Plastic Surgery Has Made The 552bhp Audi RS7 One Of The Prettiest V8 Barges On Sale

With the whole A7 Sportback range receiving a face lift, the wraps have now come off the hottest RS7 version. The air inlets at the front are new, while the beefy grille has been slightly reshaped. The LED front headlights are now delectably thin, and buyers will have the option of speccing Audi’s clever Matrix LED units, which are able to give full-beam levels of illumniation without blinding other drivers. The rear light clusters have also received a tweak, while those arch-filling 20-inch wheels have been refreshed too.

The inside hasn’t been neglected either. The instrument cluster has been given ‘judicious changes,’ and the steering wheel now includes a quattro emblem. The optional MMI (Multi Media Interface) system, meanwhile, now comes with updated graphics.

The RS7 is still powered by Audi’s relatively new 4.0-litre TFSI turbo V8, which packs 552bhp and 516lb ft of torque, which is enough to haul this substantial slab of car from 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155mph, unless you spec the optional ‘Dynamic’ package, which raises that top speed to either 174mph or a very specific 189.5mph.

It’s reasonably economical, too, with a cylinder shutdown system helping it achieve claimed economy and emissions figures of 29.7mpg and 221g/km CO2. Nothing to worry a Toyota Prius, but not bad for a burly V8.

The RS7 was already a handsome thing, and these subtle changes have nicely sharpened its look. The first UK cars will arrive in the last quarter of 2014, and will set you back somewhere in the region of the existing car’s £83,515 price tag.