A Steal Of A Deal? 2014 Audi RS7 To Retail For Just Under $105,000 Dollars

Pricing for the all-new high-performance 2014 Audi RS 7 – the most powerful RS model ever offered in the U.S. – will begin at $104,900. The RS 7, the epitome of aesthetic design, innovative technology and track-tested performance, debuted at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and is expected to arrive in U.S. showrooms this fall.

The high-power Audi RS 7 adds to the expanding A7 model line, which is enhanced for the 2014 model year with the addition of the all-new fuel-efficient A7 TDI® clean diesel model, in addition to the A7 3.0T and S7 4.0T variants.

Performance
The Audi RS 7 is fitted with a twin-turbo 4.0 TFSI V8 engine, producing an astounding 560 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Launching from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, the RS 7 has a top track speed of 174 mph.

At low to medium loads and engine speeds – with its innovative cylinder on demand technology – the RS 7 deactivates cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8 by closing their valves via electromechanical actuators. The 4.0 TFSI runs in four-cylinder mode, providing up to 15% better fuel efficiency, while the active engine mounts remove any changes in vibration between eight and four-cylinder modes. The active noise cancellation system is not needed on the RS 7 because of the low exhaust frequencies of the exhaust that are befitting of an RS model. For those that enjoy an even more performance-oriented exhaust tone, a sport exhaust is available with black finishers.




Mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic® automatic transmission, the RS 7 features the Audi quattro® all-wheel drive system with sport differential for superior grip and handling.

The RS 7 is fitted with a robust brake system employing internally ventilated and perforated discs in a weight-saving wave design; the front discs are 15.4 inches in diameter and the rear discs are 14 inches in diameter. The wave-shaped outer contour of the friction rings reduces unsprung mass by a total of about 6.61 lbs. The brake calipers are painted black and are also available in red.

Exterior
A series of design details give the RS 7 a dynamic edge to its flowing coupe design. Available in standard, matte aluminum or carbon styling, the RS 7 features distinctive bumpers, Audi Singleframe® grille in aluminum matte or high-gloss black, honeycomb grille inserts and heated, auto-dimming and power-folding exterior mirrors. The adaptive rear spoiler, lower rear diffuser and two large elliptical tailpipes of the exhaust system signify the performance that the RS 7 has to offer.

Interior
Inside, the RS 7 exudes sportiness and power with its three-spoke perforated multifunction sport steering wheel with contrast stitching and RS 7 emblem, sport seats in Valcona leather with honeycomb quilting, and RS-specific shift knob and interior door handles.

The RS 7 also features RS-specific Carbon fiber inlays; optional Layered Aluminum/Black wood decorative inlays; black-faced instrument gauges, white scales and red needles; aluminum pedals and footrest; and a Black Alcantara® headliner (optional).

Technology and driver assistance
The Audi RS 7 starts with the Prestige equipment level, which offers a multitude of technologies including the groundbreaking Audi MMI® touch with handwriting recognition. With hard and soft keys, dedicated buttons for commonly-used controls and a revolutionary touchpad that interprets hand-written inputs, you can perform a number of functions, like write the digits of telephone number and the letters of the navigation destination with a finger, or scroll over maps, all without taking your eyes off the road.

The RS 7 is equipped standard with Audi side assist, which monitors the blind spot areas, as well as fast-approaching vehicles, at a range of approximately 150 ft. to the rear of the car.

The optional Night Vision Assistant can detect pedestrians approximately 300 ft. ahead of the vehicle; once a pedestrian is registered, the system highlights him/her in yellow. If the pedestrian moves into the anticipated path of the vehicle, he/she is highlighted in red and accompanied by an acoustic warning.

A cornerview camera is part of the Driver Assistance plus package, and the available adaptive cruise control and Audi pre sense plus enhances safety for drivers and their passengers.

Sciros - 7/31/2013 10:44:14 AM

+3 Boost

Umm that's not exactly affordable to most people, including upper middle class, especially depending on where you live. So I'm not sure how an Audi that starts at around $105000 and probably with options will be near $120000 is a "steal of a deal" but if you say so... Granted the competition isn't exactly cheap, either, with the M6 Gran Coupe (which I personally find better-looking but that's an aside) starting at $115000 or so. I would have been quite impressed with Audi if this thing were like $90k putting it more in line with the M5 and therefore being a very serious value proposition. But as it is, it's basically par for the course.

GermanNut - 7/31/2013 3:33:44 PM

-2 Boost

The Audi RS7 priced at just under $105,000 is a steal of a deal. Considering the RS7 will outrun the M5 to 60 mph and through the 1/4 mile every single time, it should command a price premium. Also, it is $10K less than the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, which it will also outperform in straight-line acceleration.

