The RS7 takes that pretty base of the A7 and packs it off to an extreme boot camp. With an even crisper body kit, more aggressive wheels, and of course a burly twin-turbo V8, the +R2.2m Sportback will still cosset just as neatly as an A7 can, but now you get 441kW of power and 800Nm of torque to play with. 0-100 km/h arrives in 3.6 seconds, the 4.0-liter engine keeping things going to a top speed of 250 km/h.

Even among Audi’s handsome line-up, the RS7 stands out. My Navarra Blue Metallic review car was one surreptitious shade, though the sport exhaust’s burble turned heads even before the mystic blue paint job came into view. It’s wider and sharper in the detailing than the regular A7, trading some of the timeless elegance of that car’s curves and strakes in favour of aggressively gaping grilles and vents.

The optional Black Optic package throws on black exterior trim and gets you the glorious 22-inch V-spoke matte titanium wheels. 21-inchers are standard and would probably help smooth out some of the rumbles over lesser asphalt, though with its standard RS-tuned adaptive air suspension in Comfort mode it’s surprisingly compliant.

Though you could cruise around like that, better to switch to Dynamic mode where the RS7 has the goods to back up its looks. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard, as is a sport rear differential and electromechanical progressive steering. You also get four-wheel steering. The combination of raw power and tech means it’s exceedingly easy to make the RS7 go very, very fast.

Some recent S-badged Audi models have been dinged by virtue of being a little too restrained in their sportiness. The RS7 makes no such stumbles. Wet roads, snow, slush, tight turns or lengthy straights, nothing seems to make a difference to how willing the Sportback is when it comes to throwing itself forward and gripping until it’s your nerves, not the adhesion, that gives.

The 3.6 seconds to hundred sounds, frankly, conservative: the RS7 snarling through its achingly rapid 8-speed Tiptronic transmission. But don’t go thinking this blue mule is a one-trick pony for the straight line: the addition of rear-wheel steering and that trick differential swings the power around predictably and potently. It’s a sweet balance of the reassurance of Quattro and the purist pleasure of rear-wheel drive.

I didn’t have the carbon brakes and I can’t say I felt I needed them. The standard steel versions – comprising ventilated 16.5-inch front discs and 14.6-inch rear discs – don’t lack in bite. As for the 48v mild hybrid system, it’s more there to smooth out the stop/start system and keep the electronics running. As a result, thirst can be an issue.

Inside, the A7’s cabin gets a makeover to leave it feeling suitably special. The core niceties remain: a dual touchscreen infotainment system, with Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium sound, four-zone climate control, power sunroof, and Sirius XM. Audi’s MMI keeps getting refinements: it’s clean and crisp, easy to navigate, and the lower display keeps things like HVAC controls available persistently even if you’re projecting Apple CarPlay or Android Auto up top. Dedicated buttons for the drive modes are joined by an RS button on the wheel, which you can configure to your choice of settings for one-touch access.

An optional package extends the leather and adds heated rear seats, power soft-closing doors, and a head-up display. There’s a surprising amount of space in the rear, too, even for taller folks of my height, while the cargo space is almost the same as you get in an Q5 SUV.

In fact the only frustration, really, is that the Driver Assistance Package is another option. That adds adaptive cruise control with lane-assistance, upgrades the active safety tech to include Audi side assist, rear cross traffic, and pre-sense rear, plus intersection assistance. I can’t help but feel like it should come standard, as the parking sensors, 360 camera, forward collision warning and assistance, and lane departure warnings do.

What drives the RS7 Sportback’s charm is the absence of compromise. Need a luxury ride? Switch to Comfort and waft along. Want to make the most of driver-friendly roads? Hit the RS button on the wheel and get ready for some fun. Need to stock up on a month’s groceries in one go? That big boot is surprisingly capacious.

For me, that adds up to a worthy candidate for the one-car-dream-garage crown. Indeed if there’s a competitor, it may very well be coming from inside the house. The 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT quattro.

Perhaps, then, the EV is the future. For now, though, the 2021 RS7 Sportback is the sports car of choice for all seasons.

The Audi RS7 Sportback was shot at Times Square.

The 2021 A7 takes that pretty base we’ve seen in yesteryear’s model and packs it off to Marine bootcamp. With an even crisper S-line exterior kit, more aggressive wheels, and of course the 3,0-litre V6 turbopetrol engine delivering 250kW of power and 500Nm of torque to play with. 0-100 km/h arriving in 6 seconds.

Even among Audi’s handsome line-up, the A7 stands out. My Daytona Grey review car was hardly a surreptitious shade. It’s sharper in the detailing than the outgoing A7, trading some of the timeless elegance of that car’s curves and strakes in favour of slightly aggressive gaping grilles and vents.

Though you could cruise around like that, better to switch to Dynamic mode where the A7 has the goods to back up its looks. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard, as is a rear differential and electromechanical progressive steering. You also get four-wheel steering. The combination of raw power and tech means it’s exceedingly easy to make the A7 go fast.

The 6 seconds to a hundred sounds, frankly, conservative: the A7 snarling through its achingly rapid 8-speed Tiptronic transmission.

