With the Audi RS7 - A monster with a 4.0L TSI, 552 BHP & 700 Nm torque

AMG Power · 20th September 2017, 16:45

What you'll like:

A) 4.0 TSI, 552 Bhp, 700 NM, 0-100 in 3.9 secs
B) A
C) B
D) Given the right safe roads, you can cruise at the TOP speed of a Octavia 1.8 TSI all day without the car or you breaking into a sweat.
E) The exhaust note and rumble as you change gears
F) Very comfortable on bad roads
G) The training your reflexes get for fast driving.
H) The grin on your face as you drive it
I) BHP = 3 X 1.8TSI, 2.4 X VRS, 2 .2 X 530D,

What you won't:

A) Not a driver's car by any stretch of imagination
B) The size which makes it ponderous on most roads
C) Traction can be better on wet roads
D) Exterior design not to everyone's taste. An M5 makes you excited when you just look at it. This one makes you wince!
E) You could be called an overgrown boy racer

Driving the car:

Damn, it's raining! And I've got this monster waiting for me outside. The weather gods must be having a huge laugh at my expense, I think.

I take it out at a crawl, curbing my basic instincts and try to understand the car. More like a warm up lap where you get to grips with the power on tap, handling, brakes, stopping distances etc. At slow speeds the car is easy to drive and the accelerator modulation is easy.

The engine changes its character according to your driving style. If there are no sudden acceleration moves the exhaust makes a muted rumble and there are no sudden spikes in its behaviour pattern. It's like a tamed animal and there is deceptively smooth progress.

We reach the closed road for the drive and fortunately the weather has cleared and the roads are dry. I'm still in comfort mode and make the first mistake of flooring the throttle like I would a 1.8 TSI, VRS or even a 530D and all hell breaks loose. The scenery flies at you, the heads up display depicts the rapid progression well past the top speed of most cars, you get jolted thoroughly and there are exhaust explosions in the background.

I experience the wild side - physically, aurally and mentally. Shove in your back, seat of the pants and incredible power are NOT the adjectives you would use to describe the acceleration of the RS7.

Brutal, Ferocious, Neck-snapping, Violent describe it more appropriately.

Your mind is not grappling with the speed but taking in the effect it has on your neck and body. It's neck snapping and body jolting put together. And surprisingly when you lift off you get the reverse effect - something like snapping your neck back into place - the way it slows down when you lift is also abrupt!!

Officially the car is limited to 250 kmph but this one had the limiter removed.

Let's take some comparisons - on the closed road that we used to drive this car, the RS7 can cruise all day at the top speed of the Octavia 1.8TSI / VRS without you or the car breaking into a sweat. Cars that I respect and regard like the 530D or the 530i - this bully would run rings around them when it's in a good mood. And when it isn't, it can wring their necks and spit them out of its exhaust with the effort it would take to sip a cup of tea.

On the same long stretch of closed road, with sweeping curves, the car would take corners in excess of the double ton.

The 8 speed gearbox is very fast and intuitive. If you are adept, you can play tunes with the gear box on winding roads.

This is 4 litre TSI. 552 Bhp. And 700 NM of torque in a petrol. Figures that would shame a diesel.

I was reminded of James May when at the end of the drive, while coasting at 60 kmph it actually felt like the car had stopped. That's the level of velocitization in this car.

Suspension and Handling:

275/35/R20 is a wheel size that guarantees BAD ride quality. But this car is just the opposite - it is more comfortable than most thanks to its air suspension. Bad roads are handled with ease. The ride is pliant and deep ruts and potholes are dismissed without you having to slow down at all.

You can also increase the ride height of the car when you are on the move, if you feel that's required to clear any speed breakers or other humps. I took it over some very deep potholes and a very muted thud was all that was heard.

On the handling front this car isn't a driver's car by any stretch of imagination. It's large and heavy and makes sure you know that when you drive it. You can hustle it around corners but not throw it into corners, you cannot chuck it around others cars the way you can with smaller cars. You feel the bulk of the car all the time! A close comparison would be the 530D where you are always reminded of the weight when you try to chuck it around. You can take it fast around corners but it takes effort on the car.

On one of the drives, I ran into rain and the roads were slightly wet and the car aquaplaned at a certain stretch. I had already reduced the speed substantially was doing around 100 kmph at that point. This is not a car that encourages you to go fast on wet roads.

The brakes do a good job of reducing speed but as is the case with any car, braking distances increase with speed and you need to keep that in mind.

Design:

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the RS7 was designed by an employee who didn't get his increments for 3 years. It's ungainly, the back and front look disconnected and Audi's understated elegance is difficult to spot anywhere. The lapse in design integrity can be identified by spotting the modified old Ford Mustang fastback mated on to an A6 front.

This is also a car that is loud not just through its exhaust but even through its exterior. Nouveau riche is the phrase that comes to mind.

Not a car that makes you turn around and look at it. Nor does it make you feel good when you hand it over to a valet. You would wince when you got out of this car because everything about it doesn't embody taste.

Audi calls it Sportback. That's their way of telling you that it's neither sporty nor a fastback.

