As we guessed in our preview, Audi has used the Detroit Auto Show to unveil the 560hp RS 7 Sportback and instantly stolen some of the BMW M6 Gran Coupé's thunder. Cynical maybe, but a 305km/h, bi-turbo V8 five-door coupé is not to be sniffed at.
Exterior
While the S7 Sportback could be criticised for looking too similar to the regular Audi A7, that is not something that could be said of the RS model thanks to blistered arches, distinctive bumpers and a high-gloss black honeycomb grille. Just in case you miss the boot badging or the power extending spoiler, the large exhaust pipes that poke out from under the rear diffuser should give the game away.
Two styling packages - matt aluminium and carbon - further customise the appearance. The front centre air inlet also sports 'quattro' lettering. With the carbon styling package, the front splitter and the diffuser are somewhat more boldly shaped. Other options include exterior mirrors with exposed carbon housings and tinted LED headlights.
Interior
The usual RS accoutrements of aluminium and piano black are present and correct and are joined, for the first time, by a new shift light in the Driver Information System. Green segments are illuminated as revs increase with the bar turning red and beginning to blink the closer to the red line you get.
As the range topper of the A7 line-up the RS 7 will feature a generous list of standard equipment, with an even longer list of optional extras that includes driver assistance, entertainment and information systems, including adaptive cruise control, night vision, the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System with 15 speakers and 1,200 watts of total power and mobile phone preparation.
Mechanicals
The new performance coupé shares its 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine with the recently announced RS 6 Avant. With 560hp and 700Nm of torque on tap the RS 7 is catapulted to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds from standstill. Like most German über-machines the RS 7 is electronically limited to 250km/h, although, if you regularly use the Autobahn (of have your own personal race track) this can be removed - allowing the fast Audi to sail to 305km/h.
Adaptive air suspension, with RS-specific settings, is fitted as standard though customers can opt for sports suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC).
Thanks to Cylinder On Demand (COD) technology the RS 7 is said to be capable of returning 28.9mpg on the combined cycle.
Anything else?
The Audi RS 7 Sportback will be available to order in the summer of 2013. Deliveries are scheduled to commence towards the end of the year, perfectly timed to truly test the RS 7's quattro four-wheel drive.