AUDI S7 Sportback Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Audi introduced the second generation of the A7 Sportback in late 2017 for the 2018 model year, and the brand’s fans were eager to see what the sportier S7 version would be like.

They didn’t have to wait too long since the German automaker revealed the more powerful version of the model in 2019. While customers from the U.S. market were somehow satisfied with the engine they got, a turbocharged V6 unit, the European ones were dazzled by a 3.0-liter oil burner. Still, both versions were capable enough of providing thrills. On the other hand, both versions looked appealing enough to steal the wallets of many customers.

Audi made the A7 on the same platform as the A6 and the A6 Avant. Unlike its siblings, the A7 got a sportier look thanks to its lower roof, sloped-down rear end, and frameless windows for the doors. The car’s front also looked more aggressive thanks to the wide single-frame grille surrounded by a chromed trim and flanked by narrow LED headlights. On the lower bumper, on the apron, the S7 had side scoops that channeled air to the front disc brakes to cool them.

From its profile, the S7 received all the necessary elements to be considered a proper S-model, regardless of the engine under the hood. It featured silver door mirror caps, aerodynamically profiled side sills, and a set of big, 20-inch, light-alloy wheels wrapped in 255/40 tires. The chromed trims that surrounded the windows’ area tried to induce the idea of a coupe, even though the car was a four-door vehicle. Finally, the back of the car featured the same slope as the regular A7 Sportback, with the retractable wing incorporated into the tailgate. The S7 also had a different rear bumper fitted with a lower apron and a diffuser flanked by four oval exhausts.

The leather-wrapped cabin expressed more of a sporty-looking vehicle than a luxurious one, even though the S7 was both. Its high-bolstered front seats sported the S7 logo on their seatbacks and were separated by a wide center console that housed the gear selector. In addition, Audi placed the volume rotating knob closer to the passenger, mirroring the start button for the driver. On the center stack, the automaker installed the touchscreen for the infotainment system. Moving on to the driver’s post, they fronted the Audi Virtual Cockpit, a fully digital instrument cluster. In the back, the automaker installed a bench seat with a split-folding seatback, profiled for two passengers.

While the Europeans got a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 engine, the American version was powered by a supercharged and turbocharged 2.9-liter unit. The former provided 349 PS (344 hp), while the latter was offered 450 PS (444 hp). Both versions were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sent power in all corners.

When Audi makes an S version for a model in its lineup, its engineers do all that they can to deliver a very good balance between sportiness and comfort, and the S7 is no exception.

The frameless doors of the A7 and the sloped roof made the A7 Sportback look like a coupe, and in the Audi philosophy there is no reason to build a coupe if you don't put a powerful engine under the hood. That's what they did with the good-looking A7 when it became an S7.

The sleek lines of the vehicle form an aerodynamic shape, uninterrupted from hood to the taillights. On the tailgate, there is a thin line where the rear spoiler is hidden flush to the trunk lid. As usual for any S vehicle, the outside mirrors and the front grille are silver, regardless of the color of the car.

Inside the S7 there are four seats available and those for the front passengers are bucket seats signed by Recaro. In the rear, the middle seat has been removed for the benefit of the other two passengers who can comfortably seat there.

From the technical point of view, the engine is the same as in the Bentley Continental GT V8. It has the twin turbochargers between the engine banks to cut the turbo-lag. The transmission is a 7-speed dual-clutch system and it sends the power to all four wheels. For the suspension, an optional air system is available.

When Audi introduced the A7 as an alternative to the sporty-looking four-door coupe vehicles, it also planned to offer the car with an S-treatment, which it unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

After successfully introducing the A7 lineup in 2010, the German carmaker tried to see if customers could be interested in a go-fast version for that. Unsurprisingly, they were, and the S7 was born with a punchy engine under its hood and boasted a luxurious, yet sporty, interior.

At first sight, it was difficult to tell the difference between a regular A7 and an S7. Yet, there were quite a few details that made them apart. At the front, the single-frame grille sported chromed double-slats adorned with the S7 red and gray badge on it. The lower spoiler featured a more aggressive design with a pair of side scoops and fog lamps. The silver mirror's caps, characteristic of Audi's S-versions,, were another distinctive element from its profile. Finally, besides the big S7 nameplate at the back, the hatchback featured four exhausts under the rear apron.

Inside, Audi installed a leather-wrapped cabin with sports seats at the front and a split-folding bench in the back. Customers could order the car with either aluminum, carbon fiber, or wood trims. A unique feature compared to its main rivals was the screen for the MMI infotainment system, which could've been retracted inside the dashboard atop the center stack.

Powering this five-door hatchback was a four-liter V8 engine, twin-turbocharged and paired with a seven-speed S-tronic gearbox and a self-locking center differential. As expected, all versions were fitted with the quattro all-wheel drive system.