Audi S7 - spell broken?

Audi S7. Emotional anticipation of the absurdly powerful and fast RS7. It used to be like this. Is it still like this? With a diesel? I dont know…

“Wow, look at those breaths! And on the speedometer 300 km / h! This is more or less the reaction of most of us, infected with cars in our youth, when we see one of the sports cars on the street. After all, they were rare, excited the imagination when the car was in the parking lot. Some were more flashy, but others, like the Audi S family, were rather reserved, showing their power through details such as a different grille or a distinctive exhaust system.

Just today, standing by new audi c7, our childlike enthusiasm would be wiped off the face of the earth. How about diesel? What's up with the four fake plastic pipes?

Audi gave us toys and now cruelly tears them out of our hands?

Do you like beautiful things? Do you like the Audi S7?

There are people among us who like to spend more on things with better designs. Through such diligence in choosing the elements of their daily lives, they can feel better and be perceived differently by the environment.

Probably for such and created A7 - a car with an unusual shape, which, despite many years since the premiere, still looks great. And it turns out that there are quite a few people who are more concerned about the appearance - after all, the Audi A6 is actually under that shape. Although not completely, but more on that later.

However, if we were to evaluate new Audi A7 in terms of appearance, it must be admitted that Audi still did a great job. The form is almost the same, but new details make it even more modern, even more dynamic. Especially on big 21-inch wheels and with a centimeter lower suspension. Audi S7.

Only when we look at it this way S7we begin to doubt. The four round tailpipes are Audi's hallmark of the S line, but they're not real here. There is the word "TDI" on the tailgate.

However, in such "design" things it is about the details. And details such as pipes that even half a finger won't fit into can make the car as a whole look less like us. I'm not a fan of that rear light bar either, but when it comes to front presence, it's insane!

Is this an Audi A6?

When we got into the predecessor, we felt like we were in an A6 with a lowered roofline. The materials are the same, the multimedia system with a retractable screen is also the same, except that the driver's seat has become a little lower.

W new audi c7 he has not changed - he is still inside A6only the current generation. What does this mean for us? Screens, screens everywhere. Screen instead of clock. Instead of an air conditioner panel, a screen. Instead of a multimedia system screen ... a bigger screen!

The controls here are quite intuitive, while maintaining the minimalist character of the interior. But just as in our youth we could enjoy looking out the window of a high-speed counter, here we will not see anything. You turn off the car, the interior disappears.

In the area of ​​​​the bottom panel, which is used to control the air conditioning and change driving modes, the tested Audi S7 has an aluminum strip, on which there are several physical buttons. Pretty? This is an option, 1730 PLN.

And so we can move on to complaining about what we have to pay extra for. Audi S7 for PLN 411 thousand. This is, for example, a black roof lining, which could be standard, but no - PLN 1840, please. If you want alcantara it's PLN 11. Or maybe a color-matched Alcantara roof lining Audi exclusive? Almost 24 thousand PLN - but with an exclusive, it's not surprising.

Options from the Audi Exclusive package can significantly increase the prestige of this salon. The full leather package for PLN 8 covers the top of the dashboard, door panel, armrests and center console. We can also order a leather airbag cover for PLN. I would spend the money without a second thought - but wasn't it enough to calculate the prices differently and pass them off as standard?

Maybe it's also a matter of customer preferences - there is a similar equipment made of eco-leather. Contrary to appearances, this makes sense, as more and more buyers are consciously refusing genuine leather due to their own beliefs.

So we can beautifully furnish the salon to feel this "premium", but will we feel it? Audi S7? To be honest, not really. There are few "S" stamps, but with the appropriate allowances, they would appear even on the basic ones. Audi A7. Previously, there were analog clocks with a gray background - today you can forget about such details.

When it comes to interior space or comfort, this is what a car of this class should have. Comfortable and quiet. Surprisingly, despite the sloping roofline, an adult can also travel comfortably from behind. Note - The Audi S7 is a four-seater.

Thus, these four people have 525 liters in the trunk. After folding the sofa, two people could use 1380 liters. This is in both cases 10 liters less than its predecessor. Who would argue about a difference of 1% ...

Diesel engine in the Audi S7

4-liter V8 with 450 hp Audi S7. In Europe, S7 powered by a 3-liter V6 diesel engine with 349 hp. It boasts a maximum torque of as much as 700 Nm, but in a rather narrow range - from 2500 to 3100 rpm. It accelerates from 100 to 5,1 km/h in 250 seconds and reaches a maximum of XNUMX km/h, which is probably due to the electronic lock.

Outside of Europe, in S7 we can also find the engine from the Audi RS5, which is a live V6 petrol with 450 hp. So why are we marginalized? What means Audi?

Nothing but adaptation to the situation. It is no secret that the dream of Europe (although not all Europeans) is to switch to an electric drive. It is generally accepted that this transformation should reduce CO2 emissions from road transport to zero.

Everyone knows how big investments are required to change the production process. Such technological advancement will not happen overnight. The European Union, however, is "motivating" car manufacturers to cut carbon emissions more and more. Other markets are not yet so restrictive.

It's just that diesel has always been called extremely unecological. They "poison", "stink" and "it is impossible to live with them in cities". So why didn't Audi just offer petrol?

For a simple reason. It is diesels that are so technologically advanced that in the latest, independent tests, they are able to emit a minimum amount of CO2 or even not emit at all - under certain test conditions. And we're not talking about the diesel engine scams anymore - the penalties were so severe for every participant that the last thing they'll think about right now is the risk of more fines.

Diesel is not so terrible from the point of view of ecology. This is different in terms of driving a sports car. Yes, I know, Audi LeMan won with a diesel, but this is a specific type of race. A sports car on the road is supposed to be fun to drive, and that fun also comes from the sound of the engine and the way it delivers power.

A new audi c7 sounds good, but artificial, because the generator at the end of the exhaust is responsible for the sound. It can be disabled and then the V6 TDI continues to defend itself. When it comes to driving, everything is the same. You can feel the rigid, compact design and very different steering or suspension characteristics than the A6. I drove a previous Audi A7 with 300bhp petrol about 4 years ago but as far as I remember the difference between A6 and A7 was bigger. Now I messed up somewhere.

However, this does not change the fact that driving is very pleasant. Especially over long distances, because this has always been the area Audi S7. You can feel its maturity, it's not an overly stiff car, but the stability with which it enters corners is impressive. In addition, most of the torque now goes to the rear axle (40:60), so understeer is minimal.

So what's our problem with Audi S7? After all, it’s not about the fact that as a car for quickly overcoming long distances, it’s even better for him - fuel consumption is less (even 7-8 l / 100 km) and the cruising range is greater. I think problem number one Competition Audi A7 3.0 TDI from the previous generation. He developed 326 hp. and 650 Nm. The performance is exactly the same as what we now call Audi S7.

Audi S7 - what is it all about? 

Fans of the brand - and sports cars in general - have one insurmountable problem. What is the Audi A7 now called with a more powerful diesel Audi S7. Although earlier we had an almost identical analogue, which was still called A7. S7 in name it probably allows for a slightly higher price. The 50 TDI version is not much slower (5,7 seconds to 100 km/h) and costs almost PLN 100 less.

Audi S7 this is a very good car, only, unfortunately, named. On the other hand, with the “S” version, you are sure that when you meet other sevens of A, you will be one level higher.

For some this is enough. Of course, all those who choose one and not the other Audi S7will be satisfied.

Others will probably be able to build another 100 7 before the new Audi RS comes out. So if you are looking for a truly sporty experience, I would wait.