Audi RS7 News

Audi confirms the 4.0-litre V8 engine which resides in its RS6 among other high-performance models in its line-up will live on beyond the current generation.

Audi's new RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback Performance twins will sit close to the top of the petrol-powered large performance car table, but neither will come cheap.

Audi Australia has confirmed pricing and full specification for the new-generation RS6 Avant wagon and RS7 Sportback liftback ahead of their combined launch on July 24

While sedans may be as unpopular as ever, that doesn't mean there aren't a few launching in Australia in 2020.

Audi Australia is preparing a torrent of new RS and less-potent S models to launch this year that is expected to give a massive boost to its sportscar sales.No less than 12 full-fat Audi Sport models - RS-badged vehicles and the flagship R8 - will either

Audi has ripped the covers off its all-new, second-generation RS7 Sportback performance sedan, ushering in new levels of performance ahead of a public debut at the Frankfurt motor show.

Propelling them into this sophisticated stoush is a refreshed V8 that is monstrous in its outputs yet relatively mild in its thirst and emissions.As they vie for supremacy over the dearer AMG and M division rivals, the pair also cosset occupants in the customary manner, tempt them with luxo-info-safety-performance add-ons and, further in Audi fashion, encourage them to option the beasts up to be different from and dearer than the neighbour in the country club car park.In Sportback and Avant alike, the engine bay gloats over the presence of the 412kW bent eight. For greater thermal efficiency, the twin turbos and outlets are within the vee while the intake plumbing is external.Cylinder-on-demand tech deactivates four of these in traffic and at other idle moments, not that there were many such times at the Phillip Island reveal this week.Fully kitted, each car could nudge $300,000Audi claims for each a 0-100km/h sprint in an astonishing 3.9 seconds yet mid-9L/100km fuel use and, thanks to Euro6 compliance, moderate contributions to greenhouse gases.Add all the fruit on the options list — the $12,000 Bang & Olufsen audio seems a steal — and you’ve got the price of a decent Lexus.Fully kitted, each car could nudge $300,000 but unadorned versions are still tasty in the $230K-$240K band.The RSs of course bristle with digital assistance and there’s sufficient infotainment gear to run your corporation from the front seat.The pair perform an exhaust-note opera as they hustle aroundThe phone contacts capacity doubles to 4000 so you can tell all your friends (and all your employees) how well you’re travelling.The peak RS pair represent, in Audi’s view, the last word in style (Sportback) and practicality (Avant). Include the S variants and R8 and the performance vehicles account for about one in six Audi sales, legging up the brand to outsell the German rivals year to date.Driven solely on the Island’s smooth blacktop, the pair perform an exhaust-note opera as they hustle around, the swoopy coupe slightly less at ease when cornering than the wagon, whose slightly wider track and haunches give it the stance of a staffordshire.As colleague Craig Duff found on the first drive of the RSs in Europe, the Avant might be the better prospect given its sticker reads $12,500 less than the sibling. TVAudi RS6 Avant, RS7 SportbackPrice from: $229,500, $242,000Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin turbo, 412kW/700NmTransmission: 8-speed auto; AWDThirst: 9.6L, 9.5L/100km, 223g, 221g/km CO2Top speed: 250km/h