Satriani1 - 7/31/2013 6:47:38 PM

-3 Boost

Everybody would have been quite impressed with BMW if it priced the $90,200 M5 less than the $71,900 Audi S6... that might have made the M5 a serious value proposition against the S6 -- which is the M5's equal or better in most driving situations. But as it is, the M5 is basically $18,000 more expensive than the S6.

In its comparo "in search of the world's best sedan", Car and Driver mag ranked the 2013 Audi S6 (213 points out of 240) first ahead of the second-placed Mercedes E63 AMG (210 points) and the last-placed 2013 BMW M5 (193 points).
http://tinyurl.com/cqntdwx
http://tinyurl.com/6olv8mu

In the same episode of PBS Motorweek, the 2013 Audi S6 was tested accelerating faster to 60 mph and faster also to the quarter mile -- than the 2013 BMW M5.
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365023984/
- PBS Motorweek (see 2:05 in clip): Audi S6 3.8 seconds to 60 mph... and 12.2 sec @114 mph to quarter mile... and 23.1mpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtpXVIui_KI
- PBS Motorweek : BMW M5 4.1 sec to 60 mph... and 12.3 sec @117 mph to quarter mile... and 17.3mpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rMG8d4TdSU

The Audi RS6 Avant wagon (heavier sibling of the RS7) beat the lightweight Caterham Seven 485 R (Caterham claims the 485R does 3.4 sec for 0 to 60 mph) in a quarter mile drag race. The German car mag Auto Motor und Sport clocked the RS6 wagon at 3.5 sec for 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in the link, which indicates the RS6 can do 3.3 sec 0 to 60mph. The lighter RS7 will probably be slightly faster than the RS6 wagon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEA-I7M83fA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9lKBKH5E-A
http://tinyurl.com/legjxgz

On the racetrack, the heavier RS6 Avant wagon was faster than the lighter BMW M5 sedan and M6 Gran Coupe sportback. The RS7 is lighter than the RS6.
http://tinyurl.com/lunqyw3
http://tinyurl.com/kp7lk92
http://tinyurl.com/krck5c8
http://tinyurl.com/m2zuvzf

No independent driver/tester has broken the 8-minute barrier at the Nurburgring racetrack with the BMW M5 (or any other regular BMW for that matter: only limited edition M3 GTS and CSL have done it with Horst von Saurma driving). Nurburgring expert and supercar tester Horst von Saurma drove the M5 at 8:05 min at Nurburgring (von Saurma drove the 2010 RS5 and 2012 RS5 both at 7:59 min, as well as Audi R8 GT at 7:34 min). No wonder BMW took the unusual and shameless step of registering the laptime of its own factory test driver who had been driving the M5 on the Nurburgring during its development -- probably realizing the M5 lacked the capability for an independent driver to break the 8 minute barrier.
http://tinyurl.com/lztemu2

The 2013 M6 Gran Coupe's laptime (1:41.40) was barely faster than a 2009 Audi S4 (1:41.70) and slower than a 2012 Audi RS5 (1:40.40)
http://tinyurl.com/l4gnshr

The BMW M5 sedan and M6 Gran Coupe are simply not in the same performance class as the Audi RS7.

94geo - 8/1/2013 7:35:00 AM

+1 Boost

"The Audi RS6 Avant wagon (heavier sibling of the RS7) beat the lightweight Caterham Seven 485 R (Caterham claims the 485R does 3.4 sec for 0 to 60 mph) in a quarter mile drag race. The German car mag Auto Motor und Sport clocked the RS6 wagon at 3.5 sec for 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in the link, which indicates the RS6 can do 3.3 sec 0 to 60mph. The lighter RS7 will probably be slightly faster than the RS6 wagon."

In this video the RS6 covers 400m (1/4 mile) in 12.1 seconds which is around what every other car in this segment can do.

"520 hp Porsche Panamera Turbo -- yet the RS7 is without a doubt faster than this Porsche (even with the Sport Chrono option)."

The panamera turbo S with 555hp and 590lb-ft without a doubt is faster than the RS7.

Satriani1 - 8/2/2013 4:26:32 AM

+1 Boost

94geo: interesting points... But... However...

...the Porsche Panamera Turbo S is no longer in production (since the Panamera facelift). Therefore, the Porsche Panamera Turbo S is not a production car. And there will be no official comparison test of the Panamera Turbo S and the RS6/RS7.