Interiors:

The car has the usual all black interior with the standard red stiching as you find even in a VRS. The centre console has the screen showing you Comfort, Dynamic and Individual settings - standard stuff. Comfort was good enough for most roads. Sports was an overkill.

The seat reminded one of the Fiat Linea - difficult to get the right position surprisingly. Not what you would expect in a very fast car!

There aren't any additional gadgets and gizmos in the interior. Rightfully so, because at the speeds the car is capable of doing you better be looking only at the road.

Fuel Efficiency:

You gotta be kidding!

Should you buy one?

This isn't a driver's car. It hasn't got great looks. Makes you wince at the valet parking. And it costs 1.9 crores.

So should you buy one?

If your day job entails acting as a cop and wearing your sunglasses over the rear of your collar, probably...

With the Audi RS7 - A monster with a 4.0L TSI, 552 BHP & 700 Nm torque-img_6006.jpg

The car looks better in pics than in the flesh - side profile especially

With the Audi RS7 - A monster with a 4.0L TSI, 552 BHP & 700 Nm torque-img_6009-3.jpg

With the Audi RS7 - A monster with a 4.0L TSI, 552 BHP & 700 Nm torque-img_6008.jpg

The spoiler lifts at around 130 kmph - you can also deploy it through a button on the dash

With the Audi RS7 - A monster with a 4.0L TSI, 552 BHP & 700 Nm torque-img_6011.jpg

The wheels have a nice design

With the Audi RS7 - A monster with a 4.0L TSI, 552 BHP & 700 Nm torque-img_6010.jpg

Interiors of the RS7 - standard fare for high end performance cars

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ajmat · 25th September 2017, 08:20

Moving to main forum

Thanks for sharing!

AMG Power · 25th September 2017, 17:49

The gearbox in the RS7 is an 8 speed torque converter gearbox. Given the torque on hand (which is even more than the R8) Audi are using ZF gearboxes as the Dual clutches couldn't cope with the torque.

However, as of last year Audi have given the R8 a dual clutch gearbox.

It might find its way into the RS7 too. But as of now the ZF 8 speed gearbox are great with this power.

Turbanator · 25th September 2017, 20:52

Quote:

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the RS7 was designed by an employee who didn't get his increments for 3 years.

Quote:

If your day job entails acting as a cop and wearing your sunglasses over the rear of your collar, probably...

You have some great writing style, should contribute more if possible

Somehow I feel Audi has lost the plot, they are possibly doing all wrong things, they killed A4 with that engine and now instead of an 8 cylinder S on Q7, they have come with 4 Cylinder Petrol. TT is missing features as basic as a front armrest. A6 & A8 are simply non-existent. Q3 is now a history after Tiguan. Wonder what all are they are going to sell?

AMG Power · 26th September 2017, 14:39

Thanks for the compliment! Will surely try and write more.

Incidentally the guy with the sunglasses was one of the first owners of the RS7, if not the first.

Rahulkool · 26th September 2017, 16:44

Congrats on the awesome ride. your writing style is fantastic

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMG Power

Design:

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the RS7 was designed by an employee who didn't get his increments for 3 years. It's ungainly, the back and front look disconnected and Audi's understated elegance is difficult to spot anywhere. The lapse in design integrity can be identified by spotting the modified old Ford Mustang fastback mated on to an A6 front.

On the other hand i just love the RS7 design, spotted one few days back in boring white color still coudnt take my eye off it

rohitoasis · 26th September 2017, 17:11

Lovely writeup for a beast of a car. Congrats on the acquisition.

Your words are nearly able to describe the ferocity of the power delivery. Thanks.

One surprising bit is the lack of traction in wet weather. Most publications describe this car as an all weather Bahnstormer. Or does it require wet weather tyres in those places to avoid the loss of traction?

Should ask another stupid question. Do you feel Turbo lag? Looks like Audi is trying to eliminate that in the next generation of RS7 with a Hybrid engine capable of producing 700 horses. (Imagine torque from Zero RPM and 700 horses)

Would love to have more snaps and probably videos of car in action in probably controlled roads.

Cheers and Drive safe

AMG Power · 27th September 2017, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Somehow I feel Audi has lost the plot, they are possibly doing all wrong things, they killed A4 with that engine and now instead of an 8 cylinder S on Q7, they have come with 4 Cylinder Petrol. TT is missing features as basic as a front armrest. A6 & A8 are simply non-existent. Q3 is now a history after Tiguan. Wonder what all are they are going to sell?

You're right about Audi - plonking that 1.4 TSI engine in the A4 was ridiculous. Forget the Tiguan - once the Karoq and Kodiaq come out it would be even more pressure on Audi as they would be at much lower price points.

The A4 and A6 would appeal only to those who have a fetish for headlight designs.

The RS7 on the other hand is one of their extreme cars but where does one get to drive it in India where you can't even find roads to properly drive a Baleno RS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rahulkool

Congrats on the awesome ride. your writing style is fantastic

Thanks for the compliment Rahulkool

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rahulkool

On the other hand i just love the RS7 design, spotted one few days back in boring white color still coudnt take my eye off it

It looks good in certain angles but when you get close to it the incongruence stands out. I guess this is a point of view.

Quote: