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ThomasM
[PuristS]
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2014 Audi RS7 Review and Test Drive Part 2 : Comparison to the AMG CLS63

The Audi RS7 falls into the category of four door coupe (in Audi-speak, a FIVE door coupe, or Sport Back)

Mercedes-Benz pioneered the modern four door coupe genre with its CLS model launched in 2004 as a 2005 year model – the gracefulness and elegance of a coupe with the practicality of a four door sedan.  Unfortunately, despite a beautiful body, the early CLS was plagued by a sloping roof line that made rear seat ingress and egress difficult, and reduced headroom for rear seat passengers. Current models have addressed these weaknesses somewhat.

Both in terms of size and design, as well as performance, the current AMG CLS63 seems a natural candidate for a direct comparison with the 2014 Audi RS7.  Three PuristS, including the owner of the CLS63, drove both cars over hill and dale and came away with the following comparison notes.

Appearance:

MJ: (about the RS7) I really like it.  The front end is really aggressive and I think they did a good job with the 21in rims to make the car look sporty. 

EW: Wheels are a massive 21” 5 spoke blade design in titanium. 

TM: I agree about the RS7’s VERY aggressive front end, though it’s a little discordant with the somewhat bland back, and in this regard the CLS has a more overall cohesive design. 

MJ: If I were to own the car, I would lower the car by about 1in and still have some decent ground clearance.  The red color pops out too, but I was surprised to see that it was a pearl paint?  I thought it was a flat red with no metallic flak in it, but I guess I was wrong!  Coming from a Mclaren paint job, there is really nothing on the market that has a better paint job (Fisker's paint job is really nice too).

EW: The “Misano Red Pearl Effect” paint pairs well with the RS7 giving it a really sporty look.  The bright red color is attractive but at the same time stealthy.  It’s similar to the Torch Red color of a Corvette although I was surprised to find out that it is actually a pearlized color.  

TM: While both the CLS and RS7 are gracefully elegant, each in their own way, the Audi “Sport Back” take on the four door coupe theme really works, to my eyes. The design is both beautiful and practical.  The CLS might have more cubic inch trunk space, but the Sport Back, coupled with the 2 way foldable back seats, gives the RS7 accessibility and flexibility the CLS simply does not have.

Rear seat ingress and egress, headroom and legroom were also superior in the RS7.

The RS7 has some very interesting design details like the muscle line that gives the curves a little edginess that reminds me of the American Charger and Challenger muscle cars.

EW: Curve and lines of the RS7 body is sleek with an aggressive front area.  The front air intakes  are detailed in carbon fiber and the larger mesh pattern grill looks attractive.  Subtle RS7 badges front and rear are a nice touch.   The side view mirrors, front and rear diffuser are also crafted in carbon fiber (from the optional Carbon-optic package) and matches the red paint nicely.  I love the style of the LED driving and rear lights.  The C pillar sweeps upward which is visually different than other 4 door coupes.  Overall the RS7 is an attractive car with elegant lines.

Verdict: Tie all around

Engine:

MJ: Fantastic engine.  It really likes to rev and the response is pretty good for a turbo engine.  It lacks a bit in the lower end grunt (compared to my CLS), but the top end is definitely stronger.  I wonder how it will compare to the slightly updated 2014 CLS63 S with the 585hp and all wheel drive?

The car had the optional sport exhaust, which in my ears, sounds a bit too synthetic and fake.  I am surprised to see this as an option because even with the sport exhaust, it's not sporty enough.  The AMG sounded better with a deeper pitch and rumble.

TM: Simply amazing motor. It takes the sliding scale end points of docile electric motor smoothness on one side, to roller coaster like face flattening eye watering acceleration on the other, and stretches them T H I S  M U C H  F U R T H E R.  The O O O H  C-R-A-P responses I got when I mashed the gas pedal, even in tranni auto mode, never got old.

I disagree with MJ about the comparison with the MB 63TT motor – the Audi motor had plenty of grunt at all rev ranges and when both went WOT the AMG63TT just simply couldn’t keep up. Of course, I realize acceleration is not simply a matter of engine output, but also gearing and transmission performance, as well as how that torque and power are transferred to the ground, and here the Audi’s 4WD and sport differential surely made a difference as well.

There is lots of adaptive electronic software controlling going on in the engine and transmission; in this day and age, it’s inevitable. For me, this leads to noticeable inconsistencies in response and performance, one run to another, but for the most part, there is very little to no noticeable turbo lag, anywhere, and when not asked to slingshot the car, the motor is surprisingly smooth, steady state. At idle, it is electric motor quiet and smooth. For a motor that is tuned as much as this one is, it is not nervous or cagey at all. I am impressed.

MJ makes an interesting point about the sport exhaust – at first it really impressed me, with lots of after run crackling and popping, throaty and beefy like classic American muscle. But after living with it for several days, I noticed

The audio signature wasn’t consistent, both across the rev range and under various dynamic loads; and at specific loads and revs, one time to another: it wasn’t 100% repeatable, which an analog system should be. This raises suspicions that the exhaust note wasn’t completely “natural” and some sort of “adaptive” control was going on – this sort of inconsistency is usually a sign of electronic software controlled shenanigans, part of what I hate about even the latest state of the art electronic control.
1.  MJ’s comment about “too synthetic and fake” resonates, but for me, the jury is still out.

EW:  This is where I feel the RS7 really shines.  Simply put: It’s fast.  Really fast and the RS7 does it effortlessly and confidently.  Impressive performance from a 4 liter twin turbo V-8 powerplant generating 560hp and 516ft-lb of torque.  The engine combined with the all wheel drive Quattro system made the RS7 easy to drive fast on straight lines and along twisty roads.   As I approached triple digit speeds the RS7 just kept pulling faster and faster.  I was very impressed.

Verdict: MJ - Audi wins by a small margin, but how would it compare to the updated 2014 version of the CLS63S?

TM – RS7 by a comfortable margin but with sensory caveats

Transmission:

MJ: Hands down, the Audi's 8 speed gearbox is the superior unit of the two.  With the closer ratios and the much faster response time, the Audi has the better gearbox.  At the same time, I think with the better transmission, it really created a totally different driving experience compared to the AMG.  I really HATE the Mercedes gearbox in S+ or Manual mode.  It doesn't always downshift to the lowest available gear in S+ mode, nor does the transmission respond fast enough to up/down shift in manual mode.  As a result of this, the AMG feels very "lazy" in comparison to the Audi.

TM: I cannot believe the transmission is not a dual clutch manu-matic, it is that precise and quick. I REALLY cannot believe it is based on slush box torque converter technology, even if it is from ZF, one of the most revered performance transmission suppliers in the world. So much so I am checking into this for more information.

I’m not a fan of 4wd, but in this case, it is unobtrusive, and along with the sport differential does wonders for helping put the power and torque down to the ground, especially in high speed turns and sharp, tight corners where you are coming off hard braking.

With lots of seat time in an E63 with (constantly) upgraded control software, the AMG transmission STILL sucks.

EW:  The RS7 8 speed automatic gearbox was precise and quick.  Upshifts were smooth even in automatic mode.  I don’t have much driving time behind four wheel drive cars, but the Quattro system has made me take notice.  At higher speeds on tight corners the Quattro really helps powering through corners with confidence.

Verdict: Audi unanimously wins

Suspension/Handling:

MJ: Love the car Audi under Dynamic mode, but hated the way it drove under normal mode.  The steering was too light and lifeless, the suspension was way too soft and floaty.  But everything came together under Dynamic mode.  I feel like the suspension could have had an even stiffer setting for the track.  The AWD system is good, makes a lot of sense having the Quattro system in real life because you could drive the car so much faster than you could with a RWD car.

The CLS on the other hand, felt great in normal and Sport mode, but the car was too stiff in the Sport plus mode.  Please note that my CLS had the optional sport suspension which is about 30% stiffer than the regular CLS 63. 

TM: Though well dampened and not too light, the steering “feel” is a bit dead, typical of most Audis.  My reference for steering feel is corporate stablemate Porsche GT3RS and even their Boxster / Cayman – precise and alive, but not too twitchy or nervous. Turn in is good for such a heavy, front engined car; there is just a little bit of play in the steering before the front end grabs. Dynamic transitions were excellent for a car of this weight, with roadholding to match. There was very little body roll, and from inside, not much noticeable dive or lift under heavy braking or acceleration, though I found it interesting that a friend who was parked way ahead and to the side of us commented that it was exciting and a bit scary to watch the RS7 and a 997 TT squat down, then slingshot out, front ends pointing skyward as we went WOT to 100 on a long private driveway.  I wish I had video of that as I can’t imagine it from inside the cabin.

From pure handling dynamics, the CLS63 definitely feels like a heavier car; I really felt the weight of the CLS63 more than in the RS7, and I was definitely much more confident in spirited canyon driving in the RS7 than the CLS63, though I realize this is likely as much a result of the 4WD as of the suspension.

Blending ride quality with handling, the RS7 in dynamic mode beat the CLS63 in two shock AMG sport mode hands down.

EW: In comfort mode the RS7 steering felt light and the suspension and exhaust notes were soft.  But once we made the changes to the Dynamic mode the RS7 was a totally different car and turned into a true sports car.  The steering tightened up and felt more precise (but still could have been a little bit stiffer for me), the suspension firmed up dramatically and best of all the exhaust system opened up and provided the beautiful throaty exhaust notes expected from a V8 engine.  And did I mention that the RS7 is fast? 

