Audi RS7 Sportback 4.0 TFSI V8 Performance, 605hp (Automático)

The Audi A7 Sportback was born in 2010 with a clear idea: the size and comfort of an executive sedan, the low look of a coupé and the practicality of a large tailgate that opens together with the rear window. On that base, Audi created two performance versions: the S7, balancing comfort and speed, and the RS7, the most extreme version, developed by the Audi Sport division.

The S7 arrived in 2012 and the RS7 in 2013. Across two generations (C7 and C8), the two models used twin-turbo V8s, gasoline V6s and even a V6 diesel with an electric compressor, until the A7 line ended with the arrival of the new A6 in 2025. The RS7 survived a little longer in some markets as the last member of the family.

Below, we cover each generation and facelift, the engines, the special editions and the story of both models in Brazil.

The Base: Audi A7 C7

The first-generation A7 Sportback (internal code C7, or Typ 4G) was introduced in 2010. It used the MLB platform, shared with the A6 of the time, and was built in Neckarsulm, Germany. The body had five doors, with the tailgate carrying the rear glass, and the 535-liter trunk grew to around 1,390 liters with the seats folded.

Audi S7 C7 (2012–2014)

The S7 was revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, alongside the S6 and S8, and deliveries began in spring 2012.

• Engine: 4.0 TFSI twin-turbo V8, with both turbos placed inside the "V" of the engine, which shortens the air path and sharpens response.
• Power and torque: 420 PS (414 hp) and 550 Nm, available from 1,400 rpm.
• Cylinder on demand (COD): Under light load, the engine shuts down four of its eight cylinders to save fuel, running as a "V4". The switch is practically unnoticeable.
• Gearbox and drive: 7-speed S tronic (dual-clutch) and quattro all-wheel drive.
• Performance: 0–100 km/h in 4.7 seconds and a top speed limited to 250 km/h (155 mph).

Audi RS7 C7 (2013–2014)

The RS7 debuted at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2013 and reached European showrooms in August of that year. It was the first RS model based on the A7 and served as the "coupé" version of the RS6 Avant wagon, sharing all of its mechanicals.

• Engine: The same 4.0 TFSI twin-turbo V8, but with higher boost: 560 PS and 700 Nm (552 hp in the US). It also featured cylinder deactivation.
• Gearbox: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic (torque converter) instead of the S7's S tronic, as it handled the higher torque better.
• Performance: 0–100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Top speed was 250 km/h, rising to 280 km/h or 305 km/h (174 or 190 mph) with optional packages.
• Interior: Four seats only, with RS sport seats and exclusive trim.

C7 Facelift (2014–2018)

In mid-2014, the whole A7 range received a subtle update, with redesigned bumpers and taillights and optional Matrix LED headlights, which automatically adjust the beam to avoid dazzling other drivers.

• S7: From August 2014, the 4.0 TFSI V8 rose to 450 PS (444 hp), with torque unchanged at 550 Nm. The 0–100 km/h time dropped to 4.6 seconds.
• RS7: Kept 560 PS, but certified fuel consumption fell from 9.8 to 9.5 liters per 100 km. It gained new colors and wheels up to 21 inches.

RS7 Sportback performance (2015–2018)

Announced in October 2015 alongside the RS6 Avant performance, it was the most powerful version of the first generation.

• Power: 605 PS, 45 PS more than the regular RS7.
• Torque: 700 Nm, rising to 750 Nm for a few seconds with the overboost function.
• Performance: 0–100 km/h in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of up to 305 km/h with the optional package.
• Styling: Unique exterior details and distinctive interior trim.

The first-generation RS7 ended production in early 2018, making way for the C8 generation.

The new A7 (C8, or Typ 4K8) was revealed in late 2017 on the MLB Evo platform. Every version gained a mild-hybrid system, with a belt-driven starter-generator and a small battery. It recovers energy under braking, allows the engine to shut off while coasting and makes the start-stop system smoother. The interior debuted the dual-touchscreen dashboard and the digital Virtual Cockpit.

Audi S7 C8: Diesel in Europe, Gasoline Elsewhere

The second-generation S7 brought the biggest change in the model's history: the end of the V8. Audi began offering different engines depending on the market.

• Europe – S7 TDI (2019–2025): 3.0 TDI V6 diesel with a 48-volt mild hybrid and an electric compressor (EPC), which forces air into the engine before the turbo spools up, eliminating lag. It initially made 349 PS, dropping to 344 PS from late 2020 under new emissions rules. Torque was 700 Nm and 0–100 km/h took 5.1 seconds.
• US, Asia and Middle East – S7 TFSI (2019–2025): 2.9 TFSI twin-turbo V6 gasoline engine with 444 hp (450 PS) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft), 50 Nm more than the old V8. 0–60 mph took 4.5 seconds.
• Gearbox: Both versions used an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic and quattro all-wheel drive.

