You can't miss the extra width of the RS7 when you first see it. The performance model is 1.6 inches wider at the front fenders. When you throw on the optional 22-inch wheels (21-inchers are standard), the overall impact is a stronger visual character that oozes presence and looks athletic. RS-specific exterior elements include large air intakes, a rear spoiler, oval exhaust tips, and bits of black trim.
Looks aren't everything, and the RS7 Sportback has upped its powertrain to make sure the driving is commensurate with its appearance. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine produces 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, and the RS7 goes from zero to 62 mph in a claimed 3.6 seconds as it stretches towards an electronically limited top speed of 189 mph with the Dynamic Plus package (with just the Dynamic package, the top speed is limited to 174 mph, while the standard RS7 is limited to 155 mph).

All versions of the RS7 have an adaptive air suspension as standard, and the Dynamic Plus package uses a new air-spring module with a spring rate that is 50 percent stiffer. No matter which package is optioned, the sport suspension in its normal position puts the RS7 0.8 inch lower than an A7. When the RS7 hits speeds above 75 mph, the suspension drops the car another 0.4 inch.

The RS7's sport differential can shift torque between the rear wheels, and the standard eight-speed automatic transmission and Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system can also distribute torque between the front and rear axles. A 40-to-60 ratio is the default, but the system can send up to 70 percent of the power to the front wheels and up to 85 percent to the rear wheels.