Inside, the A7’s cabin gets a makeover to leave it feeling suitably special: there’s a dual touchscreen infotainment system, with Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium sound, four-zone climate control and power sunroof. Audi’s MMI keeps getting refinements: it’s clean and crisp, easy to navigate, and the lower display keeps things like HVAC controls available persistently even if you’re projecting Apple CarPlay or Android Auto up top. Dedicated buttons for the drive modes are found on the wheel, which you can configure to your choice of settings for one-touch access.

There’s a surprising amount of space in the rear, too, even for taller folks, while the cargo space is almost the same as you get in an Q5 SUV.

In fact the only frustration, really, is that the Driver Assistance Package is an option. An option which adds adaptive cruise control with lane-assistance, upgrades the active safety tech to include Audi side assist, rear cross traffic, and pre-sense rear, plus intersection assistance. I can’t help but feel like it should come standard, as the parking sensors, 360 camera, forward collision warning and assistance, and lane departure warnings do.

What drives the A7 Sportback’s charm is the absence of compromise. Need a luxury ride? Leave it on Comfort and waft along. Want to make the most of driver-friendly roads? Hit it to Sport and get ready for some fun. Need to stock up on a month’s groceries in one go? That big boot is surprisingly spacious.

For me, that adds up to a worthy candidate for the one-car-dream-garage crown. Indeed if there’s a competitor, it may very well be coming from inside the house. The 2022 Audi e-tron GT quattro might be it.

Perhaps, then, the EV is the future. For now, though, the 2021 A7 Sportback is the sports car of choice for all seasons.

In Audi speak, S denotes mid-level performance models. The S6 is sportier than the Audi A6 it’s based on, but not as extreme as the range-topping RS models. The 2020 S6 uses a mild-hybrid power train built around a 2.9-liter V6 engine. The V6 has a conventional, exhaust-driven turbocharger, as well as an electric compressor. Spun by an electric motor, the electric compressor can develop boost very quickly, eliminating the dreaded lag in throttle response associated with conventional turbochargers. Audi claims the electric compressor’s response time is under 250 milliseconds.

The Mzansi-spec S6 develops 331 kW and 600 Nm of torque, and that quick-responding electric compressor should help deliver that power without any waiting.

The S6 is available with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with standard all-wheel drive. In regular driving, the all-wheel drive system sends 60 percent of power to the rear wheels, but it’s capable of sending up to 70 percent to the front wheels or 85 percent to the rear wheels, according to Audi. An optional sport rear differential can send power between the back wheels, which should improve handling. Other notable options include rear-wheel steering, sport exhaust, and a sport suspension system with adaptive dampers.

Like the A6 it’s based on, the S6 gets plenty of infotainment tech. It comes standard with the latest version of Audi’s MMI infotainment system, which uses dual screens (10.1-inch upper screen, 8.6-inch lower screen) to replace most analogue controls. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, along with the Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster, which can be reconfigured to show everything from a speedometer to Google Earth maps.

Visually, the S6 is distinguished from the A6 by a restyled front end, four round exhaust tips, model-specific 20-inch wheels, and other small changes. On the inside, the S6 gets a model-specific heated steering wheel, leather sport seats, and plenty of “S” badging, in case you forget what kind of car you’re driving.

The 2020 Audi S6 is priced at R 1,401,500 for the TFSI quattro tiptronic trim level. Audi will likely add an S7 with the same power train at some point after the S6 launches. The Audi S models compete with BMW M Performance and lower-level Mercedes-AMG models in the increasingly stratified world of luxury performance cars

Update

10 June 2020: Pricing

The changes to the Audi A6 and its Avant counterpart are subtle yet distinct. The changes emphasize the horizontal aspect of its design, like struts, coming in high-gloss black, that horizontally divide the lateral ventilation grilles. The side sills and rear bumper have taken on a more angular contour, complemented by the new diffuser at the back. All three models, the A6, A6 Avant, and A7, get new color options: matador red and Gotland green. Java has also been added to that list after previously being exclusive to the A6 allroad.

 
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Audi design refresh extends to other related models as well, including the S series. This line, in particularly, gets a new radiator grille with a matte black corpus. Gloss chrome accentuates many of the new S model’s parts, like the grille’s slats, the struts, and even chrome rings for those with optional adaptive cruise control. For the A6 allroad, the design changes serve to emphasize its offroad personality, with a new Soho brown finish and 20-inch wheels.

Audi’s changes aren’t skin deep only. Inside the new A6 and A7 Sportback, LEDs highlight the cabin and the luggage compartment. New inlays are also available in the form of Aluminum Ellipse silver and fine grain birch natural agate grey. Inside, Audi offers addons that keep driver and passengers informed and entertained. The martphone interface opens the door to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while inductive charging keeps smartphones powered wirelessly. Rear passengers also have access to two Audi tablets that can be used both inside the car and outside.

The refreshed Audi A6 and A7 family, including S and allroad models, will soon be available for order, with deliveries set to take place sometimes in Summer, for the US, which is around July/August for us. Despite the changes, Audi isn’t increasing the starting price for these sedans. Local reps had not replied to confirmation by the time of publishing.