► V8-powered RS7 Sportback is here
► 4dr coupe has supercar pace, 592bhp
► Revealed at 2019 Frankfurt show
Audi has just taken the covers off the new RS7 Sportback at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show. This is the RS6 Avant’s equally evil twin – think of it as the sleeker sibling of the two supercar-slaying V8 brutes.
It’s 40mm wider than a regular A7 – perfect for deploying that crucial Audi RS car presence – and has had a raft of changes to the exterior design for a more aggressive look. So much so that only the bonnet, roof, front doors and tailgate panels are the same as the regular car.
V8 power, you say?
Oh yes. The performance stats are exactly the same as the RS6; a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 making 592bhp and 590lb ft with 48v mild hybrid assistance. That’s 39bhp and 74lb ft more than the previous-generation RS7 Performance Pack.
That power is sent to all four wheels via an uprated eight-speed ZF automatic and the 2019 RS7 is capable of a 0-62mph launch sprint in 3.6sec – just 0.4sec off the time of our R8 Performance Spyder long-term test car. The power split is 40:60 front/rear by default but up to 70 per cent power can be shifted to the front wheels or 85 percent to the rear depending on how lairy you’re acting.
Again, like the RS6, the top speed is limited to 155mph as standard, 174mph with the optional Dynamic package or 189mph with the Dynamic Plus pack.
Along with the MHEV system, the V8 has cylinder-shutdown abilities – cutting off four of the eight cylinders to save fuel. Bucket of water over an oil rig fire springs to mind.
Any handling tech?
It needs some to combat the RS7’s circa 2100kg kerbweight. Adaptive RS air suspension is standard, while optional ‘RS Sport Suspension Plus’ includes the brand’s Dynamic Ride Control that minimises roll and pitch.
Audi’s much maligned (in older guises, at least) Dynamic Steering is paired with all-wheel steering on the options list, as are gigantic 440mm front/370mm rear carbon ceramic brake discs. As standard, the RS7 has 21-inch cast aluminium wheels that can be upgraded to 22s.
Audi has also learned from BMW’s M Logic set-up system, allowing you to set up two different individual RS modes that can be activated directly from the steering wheel.
When can I get one?
Expect a price tag of around £90,000, or £100,000 plus for a one with some options on. First deliveries arrive in the first few months of 2020.
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