It's a clever trick that alleviates much of the RS7's inherent bias towards understeer. If you push the RS7 hard enough, the sport differential can send up to 85% of the power to the rear wheels and up to 100% of that power to either the left or right wheel, inducing a bit of oversteer.
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While the new RS7 doesn't completely alleviate this issue, the quattro system, sport rear differential, and dynamic all-wheel steering system combine to provide a much more balanced driving experience. Audi vehicles are notorious for understeer due to the placement of the engine ahead of the front axle. Fortunately for Audi, most people don't live on race tracks, and the RS7 is by far the most comfortable of this bunch. But, if we're being honest, options like the BMW M8 Gran Coupe, Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S, and Porsche Panamera are more thrilling to drive at the limit and would be our choice for a romp around a race track. The RS7 excels as a highway missile and performs adequately as a backroad barnstormer. Overall, this is one phenomenal package that blends aggression and insane performance with civility that allows you to enjoy long-distance road trips. Leaving the gearbox in sport mode is fine too and you won't find upshifts coming too soon or too late, and the same is true when you're going back down the gears while decelerating. If you prefer to use the steering-mounted paddles to change gears manually, you still get smooth transitions from one cog to the next, but at just the moment that you choose with no delays to frustrate you. Fortunately, it can do the relaxed cruising thing too, and the gearbox will shift quietly and smoothly when left to its own devices. In-gear acceleration is phenomenal, with the engine showing few signs of turbo lag or lethargy, regardless of what gear you're in. You can hear a low growl coming from the V8, but it's less barky than rivals from BMW and Mercedes. The car quite literally does a squat during launch control, plunging the rear end down while lifting the front towards the sky. There's a launch control system too, for even more extreme starts that are guaranteed to shock all occupants. Put your right foot to the floor with too much enthusiasm and you'll get whiplash from how quickly this car accelerates. Combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission, acceleration in the RS7 is both strong and smooth. A 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, the motor is assisted by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and produces a total of 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The standard engine is the only one available, but it's a pretty special one. Each of those rivals has something special that sets it apart, so is the Audi capable of convincing buyers to look towards Ingolstadt for their fast four-door fix? More importantly, is the cheaper RS6 the real threat to the RS7's potential sales success? We spent a week with the 2021 Audi RS7 Sportback to find out. The Porsche Panamera Turbo and Mercedes-AMG GT63 S are just as impressive when it comes to insane acceleration, and both offer tons of tech. However, the RS7 is not without competition. Combined with Sportback practicality and drop-dead gorgeous looks, the RS7 is a difficult combination to outdo. Producing 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, this is a luxury performance fastback that few can keep up with. Nevertheless, with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood that is shared with the more aggressive-looking RS6 Avant, the wait has been worthwhile. It was supposed to be here as a 2020 model, but the pandemic delayed it.
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We've had to wait a while to conduct our review, but the 2021 Audi RS7 Sportback has finally arrived on US shores, and it's something special.