When it comes to churning out the pukka high-performance
versions of usually sedate production models, Audi's German rivals BMW and
Mercedes-Benz have traditionally had the upper hand. Until now, that is- the
new RS7 Sport back might just be the weapon to make the others sit up and pay
attention.
I've headed to Neckarsulm, north of
Stuttgart, home to Audi's RS activities to try out this latest model. Seen
parked on a concourse with the plant's shimmering glass and metal facade as a
backdrop, the RS7 warrants a double take: its menacing appearance is
dramatically at odds with the sleepy, quasi-industrial surroundings.
Audi
has fitted the RS7 Sport back with an electromechanical power steering system
The RS7 Sport back, however, is anything
but sleepy. It definitely looks the raging super sedan (or, should that be
'five-door coupe') part with its massive air dams, flared wheelarches and
muscled appearance. I chuckle at technical project manager Jurgen Krauth's
assertion that this car embodies the 'beauty and the beast' ideal. I'll leave
the beauty comments to other beholders, but I can definitely appreciate the
flagship's beastly elements.
There's the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged
direct-injection V8 engine that's good for 412kW and 700Nm, mated with an
eight-speed Tiptronic transmission. Since it is an RS it comes standard with
Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system with a centre differential that, in
the standard setting, distributes 60% of the drive to the rear wheels. Top
speed is limited to 250kph but rick the Dynamic Package option for an increase
to 280kph. Still not fast enough? Consider the Dynamic Package Plus option with
a rocketing 305kph maximum. Now we're talking...
At
a glance the cabin looks suitably premium, but some materials and plastics are
of a lower quality than expected
Inside the Sport back's cabin the term 'car
snob' pops into my head, although it's certainly the car that is the snob.
Here, luxury touches and smells seem to ooze from the trim's folds and creases,
urging you to nestle into the quilted upholstery and caress the
leather-wrapped, three-spoke, flat bottomed steering wheel. This car looks and
feels good, and it's not about to let you forget it.
Punch the start button and there's a
momentary pause as the V8 barks to life before settling into a contented
burble. On a mix of urban and country roads, the RS7's defining feature proves
to be its unhurried demeanour, even when the speedometer indicates I'm
travelling at speeds that back home will very well see me spending quality time
with 'Pappa'. Accompanied by a soundtrack ranging from sonorous baritone at
mid-range to an all-out scream at high revs, through it all the RS7 never
displays a dip in its decorum, keeping its body right through bends and supple
over crumpled road sections. Furthermore, with a ride h eight 20mm lower than
the standard A7 Sport back's setting, adaptive air springing adjusts the
suspension's response to the driving style and road conditions so a bump in the
road is unlikely to jar the occupants.
The
rear features two sports seats with integrated head rests
Selecting Sport mode increases the aural
drama as the exhaust system's flaps come into play, sending the resounding wail
into a crescendo and showing off the V8's dynamic characteristics. See, the RS
7 is not a sports car and it doesn't pretend to be one. It's hellishly fast,
yet chooses to deliver its punches in a sophisticated rather than vulgar
manner, combining speed with decadent luxury and supreme comfort.
The Audi RS7 Sport back is a car for all
moods –a comfortable, spacious drive or, at the flick of a switch, a quick
chariot. Audi credits three areas for the RS7's prowess: its use of
cylinder-on-demand technology, which is not new but shuts down four of the
eight cylinders under low to medium loads to help deliver healthy fuel economy.
There's also the car's lightweight construction and use of clever weight-saving
components, and the eight-speed Tiptronic configured with a tall top gear for
even more fuel savings. It's easy to undo the fuel savings though: in manual
mode the car will allow you to hit the rev limiter without intervening on your
behalf.
The
new RS7 Sport back gets the twin-turbo V8 from the RS6 Avant
Audi's RS nameplate might not have the
cachet that, say, Mercedes-Benz's AMG and BMW's M divisions might have, but
what it's lost in time-imprinted-on-bumper-stickers, it's certainly gaining in
time-spent-in-fans' -consciousness with a barrage of new models released in
2013 to celeb rate the brand's 30th anniversary. Look out for the new RS7 Sport
back on South African roads from early 2014. It's going to be hard to ignore
it.