However, the car mag test data indicates the the Audi RS7 is likely to be faster than the Panamera Turbo S. Here is why:

- Sport Auto's Horst von Saurma set the lap records for the Porsche Panamera Turbo S at Nurburgring (7.52 min and 7.52.02 min) and Hockenheim (1:12.3 min) (Porsche's own senior test driver Walter Rohrl, the former racing driver, set Nurburgring lap times for the Panamera Turbo with Sport Chrono option at 7:56 min). In that supertest, Von Saurma also tested the Porsche Panamera Turbo S's acceleration times -- his 0-100 km/h sprint time of 3.8 sec was identical to the manufacturer's claim of 3.8 sec. Von Saurma has not yet tested the RS6.
0-40 km/h: 1.2 sec
0-60 km/h: 1.9 sec
0-80 km/h: 2.7 sec
0-100 km/h: 3.8 sec
0-120 km/h: 5.0 sec
0-140 km/h: 6.6 sec
0-160 km/h: 8.4 sec
0-180 km/h: 10.5 sec
0-200 km/h: 13.0 sec
http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/nordschleife.html
http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/hockenheim_short.html
http://tinyurl.com/mww8mvl
http://tinyurl.com/mdwcc85

- Auto Motor und Sport tested the Audi RS6 Avant wagon. Though AMuS did not publish times below 80 km/h, the RS6 kept getting faster than the Panamera Turbo S through the spectrum tested of 80 to 200 km/h. In straight-line acceleration and a drag race the RS6 will likely beat the Turbo S. That's why I am confident that the RS7 "is without a doubt faster than" the Porsche Panamera Turbo with the Sport Chrono option).
0-80 km/h: 2.6 sec
0-100 km/h: 3.5 sec
0-120 km/h: 4.7 sec
0-130 km/h: 5.4 sec
0-160 km/h: 7.7 sec
0-180 km/h: 9.8 sec
0-200 km/h: 12.1 sec
http://tinyurl.com/mdwcc85

- Unfortunately, Auto Motor und Sport never tested the Panamera Turbo S. But the tests at AMuS and Sport Auto indicates the Panamera Turbo S is likely to be within 0.1 sec of manufacturer claims for 0 to 100km/h had AMuS tested this Panamera. AMusS separately tested the Porsche Panamera Turbo (comparo with M5 and E63 AMG) and Panamera Turbo GTS: these acceleration test data indicate that their acceleration times for 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) are within 0.1 sec of manufacturer claims of 4.2 sec (Turbo) and identical at 4.5 sec (GTS) respectively. Other German mag tests for the Panamera Turbo got similar results as AMuS.
http://tinyurl.com/l7qmt3s
http://tinyurl.com/lx6j998

94geo: "In this video the RS6 covers 400m (1/4 mile) in 12.1 seconds which is around what every other car in this segment can do."

Uh nope. You're assuming that real world drag race of Motorsports would reflect instrumented car mag tests by car mags for high performance 4-door sedans.

Motor

Satriani1 - 8/2/2013 4:29:39 AM

+1 Boost

94geo: "In this video the RS6 covers 400m (1/4 mile) in 12.1 seconds which is around what every other car in this segment can do."

Uh nope. You're assuming that real world drag race of Motorsports would reflect instrumented car mag tests by car mags for high performance 4-door sedans.

Let's compare apples with apples: Motorsport mag did drag races involving the RS6 and M5.

Audi RS6 Avant wagon 12.1 sec for 400 meters (against Caterham Seven R485)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEA-I7M83fA

BMW M5 sedan 12.4 sec for 400 meters (against Nissan GT-R)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YPpjvXbfqg

gkearns56 - 7/31/2013 4:32:31 PM

-1 Boost

WOW!!! This is a gorgeous car. Wish I could afford one of these babies. Will keep driving the 6er; still loving my 6er's craftsmanship and quality feel inside and out.

chewy - 7/31/2013 5:22:04 PM

+2 Boost

I think it's a fair price for an RS.

Satriani1 - 8/1/2013 3:57:03 AM

-2 Boost

Wall Street Journal: "At $104,900, Can You Call the Audi RS 7 a Bargain?... Yes, the price is high, but one could argue it is a bargain compared with the cost of acquiring the same level of power and speed a decade ago. When the exotic, two-seat Lamborghini Murcielago rolled out for the 2002 model year, its 12-cylinder engine put out 571 horsepower and it sprinted to 60 mph in about the same time it takes the Audi to get there. But the Lamborghini’s sticker was $273,000, or about $354,000 today after adjusting for inflation.... where the snarling Lamborghini traveled about 10 miles per gallon of gasoline, the Audi at least makes a case for efficiency. At lower speeds when the car’s engine isn’t working hard, four of its eight cylinders automatically shut down. The result, the company said, is an improvement of up to 15% in fuel economy."
http://tinyurl.com/ny6mw8c

Contrary to what some believe, the RS7's biggest rival is not the Mercedes CLS or BMW M6 Gran Coupe. Ultimately the RS7's only true rival is the $141,300.00, 520 hp Porsche Panamera Turbo -- yet the RS7 is without a doubt faster than this Porsche (even with the Sport Chrono option). The RS7 is probably also the most sophisticated car of the pack. That's why the RS6 is the bargain of the pack.

