Audi's lineup of hatchbacked sedans is being refreshed for 2016.
Having already driven the updated A7 and RS7, it's time for us to focus on the model those
cars bracket: the S7.
It receives cosmetic and mechanical updates that seem minor but go a long way toward making
a great car even better.
On the outside, the current model's boxy front fascia with its near-rectangular lower
air intakes has been replaced by a treatment that's just as sporty but more elegant.
The new LED head- and taillamps of the A7 and RS7 are here, too, while the S-trademark
quadruple exhaust pipes remain.
Under the hood, the S7's twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 has gone to the gym, muscling
up from 420 horsepower to a nice, fat 450.
Torque is unchanged, but 406 lb-ft should do the trick for just about anyone.
If the engine sounds familiar, that's because it spreads far and wide across the Audi lineup
(as well as Bentley), finding a home in the engine bay of the S6 and RS7, among other
models.
But it has a different, less rowdy character here than in the RS car.
The power is delivered forcefully, sure, but without the raucous bellow and rawness of
the RS7.
Its smooth and seamless character belies how quick this car is once you cane the thing,
and the S7 charges easily up to a governed 155-mph top speed.
The shifts from the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic are crisp and ultraquick.
It's the only member of the A7 family that has this transmission, in fact, as the lesser
cars utilize an eight-speed torque-converter automatic—a nod to buyers' preference
for smooth launches versus quick shifts.
The RS7 even has the same eight-speed 'box, as the dual-clutch unit can't deal with its
additional 110 lb-ft of twist.
Based on the modular-longitudinal MLB platform, the S7 has light and precise steering, and
the car as a whole feels much smaller than it is while cornering, thanks in large part
to the near-telepathic sports differential.
That piece aims to sharpen turn-in and mitigate the understeer inherent in a front-drive-based
platform—the S7 has Quattro all-wheel drive as standard—by routing torque back and forth
between the rear wheels as needed to maintain a chosen driving line.
The interior is one of the nicest in its class, and it has received the same upgrades as the
2016 A7 and RS7.
The instrument panel in front of the driver can now be specified as a big ol' TFT display
placed between the tachometer and speedometer, and the MMI infotainment and telematics system
has been updated to the latest version.
Other notable items include fancy new wood trim and a cozier working relationship between
the various driver-assistance systems.
Our test car was fitted with a curious carbon-fiber trim that incorporated red weave, a look that
was as sporty as it was an acquired taste.
We're not sure if that option will make it to the U.S., and we're not sure it matters.
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