Petrol-powered Audi S7 touches down

Confirmed for local market availability just over twelve months ago, Audi, in preparation for the debut of the RS7 next year, have announced pricing for the step-down S7 that slots-in above the ‘standard’ A7 Sportback 55 TFSI.

Compared to the S line equipped version of its sibling, the S7 receives not only a model specific S exterior, but also standard 21-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels, a dark chrome matte diffuser, an aluminium/dark chrome finish for the Singleframe grille with its titanium honeycomb pattern, a lower gloss black front airdam and chrome quad exhaust outlets.

Inside, S specific readouts and graphics feature within the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit Display, with illuminated S badged aluminium door sills, alloy pedals, Valcona leather or Alcantara S sport seats and an S sports steering wheel rounding the changes off. Aside from the standard 10.1-inch MMI Navigation Plus infotainment system, the 8.6-inch display for the quad-zone climate control, 30 colour ambient lighting system, panoramic glass sunroof and 3D Bang & Olufsen sound system, the S7 can be specified with either carbon, fine grain ash or alloy inserts in addition to three colours for the stitch work; black, Rotor Grey or Arras Red.

Sitting 10 mm closer to the ground than the A7 as a result of the S sport suspension, the S7’s dynamic tweaks include a retuned electro-mechanical power steering system, optional adaptive air suspension and the sport rear differential, the Audi Drive Select system with five modes; Efficiency, Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual, optional all-wheel steering and upgraded brakes utilising a six-piston caliper setup at the front with the discs measuring 400 mm and those at the rear 350 mm. Optional though are the carbon ceramic stoppers which weigh nine kilograms less than the conventional steel brakes, and measure 370 mm at the rear with the fronts remaining unchanged at 400 mm.

Underneath the bonnet, and in a departure from the European-spec S7, Audi has ditched the 257kW/700Nm mild-hybrid 3.0 TDI V6 engine for the 2.9 TFSI V6 that still comes with mild-hybrid assistance, but which produces 331kW/600Nm with as much as eight kilowatts being recoverable by the 48-volt battery. The same engine found in the S6, the bent-six is matched to an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox with Audi claiming a limited top speed of 250 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. As per usual, drive is send to all four corners via the Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Now available, the S7 Sportback carries a sticker price of R1 500 500 before options and comes standard with a five year/100 000 km Audi Freeway maintenance plan.

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