That said, the RS7 is just as happy to pootle around in town as it is to break the speed limit. Put it in Comfort mode, and the adaptive air suspension feels plush and refined, regardless of the fact that you’re riding on massive 21-inch wheels. The ride is so fluid and civilised in Comfort, you might forget you’re in a 560bhp monster.
Ironically, blunting the car’s “dynamic” ability on public roads is Dynamic mode. While the sharper throttle response and more intense soundtrack are appreciated, the ride becomes too busy, and the steering too artificially weighted and wooden, for one to fully exploit the monstrous performance. Unless you’re on a smooth road or a racetrack, Comfort mode is more than enough for most drivers to cover a lot of ground in very little time.
But in spite of its blistering cross-country and straight-line pace, the RS7 falls short as an all-out driver’s car. It’s neither deeply rewarding nor engaging, but what it brings to the table is everyday practicality in the form of refinement and ease of use, combined with performance that could easily put it on a par with most bona fide sports cars.
And while its power figures are truly colossal, the RS7 is, owing to its bodystyling, quite subtle, and the cabin is fairly spacious. As such, there are few compromises to be had while still enjoying a car that goes like an angry firecracker.
2013 Audi RS7 4.0 (A)
ENGINE 3993cc, 32-valves, V8, turbocharged
MAX POWER 560bhp at 5700-6600rpm
MAX TORQUE 650Nm at 1450-2800rpm
GEARBOX 8-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 3.9 seconds
TOP SPEED 250km/h (governed)
CONSUMPTION 10.2km/L (combined)
CO2 EMISSION 229g/km
Check out our review of the Audi RS6 Avant here
The Audi RS6 Avant meets the Audi R8 V10
