Audi S7 Video Road Test & Review

The Audi S7 provides fans of the Audi A7 mid-size hatchback with more get-up-and-go under the hood and a chassis to match.  The Audi S7 not only takes the A7 in a sportier direction, but it also makes a number of upgrades to its level of standard equipment as well as its appearance.  The S7's safety gear remains impressive, with front seat-mounted side airbags, dual forward airbags, a pair of front knee airbags, side curtain airbags, electronic stability control, and traction control all showing as standard.

The Audi S7 boasts a 420 horsepower, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 engine.  This unit is also capable of grinding out 406 lb-ft of twist, and a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission is charged with managing this prodigious production.  Quattro all-wheel drive helps to ensure drama-free launches and ample cornering grip, and fuel mileage is listed at 17-mpg in stop and go driving and 27-mpg on the highway.

The Audi S7 (MSRP $78,800) is exceptionally well appointed and includes features such as in-car Internet access, four zones of automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a Bose audio system, Audi Drive Select, heated front seats, leather upholstery with special stitching, a sunroof, a power hatchback, adaptive HID headlights, parking assistance, a rearview camera, an adaptive air suspension, and wood trim.  Adding the Cold Weather package introduces heated back seats and a heated steering wheel, while the Comfort Seating package substitutes in a different type of leather covering for the vehicle's thrones and throws in a massage and a ventilation feature.  The Innovation package includes a long list of safety features (such as land departure and blind spot warning, night vision, adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, and collision avoidance), while the Driver Assistance package includes a smaller subset of those items.