Verdict: Audi wins, because you could drive it so much faster with the AWD. 

Interior:

MJ: I feel this is probably the weakest link in the RS7 equation.  No full leather interior and no alcantara headliner on a car that costs over $120K is unacceptable in my book.  I do like the cross stitching on the seat, but the overall feel of the interior cabin feels cheap.

TM: the dash covering material was the only weakness of the RS7’s interior, in my opinion. I don’t really notice the headliner, though alcantara would have been nice.

Dash layout is a very subjective topic; most just love the Audi dash. I can see the appeal, but the two large gauges are set too far apart for my taste, and there is information overload in the center section. But to prove the point about subjectivity, someone else, a non-gear head but someone with lots of experience in various vehicles, really loved all the information presented all at once. “You don’t have to push any buttons or go through umpteen menus to get to the relevant information you are looking for; it’s all there.”

I prefer a large single analog tachometer in the center of the dash, with a digital speed display under it, and engine vitals like oil temp and pressure, coolant temp, voltage, etc surrounding it. In early (series 1) 996’s, I never even looked at the speedometer, the center tach was enough. Pure, clean, easy to read.

Between the CLS and the RS, if one had to have two dominant dials, I prefer the closer set dials in the CLS.

But dash layout aside, the quality of the gauges, displays, and switchgear are top notch in both the CLS and RS, with a slight nod towards the RS for its interior door release – it felt more solid, with better haptics. The CLS is too light, too slippery.

I loved the way the transmission mode shifter looks, reminiscent of a true stick shift.

The Audi MMI navigation system with finger tip handwriting data entry is heads and shoulders above anything else out there, and I especially like that Audi treats you like an adult – the systems warns you that you should concentrate on driving when the car is in motion, but it allows you to make your own decision after the warning. The M-B system treats you like a kid in a police state – it does not allow you to enter data once the vehicle starts rolling and freezes data entry even if mid-entry. Granted, it does allow voice entry, but the voice entry system is far from fool proof and can be just as distracting when it repeatedly misunderstands voice entries.

(See Video)

The seats in the AMG, though a bit plain and old school in design, has nice features like active side bolster support and lumbar massage. The Audi RS seats are modern in design and quite comfortable, with nice passive side bolster and lumbar support.

EW: A combination of analog and digital screen instrument cluster was easy to read on the RS7.  

For those that like gadgets, starting up the car is a lot of fun with the push button start, hidden flip up navigation panel, and the pop up speakers of the Bang&Olufsen sound system. 

 The black colored Valcona leather seats were comfortable yet supportive and I like the diamond stitching pattern. 

Visibility in all directions were excellent and the Driver Assistance Package includes a front and rear side camera system that warns of nearby obstructions.  The navigation was easy to use with the rotating knob and also has a touch pad to draw letters or it will automatically switch to radio presets.  

When compared directly to the MB CLS63, the RS7 had more interior headroom for the front driver and passenger.   Rear seating is large enough to comfortably fit two adults.  The RS7 also had a wider opening trunk that operated more like a hatchback than a standard trunk so larger items are easier to place into the rear.  Rear seats also fold down for additional cargo space but is not as deep as the CLS63. 

Some disappointments from the drivers seat include the shifter console mounted push button start (I personally wished it was on the right side of the dash near the steering wheel.)

Also the layered aluminum/black wood decorative inlays (optional interior package) was not that attractive, from a far away distance it looked almost like black plastic trim with light silver colored lines.  Upon closer inspection you can see the subtle grain of the darkened wood and the aluminum lines but I personally think carbon fiber would be a better match for the sporty image of the RS7. 

(TM: I actually liked the pin stripe effect of the aluminum and black wood inlays)

Also, a black alcantara headliner is an extra cost option, which I feel should be standard equipment for any car in this price category.

 
Verdict:

MJ: Mercedes wins

TM: Mercedes wins for quality of material, but Audi wins for layout and aesthetics

________________________________

Final verdict: 

MJ: Would I consider buying a RS7?  Probably not, mostly because I feel the car is over priced.  If I were in the car market for a performance sedan, I would probably look at the E63S Wagon or the BMW M5 (even cheaper).

TM: I’ve been an AMG fan in recent years * and never owned an Audi.

The RS7 might be my first.

EW: I usually prefer 2 seat sports cars, but I was impressive with the performance of the RS7 plus the fact that it has the ability to have passengers and plenty of luggage space for a long roadtrip.  If I were in the market for a sports sedan I would seriously consider the RS7.

* though that love is being tarnished by myriad and never ending electronic gremlins and, of all things, impossible to root out ongoing problems with the (gasp! In an AMG?!?) 6.2l NA engine and transmission.  In theory, and at first blush, the 6.2l is a landmark, future legendary engine. In practice, it has been disappointingly problematic, at least in this one specific example.

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