But by lunchtime, the confidence is back and the roads have changed again. There’s still plenty of cloudburst and spray, but this is the sort of weather the Audi was built to handle. The steering isn’t quite as feelsome as it could be, but it drives like a smaller car and chews up and spits out anything the road can throw at it.
  Winthrop, WA, Concrete, WA. Click image to enlarge |
When we pull into angle-parking in the tiny resort town of Winthrop, a kid near the window nearly breaks his neck whipping around to gaze at the Audi. The RS7 has that effect – it’s rare, enormous, clearly purpose-built for speed. People who don’t know what it is glance admiringly. People who do know what it is are practically licking the windows.
Despite (repeated) tire incidents, I share their affection for the big red beast. While the practical side of my brain recoils at the pricetag, and figures the turbodiesel version would have been nearly as good, there’s something about the RS7 that’s a bit special. It’s not just the power – all the little changes versus the standard car have given this executive cruiser a character. It’s smooth, but it’s brutal, an all-wheel-drive muscle-car that leaves you anything but cold. All that, and average fuel economy is hovering between 10-11 L/100 km
The final stretch: a spaghetti noodle of tarmac draped over the rocky spines of the North Cascades. The RS7 eases out of town, and finds itself alone out in front again, a solitary red dot in an ocean of greenery.
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Destinations: Related Articles: Manufacturer’s Website: Photo Gallery: |
The road ahead beckons. The Audi grumbles impatiently. Vorsprung durch technik – advancement through technology. Sturm und drang – storm and urge. We go.
Pricing: 2014 Audi RS7
Base price: $115,000 (3dr)
Options: $25,100 (B&O audio – $6000; Audi active lane assist – $600; Vision package (heads up display) – $4,000; sport exhaust – $1,000; Carbon trim – $4,200; driver assistance package – $2,300; power rear door closers – $500; alcantara headliner – $3,000; Audi dynamic ride – $1,000; oak and aluminium interior trim – $2,000)
Freight: $1,995
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $142,195
Competitors:
BMW M6 Gran Coupe
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG
A GT-R with a Thule.
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
