Top-tier RS 7 is a tech car in track-ready trim

The Audi RS 7 Quattro is one of those cars that tries to do it all. Not content to just be good at one thing or to be a jack of all trades, the RS 7 tries to be great at everything… and pulls it off. It’s possibly the most “total package” car that I’ll drive this year. Startlingly fast, quite comfortable, and extremely high tech, they don’t come much more “CNET-style” than this.

Power and performance The most powerful of the A7 chassis, the RS is powered by a 4.0-liter V-8 engine that is stated at 560 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That torque is sent through an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission on its way to the Audi Quattro system and all four 20-inch RS Design wheels. In this configuration, Audi’s all-wheel drive system splits power 40/60 between the front and rear axles, respectively. This slight rear-bias, along with the torque-vectoring rear Sport Differential, contribute to the sporty RS 7’s sporty driving characteristics.

The 560 horsepower RS 7 has as much power and torque as a Porsche 911 Turbo S.

(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)

Twin turbochargers force feed air into the V-8’s cylinders, which is then mixed with direct injected premium gasoline and combusted to create gobs of power. When all of that capacity isn’t required, such as when cruising along, the engine takes advantage of cylinder deactivation tech, shutting down one of its cylinder banks and dro… [Read more]