It’s no secret that Australians buy a higher proportion of high-performance models like BMW’s M, Mercedes-Benz’s AMG and Chrysler and Jeep’s SRT models than most markets, and Audi is taking full advantage of this with its Audi Sport range of models. With an unprecedented seven RS models now available, the R8 supercar and S-badged versions of almost all of its models, the German brand saw a 172.2 per cent increase in local Audi Sport model sales during the 2013 financial year. This resulted in a total of 1121 units, and a shift from 3 to 7 percent of Audi’s record total local volume of 16,009 units.During this same period, BMW’s M models dropped 1 percent, and Mercedes’ AMG rose 34.3 per cent, and the total Audi Sport volume sits between BMW M’s 623 units and Mercedes AMG’s 1650 units.With the subsequent additions of the RS6 Avant, RS5 Cabriolet, S3 Sportback, RSQ3, RS7 Sportback and the upcoming S3 Sedan and S1 hatch, Audi could be a serious threat to AMG’s top-fiddle status.“We have a renewed focus on Audi Sport, and the central theme of this comes from the 30 years of quattro GmbH last year”  Audi’s Australian boss Andrew Doyle says.In addition to the new quattro GmbH-developed Audi Sport models and the brand’s ongoing motorsport activities, Australia has become the second market after the UK to adopt the ‘Audi Sport Sales Concept’, which will see dedicated Audi Sport-themed areas established in several Australian dealerships. These ‘shops within a showroom’ will feature décor based around the Audi Sport red rhombus motif, and showcase a range of merchandise, wheels and accessories.To ensure buyers of RS models appreciate the full breadth of their vehicle’s performance, each will now be invited to participate – free of charge - in the Audi Driver Experience program with driver trainer and ex-Top Gear Australia host Steve Pizzati.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | $59,000-$100,000LUXURY CARSAudi A8: Audi will refresh its A8 flagship sedan lineup by mid-2014, with subtle styling tweaks and interior details, along with shuffled drivetrain options. (Approximately $188,000-$249,000)Audi RS7 Sportback: Essentially a five-door hatch version of the existing RS6 Avant, the RS7 will arrive in February with sleeker Sportback styling than the wagon, and the same 412kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. 0-100km/h is the same 3.9 seconds too. (Approximately $240,000)Bentley Continental GT S: While Bentley prepares its first SUV model, there’s not much else in store for 2014 from the legendary Brit aside from powered-up new S models added to the V8 Continental GT lineup. (Approximately $380,000)Jaguar XJR: Jaguar will add the new XJR to its XJ big sedan lineup in the first quarter, with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 performance flagship to sit above the existing Supersport range-topper. (Approximately $350,000)Lexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli: 2014 is set to be a big year for Maserati, with the new Quattroporte (Approximately from $250,000) arriving in V6 form in January, and V8 form in February, with the return of the smaller Ghibli sedan ( Approximately from $150,000) in March.Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Mercedes will cap its local S-Class sedan lineup in January, with the arrival of the $385,000 S63 AMG high performance model. The 430kW/900Nm twin-turbo V8 S63 will sit above the existing S350 and S500 models, and be joined by the diesel-electric S350 BlueTec hybrid and twin-turbo V6 S400 variants by June. (Approximately $250,000-$385,000)Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe: Mercedes’ upcoming S-Class Coupe is expected down under before the year’s end, with the yet to be officially revealed new model replacing the existing CL coupe models. A drop-top version is also planned, and a V8 and V12 petrol-only lineup is expected with an entry price north of $300,000 likely.Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid: The plug-in Panamera E-Hybrid is also due early in the year, with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 and 70kW electric motor to enable 3.1L/100km fuel use with 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $296,900)SUV/4WDLand Rover Range Rover: Before mid-year, Land Rover will add a range-topping lineup (Approximately $250,000) with new hybrid versions of it and the Sport expected before the end of the year. (Approximately $102,000-$182,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAston Martin V12 Vantage S: Aston will add its fastest model this side of the ultra-exclusive One-77 in the first quarter of this year, in the form of the track-ready V12 Vantage S coupe. (Approximately $450,000)BMW M3 and M4: BMW’s new M3 and M4 mid-size performance heroes are set to arrive after mid-year, with the move to twin-turbo six power resulting in the fastest M3 to date, and matched by the renamed M4 coupe. (Approximately $124,000-$180,000)BMW i8: The i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is expected to arrive before the year’s end, blending grand tourer luxury with 4.4 second 0-100km/h acceleration and 2.5L/100km fuel economy. (Approximately $200,000)Ferrari 458 Speciale: The first of 60 Australian examples of Ferrari’s hardcore 458 Speciale are set to arrive before mid-year, with the lighter, more powerful track-focused special able to lap Fiorano 1.5 seconds faster than the old Enzo flagship. (Approximately $550,000)Jaguar F-Type Coupe: Jaguar will add the recently unveiled Coupe version of its stunning F-Type in the third quarter, with the 20kg lighter V6, V6 S and V8 S variants also expected to slightly undercut their soft-top counterparts on price. The Coupe-only F-Type R will sit at the top of the hardtop range, with the 404kW/680Nm spec V8 promising 0-100km/h acceleration in the order of 4.2 seconds. (Approximately $125,000-$200,000)Lamborghini Huracan: With the Gallardo now officially out of production, Lamborghini is keen to follow with its Huracan replacement to sit beneath the V12 Aventador models before June. The V10 Huracan is set to challenge Ferrari’s 458 with an uprated version of the Gallardo’s 5.2-litre V10 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. From $428,000Nissan GT-R: Nissan will bring its latest incarnation of the GT-R performance coupe down under from March, with cosmetic upgrades the key changes for 2014. New LED headlights and taillights are changed for the first time since 2007, and mesh wheels keep Nissan’s giant-killer a fresh opponent for Porsche’s new 911 Turbo models. (Approximately from $170,000)Porsche 911 Turbo and GT3: Porsche will launch several key hi-po versions of the 991 911 to its Australian lineup in the first half of 2014, with the $359,800 Turbo and $441,300 Turbo S arriving first in coupe and convertible ($29,000 premium) guises, with the $294,000 track-oriented and now PDK-only GT3 soon after.Porsche 911 Targa: The new semi-convertible unveiled in Detroit will touch down in Australia before mis-year, with a new folding roof mechanism and all-wheel drive 4 and 4S versions. Both manual and PDK auto will be available, and prices will sit $2,300-$3,300 over existing Cabriolet models. (Approximately $247,900-$291,050)CONVERTIBLESAston Martin Vanquish Volante: For those who prefer their V12 Astons roofless and with a back seat, Aston will bring the Vanquish Volante to Australia in the first quarter of 2014. (Approximately $510,000)Bentley Continental GTC S: Like the hardtop GT, the soft top Continental GTC is set to score a powered up S model in 2014. (Approximately $420,000)BMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)   

 Watch the desktop version of the 2014 Audi RS7 video here.