Five-Point Inspection: 2014 Audi RS7

In less than a week, the 2014 Audi RS7 managed to charm its way into my dreams. Well, it at least found its way into my dream car garage.

Bumping out the elegant and gracious Mercedes E63 AMG, the RS7 is far more than I ever expected it to be.

SEE ALSO: Seven Days of Dream Car Garages: Day Five by Sami Haj-Assaad

Here are five main reasons I’ll likely put one in my fleet instead of that Mercedes-AMG if I ever do win the lottery.

I’ve been in cars with over 500 hp before. The Cadillac CTS-V and Chevy Camaro ZL1 both use supercharged V8s, but those cars exclusively power their rear wheels. That’s great for a dramatic cloud of tire smoke, but

Things are different in the RS7. The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 makes 560 hp and sends that power to all four wheels. From a standstill, speeds creep up on you until your eyes are watering and the world is a blur. That’s your cue to start pressing on the brakes.

The surge of power starts in a humble fashion, but as the turbos spool up, it feels like the car is taking flight. It only takes 3.7 seconds to hit 60 MPH.

Usually, twin-turbo V8s are a recipe for painful pump visits, but this car is different. This is a modern engine with direct injection and cylinder deactivation. Believe it or not, there were highway stints where I saw as much as 29 MPG reported on the trip computer.

In other words, if I actually win the lottery and find myself with an RS7, I won’t go bankrupt paying for gas.

In fact, switching the cruise control on or selecting the “Comfort” drive modes helps the car feel a little less aggressive and that’s a good thing.

The massive brakes, pop-up spoiler and loud exhaust are all easy to miss if you’re driving gently because the car is actually pretty quiet if you baby it. To many people it will probably seem like another Audi A7 instead of an under-the-radar supercar.

But of course, this two-faced sedan can drop its sedate demeanor in an instant. Select Flip “Dynamic” mode and the car becomes a snarling beast. And if you don’t want it all to be super sharp, you can always customize your own mixture of settings.
A number of components of the car are customizable, so you can adjust throttle response, steering feel, even the engine noise and seatbelt tension. That kind of control means you can make the car feel like it was tailored for your discerning and unique tastes.

Need one more reason the RS7 gets a guaranteed spot in my dream car garage? Take a look at our leaderboard of the fastest times around the AutoGuide.com Test Track. The fastest four-door is unquestionably the RS7 and the sixth fastest car we’ve had around the track with a lap time of 1:20.5.

SEE ALSO: Fastest Lap Times at the AutoGuide Test Track

On the track the RS7 was a blast, with mind-melting acceleration and grip. It all adds up to showcase just what a $107,395 sedan is capable of both on and off public roads.

Interested in buying a new car? Head to our New Car Buying Page, where you can check out the Audi RS7, or the whole Audi lineup.