12 January,2014 04:19 PM IST | | Amit Chhangani
Packing a knockout punch in a velvet glove, fusing two diametrically opposite qualities, the Audi RS7 Sportback, storms into India
Audi RS7 Sportback, cars, Life & Style, Test Drive, Mumbai
Compromise is a word the ultra-rich aren't familiar with. So if they want supercar performance and limousine luxury fused in one splendid package, who are premium carmakers to deny them? And it's for such individuals, who want the a near impossible blend of stunning looks, mind numbing performance and top of the line luxury from one car, that the RS7 Sportback is made for.
A few days ago, Audi drove in the RS7, its ultra powerful five door luxury car to India in grand style, with none other than actor Salman Khan as its brand ambassador. Apart from being a brand ambassador, the 48-year-old star is also the first customer of the new model in India - probably a cue for the glitterati on where to go shopping for their next set of premium wheels.
Light weight, high performance
The RS7 sits on the convention- breaking and chic looking A7 Sportback, with chassis, suspension and drivetrain heavily modified and exterior tweaked for ample differentiation. Visual upgrades over the A7 on the RS7 include more aggressively styled bumpers, partly-tinted LED headlights, high-gloss black honeycomb grill, add-on parts in matt aluminum and the flared sills. The car also features an ultra lightweight hybrid aluminium body to keep the weight low and performance high.
Propelled by a 4.0-litre biturbo petrol motor, one of the best and brightest in performance business - the RS7 boasts peak power of 560bhp at 5700 rpm, and 700 Nm of gut wrenching torque between a wide rev-band of 1750-5000rpm. Acceleration is bewildering for a car this size and weight, with 100 km/h coming up in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed is rated at 305 km/h, and the RS7 wouldn't take too long getting there too.
Transmission duties are taken care of by the eight speed tiptronic manumatic transmission, which works as an automatic while also allowing manual gearshifts. To ensure maximum grip and poise, the 560 bhp of fanatical power is laid down onto the tar with the help of the legendary Quattro permanent all wheel drive system. The system comprises a new center differential and can optionally be ordered with a torque vectoring, sport differential as an option.
On the inside, the RS7 features a plush, luxurious cabin which has ample touches of sportiness to remind you that you are driving a performance car. The black theme of the cabin is representative of performance oriented luxury, with carbon fiber inlays to underline the sports car that lurks under the bonnet. Then you have aluminium accents in places to break the monotony and offer some delightful contrast to the cabin elements. Aluminium pedals with rubber cladding further add a touch of flamboyance to the cabin.
Luxury on the RS7 comes by the truckload. If there is a feature you want, you'll most likely find it on the RS7. In the rare possibility that you don't, the option will most probably be there on the liberal options list which comprises a whole bevy of innovative assistance systems. The backseat is designed to seat two, with extra contours and bolstering to let the back benchers also experience the sporty, driver oriented character of the car. Hi-performance Bose audio system comes as a standard fitment with the RS7.
Among the wonders of the RS7's cabin is the central screen which flips out or tucks back in, into the dash with the mere touch of a button. The central touchpad beside the drive selector lever doubles up as a num-pad and a freehand gesture reader. You can draw language characters with a finger, and it will duly convert them into text to search for entries in your phonebook, or to feed the destination for navigation.
The RS7 is one of very few cars which come with a specifically tuned, handling and dynamism oriented air suspension. The RS adaptive air suspension helps the RS7 achieve great in-corner stability along with uncompromised comfort, and lets the driver customise his drive experience by tuning the suspension up with the press of a button. Even more advanced RS sport suspension with dynamic ride control, which measures and controls the level of stiffness automatically can also be ordered as an option.
Our verdict
While all of that would still not make the RS7 a razor sharp track attack weapon, for it's not meant to be one - it would make the RS7 a very fast car to drive in the real world. The RS7 is not the most beautiful, or the fastest sports car in the world, nor is it most driver-oriented one. However, when you look at cars which offer uncompromised luxury and space with extreme power and performance, the RS7 finds itself amongst those at the very front of the queue. It's a mind bending concoction of qualities which reside at diametrically opposite ends of the automotive world. And that's what really makes the RS7 so special.
With those swanky LED lights all around, the sexy 20-inch wheels and that remarkable sportback shape, the RS7 is one beautiful machine. And with its top of the heap power and performance figures, is has to be one of the foremost choices for those looking for the polar blend of liberal lavishness and munificence of thrills in one grand package.
