audis are like that: built like brick houses.


Who knows if we ever ticked over to the fuel-saving V4 mode of the cylinder-on-demand engineering? Who really cares? Our experience, as other like-equipped VW Group models is that you don't really notice it, and the company doesn't even show you whether you're in it or not. Our fuel needle didn't fall precipitously much over our long drive loops, so the unofficially projected 20-mpg combined city/highway efficiency could well be true.



At any rate, and with any amount of excitement-generating gasoline, we now have no doubt that the RS7 is just the car to get us and our kin quickly to Waffle House for a little down-home refueling.

 

[tristatez28lt1]

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[JHF]

Audi RS7 review and pictures

Rating:

The RS7 is the closest thing that we'll get to a saloon version of the new RS6 Avant. It's less practical and more expensive - so is it worth the extra?

What is it?
The Audi RS6 Avant’s almost-saloon sister, and the closest thing we’ll get to a four-door RS6. The RS7 shares its estate sister’s mechanical components, meaning the same twin-turbocharged V8 with 552 bhp, and a top speed (with an optional increased limiter) of 189mph. It costs £83,495.
Mechanical highlights?
It’s a remarkable piece of performance engineering, albeit one that shares almost all of its oily bits with the existing RS6 Avant.
At its heart is the same 4-litre biturbo V8, as also seen in junior versions of the Bentley Continental, and with 552bhp (identical to the RS6). The engine uses selective cylinder de-activation to turn it into a four-cylinder under gentle use, and to boost the official economy figure to a borderline respectable 28.8mpg. In the real world, it seems to manage low-20s. Drive is supplied to all four-wheels via an eight-speed gearbox, and Audi’s torque vectoring Sports Differential at the back.
UK-spec RS7s will get air springs as standard, with the no-cost option of steel springs and ‘Dynamic Ride Control’ – variable, interconnected dampers that are claimed to reduce pitch and roll under hard use. As with the RS6, buyers will also be able to opt for carbon ceramic brakes if they’re so minded.
Audi will sell the car with three different speed limiters. The default choice is the German-standard 155mph, but buyers can opt for ‘Dynamic’ which ups this to 174mph and then ‘Dynamic Plus’ which increases top speed to a borderline ludicrous 189mph. That’s still limited: without it the RS7 would probably top 200mph.
Surprisingly, given its sleek coupe styling, the RS7 actually weighs almost exactly the same as the RS6 – a hefty 1955kg. Both cars have identical official 0-62mph times and top speeds.
How does it drive?
Very similarly to the RS6, you’ll be unsurprised to hear. The RS7 is possibly fractionally more agile, but the most noticeable difference for the RS7 driver is the lower seating position and relatively tight-fitting cabin.
Performance is mighty – and remains the car’s defining characteristic. We recently figured an RS6 from 0-100mph in just over 8 seconds, and the saloon feels capable of matching those numbers. A brief run on an unrestricted stretch of Autobahn confirmed that – with the optional ‘Dynamic Plus’ speed limiter – the RS7 blasts through 150mph with almost contemptuous ease.
The gearbox works well too. It’s a conventional torque converter auto, but it delivers quick changes and is intelligent enough when left in ‘Drive’ to give seamless shove at any speed. In manual mode there’s a noticeable delay in changes compared to a proper twin-clutch transmission, but it’s easy to drive around.
Grip levels are extremely high, especially on the sun-scorched Bavarian roads we tested the car on. In longer, slower corners the rear sports diff could be felt doing its thing and helping to fight centrifugal force under hard cornering. It feels like a big car on narrower roads, and the steering struggles to give any impression of feedback through its over-numb assistance. The grip’s there – and you quickly build up trust that the car will respond to your bidding. But it’s not a car that’s keen to includes its driver in proceedings.
We drove a car with the DRC system, which felt too hard in its ‘Dynamic’ setting, even on smooth German roads. We suspect the majority of British buyers will opt to keep the standard air suspension.
How does it compare?
By the standards of its tiny segment, pretty well. It’s £14,000 cheaper than the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, although it’s £1500 more than the Mercedes CLS 63 AMG.
But it’s also pricier and less practical than the RS6 Avant, which also comes with the bragging rights of being the fastest estate car in the world.
Anything else I should know?
The carbon brakes worked well in fast road use, although we struggle to see the point of them on a car like this.
Under gentle use the engine shuts down four of its cylinders to boost economy, and driving it gently can get you mpg figures in the mid-20s. But drive the RS7 as it encourages you too and you’ll struggle to get out of the teens…

Performance, soundtrack, looks

Generic fast Audi numb driving experience, price

evo SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 3993cc V8 twin turbocharged
Max power: 552bhp @ 5700rpm
Max torque: 516lf ft @ 1750rpm
0 - 60mph: 3.9-sec (claimed 0-62mph)
Top speed: 189mph (limited)
Price: £83,495
On Sale: October 2013




http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/290362/audi_rs7_review_and_pictures.html

 

[JHF]

Cartest and video for the Audi RS7, by Autoblog.nl.

http://www.abhd.nl/video/audi-rs7-sportback/

 

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[Soup]

 

[JHF]

Here is a big road test by the GTspirit.