The RS7 might just be the king of the hill even when you expand the pack beyond these four sportbacks to include the BMW M5, Mercedes E63 AMG S 4Matic and virtually every other four-door car you can think of in production today. Probably only the 616 HP Bentley Continental Flying Spur might eventually catch an RS7 with Dynamic Plus Package -- but only at some point after 150 mph.

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First German car mag comparo of the Audi RS7 and the Mercedes CLS63 AMG S 4Matic.

Auto Zeitung: "The processing in the Audi is a bit finer and impeccable in the smallest details... The Mercedes is not as snappy... The Audi RS 7, however, is always awake, and develops its power evenly with increasing speed... Even though the husky CLS four-door coupe founded this fashionable segment -- the new RS 7 turned the concept into absolute perfection. It allows the performance of a sports car with the elegance of a Gran Turismo and the comfort of a sedan. It is also practical, due to the large tailgate."
http://tinyurl.com/k9kk5ak

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First drive reviews of RS7:

German TV review of RS7 (in English)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgk6z7bnH6w

Matt Davis provides a more useful first drive review on the RS7, with short video. He provides useful info on what options are appropriate for what situation. (Davis is the co-chairman of the World Car Awards and World Performance Car awards).
http://tinyurl.com/l2hp7dr
http://tinyurl.com/nzmuwpz

Road and Track
http://tinyurl.com/kt6nmgs

Edmund's
http://tinyurl.com/ofmbc5f

Car and Driver
http://tinyurl.com/lke9o6z

Canadian Driver: "Having not too long ago driven what I consider the closest competitor to the RS 7, the Porsche Panamera Turbo

Satriani1 - 8/1/2013 4:01:05 AM

-2 Boost

Canadian Driver: "Having not too long ago driven what I consider the closest competitor to the RS 7, the Porsche Panamera Turbo, I have to say that Audi may be the new big dog in town. I’ve always felt that the Panamera miraculously feels smaller and more nimble than its dimensions may indicate – the RS 7 offers this same feeling and more. Immediately upon hitting the road the RS 7 Sportback feels noticeably nimble and light, you immediately forget that this is not an R8 or small sedan but a large executive automobile."
http://tinyurl.com/nzjkzw6

Motor Trend
http://tinyurl.com/q2ehgxt

Australia's Motoring: "Let’s start with Porsche, just for giggles. Its Panamera Turbo offers a pair of turbos and a larger V8 engine. And it’s fast. But the Panamera Turbo lists for an enormous sum (around $380,000), is no faster to 100km/h than the RS7 and is definitely uglier. What do you get for your extra $140,000-odd grand? Enough? For some, a Porsche badge makes a big difference. For others… Well… Commonsense will send people over BMW way, where the M5 lurks around the $230,000 mark and the sexier sister car, the M6 GranCoupe, sits $70K higher. The latter has been a clear development target for the RS7, which matches the engine output of both BMWs to the kW, despite giving away 0.4 litres of capacity. And it adds insult to injury by being half a second quicker to 100km/h. Benz’s E63 AMG falls a measly 2kW short of the RS7’s power figure. And if that’s a bit stodgy, there’s always the CLS version. Jaguar is doing some hotter stuff but it’s not quite at this level, though you could cast a realistic eye over to Bentley on performance, if not cost. The ‘Brit’ brand does share the core of the RS7’s engine, gearbox and driveline, after all, but the Audi gives it to you for a lot less money than the Continental Flying Spur."
http://tinyurl.com/mnd38vc

Autoweek
http://tinyurl.com/qg63tae

Top Gear
http://tinyurl.com/pp4m57o

Automobile magazine
http://tinyurl.com/l3szodt

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RS7: A Picture
http://tinyurl.com/kwzrvw8

Everyone is entitled to their personal opinion on this car's design since beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and not everyone has the same taste. But fact remains that the majority of people like the A7/S7/RS7's design. Furthermore, the Audi A7 was actually a finalist in the 'World Car Design of the Year' 2011 (chosen by experts on design and beauty) -- while none of its rivals was a finalist.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Car_of_the_Year#Finalists_and_Top_3_Finalists
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Car_of_the_Year#Total_wins_by_manufacturer

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The RS7 will likely be a great car because it is based on a solid foundation -- the A7.

