MotorTrend Head to Head pits the 2014 Audi RS7 against the 2014 Porsche Panamera Turbo - Who wins?

[chrisisnapping]

the rs7 is just nasty, it's also nice that audi left a lot of head room on this engine. APR already has a stage 1 tune that will triple digit bhp and btq on 93oct pump gas.

[LZH]

This just confirms what I already knew....The S6 is the way to go. Lighter, better handling than the RS7 and the S6 has the same motor (basically) that can be tuned to RS7 hp or better. Not to mention the S6 has the DSG transmission that is brilliant. And for HALF THE PRICE. Ultimate sleeper.

[BlackJetE90OC]

I would take the RS7. Personally think it looks better and it is a beast.

And the Panamera's extra $40k($60k in the video) for track ability in a car I would never take to the track. No thanks.

Plus I like the GTS better than the Turbo anyways.

[LZH]

I would take the RS7. Personally think it looks better and it is a beast.

And the Panamera's extra $40k($60k in the video) for track ability in a car I would never take to the track. No thanks.

Plus I like the GTS better than the Turbo anyways.

Panamera GTS has a MUCH better suspension then any other Panamera. That being said, none of the cars being discussed here are track worthy and would only make it a couple hard laps before overheating and cooking the brakes.

[onisyndicate]

Stock RS7 is 11.6 on the 1/4 mile.
APR Stage 1 tune for the S6 puts it at 11.628.

But the APR Stage 1 tune increases from 582 to 674 on 93 octane. So that increase should shave at least a half second of the 1/4 mile if not more!

[Sticky]

These are two German luxury ballistic missiles with all wheel drive and twin turbo V8's. This is a bit of sibling rivalry with the RS7 targeting the Porsche Panamera Turbo although doing so at a much lower price point (not that a $104,900 base price is cheap). The Audi RS7 has the 4.0 TFSI twin turbo direct injected V8 with 560 horsepower and the Panamera Turbo is rated at 520 horsepower from its 4.8 liter twin turbo and direct injected V8. This is the facelifted Panamera Turbo for 2014 which gets a 20 horse bump.

The main different between the two is that the Panamera has a dual clutch transmission instead of an automatic like the RS7. So which is faster?

The RS7 hits 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds and flies through the 1/4 mile at an impressive 11.6 @ 120.4. MotorTrend tested the pre-facelift Panamera Turbo which hit 0-60 in 3.5 second and the 1/4 mile 11.9 @ 114.7. The facelift manages 0-60 in 3.4 seconds and [email protected]. The extra 20 horsepower definitely shows adding approximately two miles of an hour trap speed. The RS7 is the quicker and faster car however and it will take the Porsche Panamera Turbo S with its 570 horsepower rating to challenge it.

Now which car is more playful? Audi's notoriously suffer from understeer due to their nose heavy designs and the RS7 is not much different. It also understeers noticeably. The Panamera suffers from much less understeer and has a more precise steering feel. It's simply more fun to drive with greater feedback.

Both of these sedans are spectacular cars. It just comes down to personal preference with the RS7 having more of a brute force feel to it whereas the Panamera is more of a scalpel. The drag racer will prefer the RS7 especially considering how tunable the 4.0 TFSI V8 is showing itself to be but the Panamera ultimately seems to be more fun to drive and more well rounded. You can't go wrong either way but MotorTrend picks the Panamera. It's difficult to disagree with their assessment.

[chrisisnapping]

Stock RS7 is 11.6 on the 1/4 mile.
APR Stage 1 tune for the S6 puts it at 11.628.

But the APR Stage 1 tune increases from 582 to 674 on 93 octane. So that increase should shave at least a half second of the 1/4 mile if not more!

APR Stage 1 93oct S6/S7 (not sure what vehicle was tested) 60-130: 9.93Seconds
APR Stage 1 93oct RS7 60-130: 8.022Seconds

would love to see the trap/et of a tuned RS7

[onisyndicate]

APR Stage 1 93oct S6/S7 (not sure what vehicle was tested) 60-130: 9.93Seconds
APR Stage 1 93oct RS7 60-130: 8.022Seconds

would love to see the trap/et of a tuned RS7

Oh yeah that thing might hit high 10s with just a tune!

[Sticky]

Oh yeah that thing might hit high 10s with just a tune!

It will.

[MSIZZLE]

guys 0-60 3.2 sec in 4000lb + car, what planet are we on!! this thing is blistering fast!! 11.6 with a tune? how about track prep,driver mod, and a neg density altitude! I bet you can knock on that door as the car sits in the hands of an owner with lots of pass's... Im sorry even though the audi lost I think with the price different its by far the better buy here. As you guys all stated neither are a track car so who cares, you take this thing to any car show and your would smoke pretty much everything but a 911tt or a gtr on the street. All the other faster cars will always have traction problems in the street.

[bobS]

That rs7 is quick, what a great car.. Well done Audi!

[5soko]

Watching the RS7 go around the corner vs the Porsche panamera on the race track is like watching a lincoln town car and a M3.. god damn.

[Sticky]

Watching the RS7 go around the corner vs the Porsche panamera on the race track is like watching a lincoln town car and a M3.. god damn.

Exactly. The Panamera is so much better sorted. It's no contest what the better driver's car is here.

[bobS]

But the panamera looks like a stretch 911 limo.....

[Sticky]

But the panamera looks like a stretch 911 limo.....

And that's awesome.

[Group.america]

See the curb weights... insane