Much less is extra, or so they are saying. However they don’t seem to be us. After sitting out a season, the inconspicuous Audi S7 returns to the roster rendered in sharper sheetmetal, overflowing with tech, and sporting two fewer cylinders. We take problem with that final bit. Hear, we like V-8s and the music their pistons mosh to. Once we first discovered of the downsized engine, it appeared like Audi was attempting to persuade us we would actually take pleasure in a Corridor & Oates live performance as an alternative of the Rage In opposition to the Machine banger we would come to count on. No, thanks.
The brand new twin-turbocharged and supercharged 2.9-liter V-6 replaces the fiery growl of the previous twin-turbo 4.0-liter with a far much less dramatic sound. Its 444-hp score is down six from the previous V-8’s, however peak torque swells by 37 lb-ft to 443. A 48-volt motor-generator smooths auto stop-start operation, whereas Audi’s 48-volt electrical supercharger rouses low-rpm throttle response. The electrical compressor—the Audi S6 and S7 are the primary fashions in america to characteristic the tech—is plumbed between the 2 turbos and the one air-to-liquid intercooler. The purpose is to get rid of lag, a basic byproduct of turbocharging. The little electrical supercharger idles at 5000 rpm and might rapidly spin as much as 70,000 rpm, producing significant enhance whereas the turbos are getting warmed as much as their most 21.5 psi of strain. As soon as the turbos are up to the mark, the liquid-cooled supercharger returns to idle.
The electrical elements do not enhance peak horsepower, however they do add to the general weight. Audi claims the electrical supercharger system weighs 22 kilos itself. Tipping the scales at 4640 kilos, the brand new S7 outbeefs its predecessor by 132 kilos. The eight-speed computerized’s shifts aren’t as snappy because the competitors’s, nor are they as crisp as these made by the seven-speed dual-clutch computerized it replaces, and it reveals. The S7 runs a 4.1-second 60-mph sprint and the quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds, 0.Three and 0.2 second slower, respectively, than the previous automotive. The Porsche Panamera 4S—a platform cousin of the S7—powered by the identical 2.9-liter sans {the electrical} bits will simply run previous the S7. Outfitted with Porsche’s magnificent dual-clutch eight-speed, the Panamera’s transmission has a really aggressive launch management that permits for a 4900-rpm clutch dump. Launch management, plus weighing 155 kilos much less helps the Panamera 4S rocket to 60 mph in simply 3.5 secondswith the quarter-mile flickering by in 12.Zero seconds. The S7’s standard torque-converter eight-speed solely revs as much as round 3000 when launch management is lively.
Although some persona and acceleration are misplaced, the gleeful driving dynamics stay. The experience high quality on the non-obligatory coil springs—a part of a $4350 S Sport ensemble—is on the firmer facet of the spectrum, and our automotive’s $1000 21-inch wheels do not put on sufficient sidewall to suppress sharp impacts. Simpler-riding air springs and 20-inchers are customary. The portly S7 is keen to hustle, although. The four-wheel steering coupled with the torque-vectoring rear differential of the S Sport package deal makes the S7 really feel like a rear-drive automotive although all 4 wheels are pushed. Robust and large two-piece 15.7-inch entrance rotors clamped by six-piston calipers erase velocity with sports-car-like safety. From 70 mph, the S7 stops in a brief 151 toes.
Inside, the S7 is handled to a wholesale refresh. Just like the Audi A7 that debuted final 12 months, the S7’s inside has a extra trendy really feel and premium supplies that stretch to all corners. The S7 is now packed stuffed with cleanly rendered digital shows, together with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The haptic controls and the menus of the infotainment and HVAC display take somewhat getting used to, however with somewhat familiarity, the features turn into intuitive. Regardless of having dual-pane facet glass in entrance, a whisper of wind rush penetrates the cabin at freeway speeds, however it is not sufficient to spoil the serenity of the cockpit.
The downsized powertrain does provide one huge profit: effectivity. The EPA says the brand new S7 will return 22 mpg in mixed driving, Four mpg higher than the earlier one. That should require some tippy-toe throttle purposes as a result of throughout 250 miles of regular driving we managed simply 16 mpg. Nonetheless, throughout our 75-mph freeway fuel-economy check we averaged 28 mpg, matching the EPAs score. Oh, and Audi hasn’t killed the V-8-powered luxo-hatch. The 591-hp RS7 simply requires a further $30Okay.
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