Audi RS7 Sportback: reviewed

Whether it’s going shopping or going mental, the engine is obviously key to the package. And who can be unhappy with the 4.0-litre V8? With its twin turbos it kicks out 605bhp. On top of that it manages 553lb ft of torque, so this is hardly going to be a top-end screamer, which is sometimes exhilarating, sometimes tiresome.

All that is with the Performance Pack, which adds 53bhp and 37lb ft, which will get you to 62mph in just 3.7sec. That’s hugely quick for such a car, quicker than its competitors. It does that while sounding as magnificent as it is quick. Add in some pops and bangs and your ears will enjoy the performance as much as the rest of your body.

If you don’t want to go berserk then you can use the different modes to alter everything from the suspension to the eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox. The transmission is super slick although downshifts get a bit jerkier as you move up the modes from Comfort to Dynamic.

With it set in Comfort mode, the handling is remarkably compliant and controlled for such a monster of a car. While that’s pleasing, less pleasing is the body control and ride when it’s all cranked up to Dynamic mode. The ride is then so hard and uncomfortable you’d probably not want to use it unless you were on a track day.

But on a track day it would really show up the steering, which is too vague and light and unresponsive. It does limit the confidence you need to really throw the car around on the road, let alone the track. There are stonking levels of grip from the four-wheel drive system, but really you’re unlikely to get to explore the outer edges unless you’re feeling rather brave. More feedback would make such a difference.

Perhaps part of this lack of communication is down to this being, by current standards, quite an old car, with a replacement just down the road. The question of age really rears its head, though, when you sit in the cabin.

Audis are routinely praised for their brilliant cabins, and there’s no doubt the RS7 has a incredibly well built and fitted interior. But items like the infotainment system show their age compared to the systems in the new Audi A3 or A5 for example, or indeed BMW’s iDrive in the M6.

The dashboard works fine, however, even though you can’t get the superb 12.3in Virtual Cockpit, even as an option. However, as standard you get four-zone climate control, parking sensors front and rear, a head-up display and sat nav.

Back from that dashboard there’s plenty of room up front, although in the rear that sloping roofline makes its presence known. It would best suit someone with long legs and a short torso.

Behind this strangely shaped person there is a big boot, all 535 litres of it, and it’s easily accessed through the long tailgate. You can also fold down the rear seats to make a huge 1390 litres of long space should you need it.

So there is practicality and pace, but whether that all melds together into a harmonious whole is another question entirely. The first question is – are you sure a standard A7 isn’t quite fast enough for you? The standard car is heroically fast anyway, so you should question why you need to add yet more power. And that power comes at a price.