Audi RS7 (2014 – 2018) Review

It’s also beautifully made and generously equipped. It does have some flaws, the most serious being its shortage of handling involvement, but it’s a likeable car nonetheless. It has some very tough competitors in the form of the BMW M6 Gran Coupe and the Mercedes-AMG CLS 63 S, not to mention the Porsche Panamera a little further up the price scale. It stands comparison with any of them, though.

For those who don’t know their RS from their elbow, here’s a little history lesson. There was a time, not all that long ago, when Audi Sport - the German manufacturer’s performance division - would only produce one super-high-performance RS model at a time, in order to make that car feel extra-special.

However, such was the clamour for fast and furious versions of a variety of Audi’s popular models that the good folks over at Audi Sport finally decided to give in and give the people what they wanted.

Nowadays, RS models come in all shapes and sizes, and the RS7 - based on the A7 four-door coupe executive car - is one of the biggest. Like all RS models, it comes with a ludicrous amount of horsepower, a brash styling overhaul and a colossal pricetag. That means the RS7 won’t suit everyone, certainly not those of a nervous disposition, but for those it does suit, it’ll be about as appealing as cars get. 

This twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol delivers 560PS in its regular guise, but if you choose to upgrade to the Performance version, that gets hiked to an even crazier 605PS. As you can imagine, both are breathtaking in the way they pick up speed, and the noise that accompanies that searing performance is just as dramatic.

Take things easier, and the RS7 is also capable of delivering top-drawer refinement and a comfortable ride, making it a good way to munch through continents in double-quick time.

Some might be disappointed that it doesn’t feel like more of a sports car in the bends - it’s too big and heavy for that, and the steering doesn’t give much feedback - but it’s still extremely capable in the corners, with strong grip and tight control.

There’s lots to like inside, too, with typically tactile Audi build quality, lots of luxury features as standard,  fairly generous cabin space for four and a big boot. Granted, the infotainment system looks a little dated, and some of the latest infotainment and safety kit is missing, but on a car launched in 2014, that’s not really surprising.

What isn’t missing, though, is bucketloads of performance, style and charm. You’ll pay handsomely to get them, mind, and the astronomical running costs will mean the bills just keep on coming, but every time you put your foot down to release all that noise and acceleration, you won’t care one bit.

Play around with the RS7’s driving modes for a couple of minutes, and you’ll quickly realise that the RS7 has a Jekyll-and-Hyde character.

Stick it in Comfort mode, and things are very civilised. The standard air suspension stays nice and supple, mopping up most lumps and bumps in a fuss-free manner, so it’s a comfortable way to pootle around town or scythe up a motorway.

Select Dynamic mode, however, and things change completely. The gearbox becomes more aggressive, the exhaust becomes more theatrical, and the air suspension becomes much firmer. So much firmer, in fact, that it becomes borderline uncomfortable, so you’ll want to avoid this mode unless you’re feeling very playful indeed.

But it’s when you’re in those playful moods that the RS7 is a little bit underwhelming. Yes, it’s crazy-fast, yes, the four-wheel drive gives huge amounts of grip and traction, and yes, the suspension’s newfound firmness gives better control over body roll when you’re attacking a bend.

However, the steering has an artificial, remote feel that doesn’t involve you in the action, while the car’s considerable size and weight robs it of true athleticism. 

This car is all about its engine, and what an engine it is. A twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol, it delivers 560PS in its regular form, and an even crazier 605PS in Performance trim.

As you can imagine, neither is a slowcoach. You can keep things docile and easy when you’re plodding around town, but when the road opens up and you plant your right foot, all hell breaks loose.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox kicks down, there’s a metallic snarl from under the bonnet, and you’re hurtled toward the horizon at a rate savage enough to have your eyes - not to mention your grin - widening immediately. If you’re a stat-fan, the 0-62mph dash takes just 3.9 seconds, while the Performance trims a further two tenths off that. That’s some serious pace.

The gearbox varies its behaviour according to which driving mode you select. The more comfortable one keeps things smooth and slick, while in the sportier one, the shifts become faster and more aggressive. It’s very effective.

Don’t forget that this generation of RS7 is pretty old now, and although its roster of safety kit was pretty good for its day, it doesn't look quite so generous now. You get six airbags, three Isofix child seat mounting points, high performance brakes and electric traction and stability aids, but there’s no automatic emergency braking provided as standard.  There were some fairly clever systems offered on the options list, though, including night vision and active cruise control with stop-and-go functionality.

