2015 Audi RS7 Quick Spin Review

We all have the dream of owning a sports car that can take our breath away with lighting quick acceleration, excellent corning traits, and ability to stop on a dime. But if you have a family, that dream is often shelved in favor of practicality. With the RS7, Audi offers a workable compromise between the two.  

Design

The Audi A7 lineup has been praised for its looks, which blend a coupe-like roof with a hatchback. The RS7's amps up the aggression with larger front air vents for the engine, new mesh inserts for the grille, and optional lower grille with 'quattro' badging similar to the Audi quattro coupe from the 80's, and sharp headlights. The side profile reveals a set of 21-inch wheels wearing meaty performance tires, and around back are a set of trapezoidal taillights with a new rear diffuser.

The interior gets a new three-spoke steering wheel, seating for four people, quilted leather on the seats, and choice of Aluminum/Black wood or carbon fiber trim. As for practicality, the RS7's space in the back measures out to 24.5 cubic feet.

Performance

Audi says the RS7 is the most powerful RS model ever sold in North America, and with performance output from the twin-turbo 4.0L V8 rated at 560 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, we can't say we disagree. The powerful V8 comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive. Audi says the RS7 can hit 60mph in 3.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 174mph. A new air suspension and larger brakes keeps the RS7 on the pavement.

Fuel economy is rated at 16 City/27 Highway/19 Combined.

Safety

The 2015 RS7 is chock-full of safety equipment with a full suite of air bags, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, stability control, tire pressure monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and backup camera. Optional is a driver assistance package which adds cameras to front and side, adaptive cruise control, and lane keep assist. Also on the option list is a night vision system.

Currently, the RS7 or any A7 haven't been tested by either Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The 2015 Audi RS7 rings in at $106,500. Standard equipment for the RS7 includes four-zone climate control, sunroof, 12-way power seats, navigation, a 14-speaker Bose sound system, a six-month trial of Audi connect which provides information such as gas prices in an area; Bluetooth, and Keyless entry.

Options include a new sports exhaust, Bang & Olufsen audio system, sports suspension, exterior trim packages, and heated front and rear seats.