Audi’s stylish RS7 TFSI focuses on performance without sacrificing economy

Audi has revealed details of its revised RS7 Sportback sedan, that will retail in Germany later this year for around US$154 000.

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The Ingolstadt-based marque has recently given its A7 range a nip and tuck – a move that has has gradually filtered its way onto the company’s performance model. The now-prettier RS7 sports new LED headlights and an infotainment system powered by chip manufacturer Nvidia.

Under the car’s glinting red bonnet, the 4.0 V8 bi-turbo TFSI engine is both powerful and efficient, producing 560 horsepower while coughing up a mere 221 grams of CO2/km. Peak torque of 700 N.m. is available from as low as 1 750 RPM through to 5 500 RPM, making the car extremely drivable. Audi claims that the engine will propel the car to 100km/h from standstill in under 4 seconds, while top speed is a dizzying 305km/h with the dynamics packages installed. Managing all the grunt is an 8-speed tiptronic gearbox, while the marque’s Quattro all-wheel drive system permanently powers all four 20″ alloy wheels.

A combined fuel consumption figure of 9.5 L/100km means that performance won’t necessarily see the driver spend more time at the pumps than on the twisties. This is thanks mainly to the TFSI’s brilliant “cylinder on demand” system, that intelligently shuts down four cylinders when all the power is not needed, allowing drivers to trudge along on four cylinders in traffic, or while cruising.

Audi have recently unveiled a diesel RS5 TDI concept that uses two turbochargers and a supercharger, showcasing the marque’s future engine innovations. For now, the petrol-based 4.0 TFSI shows that future cars may still have loads of performance on tap without completely killing the planet.

The car will be available initially to a European audience by the 3rd quarter of 2014. However, there’s no word on when the model will make it to international shores.