Road and Track has completed its long term test of the A7. In its four updates, R&T repeatedly mentioned this car's curb appeal had gotten a lot of admiring looks:

- "Despite a meatier back end, the Audi A7 manages to look pretty svelte. I asked a half-dozen friends for

Satriani1 - 8/1/2013 4:06:42 AM

-2 Boost

Road and Track mag:

- "Despite a meatier back end, the Audi A7 manages to look pretty svelte. I asked a half-dozen friends for their opinions, and remarks ranged from "it looks like an Audi" (which, by their intonation, was a very positive thing) to compliments on the dark metallic color (Dakota Gray) to how "mean" it looked (thanks to the S line side sills and fascias found on the Prestige Package). As I was filling up at a downtown Los Angeles gas station, an LAPD officer inquired about the make and model of the car, and followed up by declaring how good-looking it was. Of all the people polled, not a single mention of a disagreeable rear." "And the packs it in with style. The envious glares from fathers loading Ikea boxes into their minivans alone are worth the price of admission. As handsome as the A7 is on the outside, it also excels on the inside." "the A7 isn't just a sedan. Nor is it a wagon either. And to lump it into the crossover category would be a disservice to its design. While it isn't revolutionary, the A7 is a notable vehicle, if only because it makes you rethink what a hatch-equipped 4-door can be."

- Third long term update: April 2013 (19,583 miles driven): "We looked everyday for months, and we can find absolutely nothing bad about this car. Hell, there was nothing even subpar, and precious little that could even be called average. The more we looked, the more we liked; the A7 is the car everyone chooses for quick multi-state blasts out of the office, our official medium-to-long range weapon of choice... in all our time with this car, it never put a foot wrong or allowed us to become uncomfortable. It's a beautiful, capacious, flexible, sub-five-second machine, and we couldn't be happier with it. Think we're being hyperbolic? Your narrator surveyed the staff, asking everyone to name the thing he most disliked about the A7. The resulting list of grudges is laughable, evidence of people straining to think of something to say... Senior Editor Josh condon said, "I'm taking it over vacation." Damn. In fact three separate staffers said there was absolutely nothing they disliked about this car.. after all these months and miles, the lines of that lovely hatch are still worth remarking on. So is the A7's stunning interior, perhaps the most attractive and pleasing offering from the industry's current interior-making champ... everyone who drives the A7 agrees that it's worth it. And it's not just us."

- Final long-term update: August 2013 (29,443 miles driven): "Why we got it: it's a new take on the luxury sedan, plus: subtle beauty with function, minus: it's gone now... And with that, we've exhausted the synonyms for 'perfect.'... As we summarize our time with our Audi A7, the very worst we can say about the car is that it gave us absolutely nothing to gripe about... from dead-stop acceleration to state-crossing freeway blasts, the power was delivered perfectly... Plus, the gorgeous, open-grain wood trim is a masterstroke. C

Satriani1 - 8/1/2013 4:09:18 AM

-2 Boost

- Final long-term update: August 2013 (29,443 miles driven): "Why we got it: it's a new take on the luxury sedan, plus: subtle beauty with function, minus: it's gone now... And with that, we've exhausted the synonyms for 'perfect.'... As we summarize our time with our Audi A7, the very worst we can say about the car is that it gave us absolutely nothing to gripe about... from dead-stop acceleration to state-crossing freeway blasts, the power was delivered perfectly... Plus, the gorgeous, open-grain wood trim is a masterstroke. Capability? Exterior styling? Cargo room? Good, better, best. The A7 goes about its job flawlessly and without being clinical -- it handled superbly and was a blast to drive. the once-shocking design is on its way to becoming a classic... We will say this: The A7 had a quiet sort of perfection... that reserved competence "is probably a testament to just how good the A7 really is." Which is entirely true. It's frankly embarrassing to laud a car this much in print, but since we raved about the A7 to our family and friends -- "If I had the need and the means, it's the car I would buy" was a common refrain -- it's only right that we rave about it to you, too."
http://tinyurl.com/n4g4h62
http://tinyurl.com/oy5cbf4


And that's why the RS7 will be "A Steal Of A Deal" -- it's got excellent genes in its foundation, the A7.

Eyecarehawaii - 8/2/2013 6:37:16 PM

+2 Boost

$60,100 A7 (Base)
$66,150 A7 (Prestige)
$78,800 S7 (Prestige)
$105,00 RS7 (Prestige)

Nice car. Whether it's "a steal of a deal" or not depends on what you're willing to pay for this package.