Following the official debut of the Audi S7 Sportback a couple of weeks back, the German automaker has now introduced the facelift RS 7 Sportback in Europe. The large five-door coupé now comes with new Matrix LED headlights and even more enhanced infotainment features.
The new RS7 Sportback now comes with new design details add striking touches such as Singleframe grille with the black honeycomb, with the corners now even sharper and more distinctive. Three optional packages – matt aluminum, gloss black and carbon – make the look of the RS 7 Sportback even more distinctive. The central front air inlet bears the quattro lettering. Slight modifications have also been made to the bumper, with its distinctive air inlets.
The headlights, also adapted to the new Singleframe, come with LED technology as a standard feature. On request, Audi provides the headlights with the innovative Matrix LED technology, available exclusively on the RS 7 Sportback with additionally darkened trims. This offer also includes turn signals with dynamic display at the front. At the rear they are generally standard. The tail lights also have a new interior design. New to the paint finishes are the colors Floret Silver, metallic; Glacier White, metallic; Mythos Black, metallic and Sepang Blue, pearl effect.
In the elegant black interior, dominated by the RS sport seats, the designers have discreetly revised the instrument cluster: the air outlet controls of the vent nozzles, the shift paddles behind the steering wheel and the quattro emblem on the instrument panel. The standard MMI navigation plus with MMI touch now uses the modular infotainment platform of the latest generation; its highlight is an efficient graphics processor from Audi’s partner, Nvidia.
Power comes in a form of a V8 4.0 TFSI that churns out 560 hp, with a constant 700 Nm of torque at engine speeds between 1,750 and 5,500 rpm. The engine catapults the five‑door coupé from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 305 km/h, with optional dynamics package.
In the ECE cycle however, the resonant V8 bi‑turbo needs only 9.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometers with 221 grams CO2 per kilometre. A key factor in this efficiency is the cylinder on demand (COD) system, which can shut down four cylinders during partial load operation.
An 8‑speed tiptronic tuned for sporty performance, with a tall eighth gear, directs the power of the 8‑cylinder engine to the quattro permanent all‑wheel drive. On request, Audi will combine quattro all‑wheel drive with the optional sport differential on the rear axle.
The RS adaptive air suspension, together with adaptive damping, standard on the RS 7 Sportback, lowers the body by 20mm; its control is incorporated in the Audi drive select driving dynamics system. Audi offers the tauter RS sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) as an alternative. A further option is dynamic steering, with its continuously variable steering ratio.
The revised Audi RS 7 Sportback is fitted with 20‑inch forged lightweight alloy wheels as a standard feature; 21‑inch cast aluminium wheels in three colour available. The four internally ventilated brake disks have a weight‑saving wave design; alternatively Audi installs carbon fibre-ceramic disks. Electronic Stabilization Control (ESC) has a Sport mode that can be deactivated altogether if need be.
The Audi RS 7 Sportback can be ordered in Germany from the 3rd quarter 2014 with a base price of €113,300.