"This allows for some incredible figures: The RS7 Sportback sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3.9 seconds. We did a test run that showed the RS7 passed the 100 km/h mark from standstill in an incredible and supercar worthy 3,6 seconds".

I'm sure the RS7 can hits 0-100 km/h under 3.5, easily

Audi invited us to take a look at one of their latest creations carrying the RS badge; the Audi RS7 Sportback! First introduced at the Detroit Motor Show in January, the RS7 promises a package where beauty meets beast. We went to the Audi factory in Neckarsulm to find out!
The RS7 is the last model in the Audi A7 line that celebrated its initial debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. The Sportback model is based on the platform of the A6 and Audi’s first step in the four-door luxury coupe market. Last year the sportier S7 joined the lineup, paving the way for the introduction of the ultra-RS7.

The Engine
At the heart of the RS7 is a new uprated twin-turbo version of the 4.0 V8 TFSI engine also found in the S7. The engineers at Quattro GmbH, the company responsible for the RS models, managed to squeeze out another 140hp, lifting its output to a more than impressive total of 560hp.
Audi has made downsizing one of the cornerstones of its strategy and with success. The 560hp is available between 5,700 and 6,700 rpm. A constant 700 Nm of torque are available between 1,750 and 5,500 rpm. Because the high-revving four-liter engine has been rigorously designed for low load-change and flow losses, it develops this power quickly and spontaneously.

The most innovative efficiency technology in the new Audi RS 7 Sportback is the cylinder on demand (COD) system. At low to medium loads and engine speeds, it deactivates cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8 by closing their valves via electromechanical actuators. The 4.0 TFSI then runs as a four-cylinder engine until the driver accelerates more strongly again. The operating points in the active cylinders are displaced toward higher loads, increasing efficiency.
Gearbox & Drivetrain
The standard ZF eight-speed tiptronic is specially tuned to the sporty character of the Audi RS 7 Sportback. The lower gears of the tiptronic are closely spaced for sporty response, the eighth gear is tall like an overdrive to reduce fuel consumption. The 8-speed tiptronic moves well in auto mode but take over yourself with the flappy pedals and it shows some flaws. Upshifts and downshifts take longer than the 7-speed dual clutch in the S7 and sometimes when you shift close to the red line you might end up shifting a gear further immediately.

The Audi RS 7 Sportback comes standard with quattro permanent all-wheel drive with a central differential with a high locking rate. It distributes the power as needed within a wide range between the front and rear axles. In the standard configuration, 60 percent flows to the rear and 40 percent to the front.
Performance
Besides downsizing, Audi applied another cornerstone of its strategy to the RS7: Lightweight. Using a mix of high strength steel and aluminium in combination with a lighter V8 engine the weight is kept under 2 tonnes, 1,995 kg to be exact.

This allows for some incredible figures: The RS7 Sportback sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3.9 seconds. We did a test run that showed the RS7 passed the 100 km/h mark from standstill in an incredible and supercar worthy 3,6 seconds.
Without ticking any of the optional extras Audi limits the top speed to 250 km/h, however with the optional dynamic package this is raised to 280 km/h and even 305 km/h with the dynamic plus package. It reaches this speed near flawless, set the engine and gearbox setting to dynamic and the 8-speed gearbox will only shift up to 7th gear when you pass the 280 km/h mark.

Suspension
The Audi RS7 offers two options; the standard adaptive air suspension or the RS sport suspension with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC). DRC includes a clever hydraulic system that eliminates body roll, comparable a little bit to the system found in a McLaren 12C. Both the adaptive air suspension as the RS sport suspension offer three settings: Comfort, Auto and Dynamic.
We drove two different versions of the RS7 with both the air suspension and the sport suspension with DRC. The dynamic of the car changes fundamentally with the settings you chose. The sporty DRC is so harsh in dynamic that you are bouncing in the car like a 16 year old at a techno party, even on smooth roads or many race tracks it will be too hard and at higher speeds on the autobahn simply unsettling the car over bumps.
Instead set it back to auto and enjoy a balanced smooth ride on the straights and a flat and rather stiff RS7 through the corners. Comfort mode offers a ride that is not as smooth as the air suspension in comfort but certainly enjoyable on long journeys. Overall the air suspension offers far more comfort, especially in combination with the 20” inch wheels compared to the 21” fitted on our DRC test car, but lacks the sporty touch and the cornering abilities of the DRC equipped car.
Interior

The RS7 interior is finished in the highest quality materials similar to the A7 and S7. New on the RS are several RS badges, floormats and RS seats, as well as carbon fibre parts used to spice up the interior.
The seats offer plenty of support and can be equipped with seat cooling and massage function as optional extra. Several entertainment options from bluetooth media player connections to DAB radio are available. Opt for the integrated rear seat entertainment and this could very well be one of the best fast family cars on the market today.

Design
The RS7 Sportback has a sleek four-door coupe design with plenty of room for individualization. As the example below shows playing with the specification of your RS7 can make a huge difference in its overall appearance. Opt for the Suzuka Grey colour, 21” wheels, carbon fibre exterior package and Quattro logo in the grill and it looks like the racer it is underneath.
On the other hand opt for a more traditional color, the standard 20-inch forged wheels, parts in body color and leave away the RS7 badges and you have the perfect wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Driving Experience
What is the RS7 like to drive than? Esentially there are two types of RS7, the laid back RS7 with air suspension and without any of the sporty dynamic packages. And the stiffer, louder RS7 with Dynamic Plus package and the sport suspension. Between the two is a huge difference in both the ride itself as the overall experience.
We opt for the sportier setup first and take it out for a test drive in the German countryside near the factory of Audi in Neckarsulm. The ‘Car’ menu allows you to setup everything from the engine and gearbox responds, the power steering, the suspension, to the volume of the RS sport exhaust and aggressiveness of the adaptive cruise control. Each offers three settings, Comfort, Auto and Dynamic. There are also some general pre-defined settings that set everything to Comfort or Dynamic while Individual allows you to set everything yourself.

We switch everything to Dynamic and drive off. The ride with the DRC suspension on Dynamic is so harsh that it doesn’t take long until we switch it to Auto which improves the ride and the driveability considerably. We drive through the outskirts of Neckarsulm and enter the A6 highway, the first stretch has a speed limit of 130 km/h but after a while it opens to three lanes and no speed limit. We leave the gearbox in S-automatic mode and put out foot down as soon as the left lane opens up.
The RS7 sprints effortlessly from 120 km/h to well over 250 km/h. With the Dynamic Plus package the top speed is increased to 305 km/h but even close to the 300 km/h mark the car is still pulling hard. Traffic in your lane, the ceramic brakes grip with immense force and slow you down for a moment you cruise in tranquility but step back on the throttle and the car propels forward leaving the car that was just in front of you appear in the rear view mirror as if it was standing still.

Approaching a slight bend, an issue that we experienced before with the S7 resurfaces, the steering (regardless of the setting) feels indirect and very artificial. In a way the steering feels over-engineered.
After a few short sprints the unlimited section of the autobahn ends and we take the exit to turn around. With the exhaust and engine warmed up we switch through various modes including those that set the exhaust volume.

The RS7 is very well isolated and even at higher speeds hardly any outside noise penetrates the cabin. Also you can hardly hear any significant engine sound but the exhaust in dynamic mode bangs like an empty milk carton that explodes. A unique and addictive sound that returns nearly every time you shift up or down. So addictive in fact that you are guaranteed to burn more fuel than necessary just to listen to it!
Talking about fuel, Audi claims 9.8 liters of fuel per 100 km is possible and we have no doubt about that. But if you want to have a bit of fun and unleash that screaming potential of the RS7 on a regular basis expect to add a liter or 10.
Leaving the Autobahn behind us, we steer the RS7 over B-roads for over 100 km. The Audi RS7 with just a driver inside weighs in at nearly 2,100 kg. Certainly not a lightweight and nimble car but its pace and grip are outstanding thanks to the four-wheel drive system, PDC and limited slip differential. The RS7′s handling however is quite clinical and lacks a certain emotion that many purist will crave.

Back at the factory we swapped the ‘hardcore’ Dynamic Plus RS7 for a more modestly equipped RS7. Besides the air suspension this RS7 also doesn’t have the ceramic brakes, limited slip differential and the sport exhaust. It still offers three settings for the exhaust sound but it will never get close to the tingling tune and backfire produced by the sport exhaust.
The ride is more comfortable but with the lack of PDC there is also more body roll in the corners. It still goes like hell in a straight line but it doesn’t feel as tight when a corner arrives. With the different wheels the RS7 looks different too and you hardly get any looks from other motorists compared to the Suzuka Grey RS7 on 21” wheels. It feels as if you swap from a Lamborghini to a Golf. Those ‘in the know’ will still recognize it as something special, but put your foot down and you will leave everybody in awe.

What to spec?
We spend a day testing the various options and packages available for the RS7 and here are some optional extras you should definitely consider to add to your RS7 order:

• Dynamic Package: Includes the Sport Differential, RS Sport Suspension (leave it in Auto) and increased top speed of 280 km/h. If you live in Germany or drive extra sporty consider the Dynamic Plus Package which includes a further increase of the limiter to 305 km/h and the Ceramic brakes. It comes at a hefty price though and it is doubtful if the brakes and increased top speed are worth the extra 8,000 euro.
• RS Sport Exhaust: The must-have for the great RS7 tune.
• Seat cooling, our favorite feature to cool us down on hot summer days.
• Assistance & Safety Package, includes Lane Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go function among other safety systems. The RS6 and RS7 both allow the adaptive cruise control to be set up to speeds of 250km/h, compared to 180-200 km/h for many competing systems. Both systems make long journeys much more comfortable and safer.

How does it compare to the Audi S7?
Despite its character as an excellent and fast grand tourer we missed a great sense of sportiness in the S7. The RS7 definitely adds a great deal of sportiness over the S7 with its powerful engine, tremendous performance, the must-have sport exhaust, increased top speed and optional sport suspension.
A major difference is the gearbox, where the S7 comes with Audi’s own 7-speed double clutch gearbox, the RS7 has a ZF 8-Speed with a single clutch. Audi claims the 8-speed is a better fit for the RS7, but increasing desire to keep fuel economy as low as possible also plays a role. The 8th gear in the RS7 works as an overdrive and reduces average fuel economy to nearly the same level as the 140hp weaker S7.

Some issues of the S7 still exist in the RS7; steering feels quite indirect and artificial, while the handling is not as dynamic as one would like.
How does it compare to the Audi RS6?
The Audi RS6 and RS7 have a lot in common, apart from their designs and a minor weight difference all essential systems and even the key performance statistics are the same. Same goes for the available options, everything from the RS sport suspension to the Dynamic Plus package is the same.
Most important difference is that the Audi RS6 will not be available in North America. Audi has made the decision to only offer the RS7 in the United States.
What about the competition?
In the segment of the Audi RS7 we also find the Porsche Panamera Turbo, Mercedes CLS 63 AMG and BMW M6 Gran Coupe. All are interesting cars and all have something to offer over the other. In this group the Audi RS7 is without a doubt the most sophisticated and also by far the fastest. However is it driving fun beyond just straight line acceleration you are after the Mercedes and BMW offer a more dynamic experience with their rear wheel drive setups. If its the authentic sportscar feel you seek in a sedan like this, the Panamera with its 911 like driving style is your best bet. But the biggest competitor of all is its brother; the RS6, offers the same package in just a little bit cooler jacket.

Conclusion
The Audi RS7 is the fastest car in its class with sophisticated looks. Spec it to match its potential with the Dynamic (Plus) package and 21″ wheels to enjoy the RS7 to the fullest. Prefer a more subtle ride and style? Take the S7 instead and keep the premium in your pocket.
Deliveries of the Audi RS7 begin in Europe in November, customers in North America will have to wait til February 2014 for the first RS7s to arrive.

 

[Merc1]

What a car...

M

 

[Deleted member 1071]

I very recently had the pleasure of seeing a white RS7 on a southwestern German Autobahn. It's "HN" plates indicated that it was a car originating from Quattro GmbHs' pool. I was amazed at how significantly a bit of body kit, a somewhat lowered suspension and 21" rims with an apparently widened track can enhance the appearance of the car. Genuinely stunning.

 

[Tumbo]

0-100 in 3.6 seconds... Wow... Imagine some years ago, under 5 secnods for a 4 door was something amazing...

 

[JHF]

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[Tumbo]

I like the RS7, but I LOVE the RS6. It's just so much more vulgar.

 

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[Human]

Seems as if the dampers can firm-up quite agressively.

 

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[JHF]

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