The RS7 - or A7, for that matter - of this vintage was never crash tested by Euro NCAP, but the A6 upon which it’s based scored the full five-star rating. That was way back in 2011, though, and standards have moved on a long way since then.

You might expect the RS7 to be an absolute carbon-copy of the regular A7 on this score, but that’s not so. Space up front is identical to the A7 of the day, as is the amount of headroom and legroom in the back seats, meaning that long legs are well catered for, but those who are six foot or more might find themselves rather short of headroom.

The difference lies in the number of seats provided. The regular A7 has a regular three-person bench, while in the RS, the middle chair is substituted for a storage tray. It’s no great loss, because the lost chair was hard, narrow and not very comfy anyway, but it does mean you won’t be able to squeeze in a fifth person for short hops.

The boot is bigger than those you get in most rivals, and the space is a nice square shape, even if it is a little shallow.

It’s easy to get at, too, thanks to the A7 having a lifting hatchback rather than a conventional bootlid like the CLS. The rear seats drop down in a 40-20-40 configuration, and they drop more or less flat, leaving you with no steps or slopes.

You’d expect any Audi - especially a high-end one like the RS 7 - to deliver cabin quality worthy of rivalling anything else in the class. Sure enough, every surface is attractive and tactile, and even the panels tucked away out of sight are similarly plush. 

The impeccable way in which everything is assembled also helps give the car a substantial, solid feel. There’s no hint of movement between any of the tight-fitting panels, and if you ever hear a squeak or a rattle from your RS7, then don’t worry, you’re probably just having a bad dream.

This generation of RS7 doesn’t get Audi’s latest touchscreen functionality because the car is too old, but many would argue that’s a good thing because you operate the system with physical dials and buttons instead.

These are all clearly marked and feel satisfyingly chunky, too, but unfortunately, this is an early iteration of Audi’s MMI operating system and it feels rather more dated than later ones fitted to smaller Audis like the A4. The graphics are slower, glitchier and less crisp, while the menus are more convoluted.

The functionality feels a bit dated, too. You get navigation, DAB, a Bluetooth phone connection, a 10GB hard drive and a 14-speaker BOSE surround sound audio system. However, the car is a bit too old to support wireless phone charging or Apple Carplay/Android Auto, and Audi also made you pay extra for a wifi hotspot, too.

When the RS7 2014 was new, it would’ve cost you around £85,000 for the regular one and upwards of £90,000 for the Performance, neither being inconsiderable sums.

Buyers of used versions will obviously make very significant savings compared to those sums, but even more so due to the fact that high performance executives like these always shed their value quickly.

You shouldn’t have any difficulty finding three-year old examples for around half the original price, and none of them with crazy mileage, either. Find an older example, and you’ll pay significantly less. However, do remember that while used examples will be cheaper to buy, they’ll be no cheaper to run.

Despite a 45PS difference in power output, the regular RS7 and Performance models have identical official fuel economy figures. Tested against the old NEDC standard, these were given at less than 30mpg, so against the newer and stricter WLTP tests, that’ll probably be closer to 20mpg.

And don’t forget that those are laboratory figures that are tough to mimic in the real world. The fact that the RS7’s stupidly powerful engine will be under virtually zero stress in 95 percent of driving situations should give you a decent chance of getting closer to the official figures than you will in most cars. As soon as you get your clog down and drive the RS7 as nature intended, though, your return will plummet.

Meanwhile, the RS7 sits in group 50 for insurance, the priciest group there is. If your car was registered before April 1st 2017, you pay an annual VED tax bill of £330. If it was registered after, then you pay a lower flat rate of £150 per year, but between years two and six of the car’s life, you also have to pay a £325 annual surcharge on top. That means a bill of £475 per year during this period.

Servicing and repair charges are broadly similar to those of high-performance premium rivals, but it might be worth bearing in mind that Audi ranked very low in the manufacturer standings of the 2019 JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study, albeit not as low as BMW.

There’s not much that’s basic about the base-level specification of the RS 7. All versions come with four-zone climate control, leather upholstery, cruise control, a powered bootlid, an electric sunroof, heated front seats, metallic or pearl-effect paint and automatic lights and wipers. That’s in addition to all the infotainment and safety kit mentioned earlier. Performance trim brings extra styling bits, part-leather-part-alcantara upholstery and a sports exhaust, on top of the even-more-bonkers engine.