Audi RS7 India review, test drive

As ever, leaving the engine, gearbox, suspension and steering in their most comfortable settings is the best recipe for city use. However, when you do want to drive quickly, you should use the car’s customisable ‘Individual’ setting and leave the steering and suspension in Comfort mode, even if you do turn all the rest up to Sport or Dynamic. The suspension in Dynamic mode makes the car too fidgety and jiggly for any situation, save perhaps a track, and you feel every last crack on the tarmac. The Comfort setting strikes a good balance between stiffness and comfort, and considering this car runs on 21-inch wheels and 275/30 R21 tyres, the ride in this mode is just superb; firm, but with a nice soft edge. Sure, big, sharp-edged bumps will catch it out, but that is to be expected on tyres that have such a low profile; choosing the standard 275/35 R20 wheel and tyre combination might help. Overall though, for a performance car, the ride is really something special, and easily the best in this segment.

Also worthy of commendation is the refinement. Considering the size of those wheels and tyres, hardly any road noise comes into the cabin. Even the engine, provided it isn’t in Sport mode and you aren’t wringing its neck, remains reasonably subdued, and it’s only when you venture near the RS7’s top speed that you might get a hint of wind whistle through the frameless windows.

Though the steering can be set to Dynamic as well, all that does is add more weight to it. The RS7's steering is inherently numb and doesn't offer a lot of feedback, and because of this, you might as well leave it in Comfort, which is the lightest of the settings. Around corners, the RS7 has an abundance of grip, thanks to the Quattro system, and body roll is contained admirably as well. There’s so much torque at all revs that it’s actually tricky to modulate through corners, and you have to be measured with your throttle inputs. Ultimately, however, with 552bhp and 71.3kgm so easily accessible, you’ll be thankful for the handling safety net that the AWD offers.

At a price of Rs 1.27 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the Audi RS7, it’s difficult not to make a comparison with our other favourite super-sedan, the similarly priced Mercedes E 63 AMG, but we’ll save that for another time. As it stands, however, the RS7 is a hugely capable, very stylish and truly luxurious four-door coupé that will blow you away with its performance, but also surprise you with its comfort and refinement. And though the price is a bit steep, it more than has the performance to match.

Gavin D'Souza