2016 Audi RS7 Performance REVIEW | New Four-Door Coupe Hits Fresh Levels of Performance
Stating the obvious reaches new limits with the Audi RS7 Sportback Performance.
The three-year-old RS7 – and its RS6 Avant near-twin – could have added several new model designations in a bid to boost what came before, but ‘performance’ needed no extra emphasis for this lightning-fast liftback.
Perhaps ‘light’ could have been used to represent some subtraction from its two-tonne weight, or ‘stripper’ to denote a removal of some luxury equipment and price reduction – although rival BMW already uses the euphemism ‘pure’ for these models.
Instead Audi has increased power and torque, lowering the 0-100km/h acceleration time for a little extra outlay. So how does the RS7 Sportback Performance perform?
Vehicle Style: Large performance hatch
Price: $258,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine/trans: 445kW/700Nm 4.0 V8 twin-turbo petrol | 8spd automatic
Fuel Economy Claimed: 9.6 l/100km | Tested: 10.2 l/100km
OVERVIEW
The 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine powering this fattened RS now makes 445kW of power between 6100rpm and 6800rpm, up from the original’s 412kW produced over 5700rpm to 6700rpm.
Identical torque of 700Nm is now made over a staggeringly broad 1750rpm to 6000rpm (previously to 5500rpm), but this Audi engine can also now deliver 750Nm on brief overboost inside a 2500rpm to 5500rpm window.
Audi RS7 - Price, Features and Specifications