Audi RS7 C8 (2019–2025)

The new RS7 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2019. Unlike the first generation, its body was much further removed from the regular A7, with flared fenders, unique headlights and a frameless honeycomb grille.

• Engine: 4.0 TFSI twin-turbo V8, now with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and cylinder deactivation.
• Power and torque: 600 PS and 800 Nm (591 hp and 590 lb-ft in the US).
• Performance: 0–100 km/h in 3.6 seconds. The 250 km/h top speed could rise to 280 km/h or 305 km/h with the Dynamic and Dynamic Plus packages.
• Chassis: Air suspension (or the optional DRC system, with interconnected dampers), plus features such as rear-wheel steering, a sport rear differential and ceramic brakes, depending on market and chosen packages.
• Seating: It became available with five seats.

RS7 Sportback performance (2022–2025)

Launched in late 2022, the RS7 performance became the top of the range.

• Engine changes: Larger turbochargers, more boost and revised engine and transmission software.
• Power and torque: 630 PS (621 hp in the US) and 850 Nm (627 lb-ft).
• Performance: 0–100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 280 km/h as standard, or 305 km/h with the optional package.

C8 Facelift (2023–2025)

In mid-2023, the A7 range received a subtle facelift, with changes to the grille, bumpers and light signatures, plus infotainment and equipment-package updates. The S7 and RS7 mechanicals were unchanged, and the RS7 performance remained the flagship.

RS7 Sportback performance C7 (2015)

Not a limited edition, but a more powerful regular-production version (605 PS) with exclusive trim. It is the strongest version of the first generation.

RS7 Exclusive Edition (2022 – US)

• Production: Just 23 units, all for the United States.
• Styling: Exclusive Mamba Black pearl paint with blue undertones, carbon-fiber exterior details, blacked-out badges and 22-inch wheels.
• Equipment: Virtually every factory option, including ceramic brakes with blue calipers and a black leather interior with Sepang Blue stitching.
• Mechanicals: Same as the regular RS7, with 591 hp.
• Price: $166,495.

S7 Nardo Sport Edition (2025 – US)

In the S7's final year in the US market, Audi released an edition with Nardo Gray paint and sporty details, with no mechanical changes.

Production Numbers

Audi does not disclose total production figures for the S7 and RS7. The only known official numbers are for limited editions, such as the 23 units of the RS7 Exclusive Edition. As a volume reference, the entire A7 family (A7, S7 and RS7) sold 1,574 units in the US in 2024, a low figure that weighed on the decision to end the line.

The End of the A7 Line

• Strategy shift: In 2023, Audi planned to use even numbers for EVs and odd numbers for combustion cars, so the next combustion A6 would have been called A7. In February 2025, the brand dropped the idea: the new A6 kept its name and also took over the A7's role.
• A7 and S7: Discontinued in 2025 with no direct successor. In the US, there was no 2026 model year.
• RS7: In Europe, production ended in 2025. In the US, the RS7 performance stayed on sale as a 2026 model and was the last member of the A7 family on the market, with no successor announced.

S7 Sportback C7 (2012)

• Launch: Arrived in 2012 with the 420 PS 4.0 TFSI V8.
• Price: Around R$ 500,000.
• Volume: A niche car: Audi itself expected to sell only 15 units a year.

RS7 Sportback C7 (2014–2018)

• Launch: June 2014, priced at R$ 589,360. At the time, it was Audi's second most expensive car in the country.
• 2015 model year: Presented during the celebrations of 20 years of the RS line in Brazil, already with the facelift and priced at R$ 624,990.
• RS7 performance: Shown at the São Paulo Motor Show in November 2016, with 605 PS and priced at R$ 728,990. Sales began in 2017.

RS7 Sportback C8 (2021–2025)

• Pre-sales: Opened in July 2020, together with the RS6 Avant, RS Q3, RS Q3 Sportback and RS Q8.
• Arrival: The first units arrived in early 2021, with the 600 PS, 800 Nm V8.

We found no record of the second-generation S7 being officially sold in Brazil.

Table: Audi S7

Table: Audi RS7

The S7 and RS7 proved that a large, comfortable car with room for a family could have the look of a coupé and the performance of a sports car. The RS7 in particular went from 560 PS in 2013 to 630 PS in the RS7 performance, always with the 4.0 twin-turbo V8, and over time gained technologies such as mild-hybrid assistance and rear-wheel steering.

The S7 took a different path: it swapped the V8 for V6 engines, including a diesel with an electric compressor in Europe, reflecting the push for efficiency. In the end, falling sedan sales and Audi's naming reshuffle brought the A7 line to a close, and the RS7 bowed out as the family's last representative.

In Brazil, both models were always rare and expensive, but the RS7 left its mark as one of Audi's most desired performance cars in the country, offered in three versions across two generations.