It the 2024 Audi S7 BETTER than a BMW 550i?

We drive the 2024 Audi S7 and find out if it is better than a BMW 550i?
This is the 2024 Audi S7 and I think it’s the ultimate long-distance road trip car and it looks stunning from every angle. It’s also extremely rewarding to drive, has a luxurious cabin, and to top it off it has a hatchback. As a Sportback, it effortlessly combines the sleek lines of a coupe with the practicality of a sedan, making a very bold statement.
Versus the A7, its cheaper sibling, the S7 is the cooler kid on the block. The S7's exterior design is sleek and sporty without being over the top and for 2024 it gets a redesigned front bumper, coupled with a new honeycomb front grille.
There are also new wheel choices including a new 21-inch 5-parallel-spoke style, graphite gray diamond turned wheel, wearing summer tires as part of the Black Optic Package. I only wish the summer tires option wasn't Bridgestone Turanzas, not my favorite tire for a sporty 4-door coupe. That Black Optic Package gives you black exterior mirror housings and black exterior trim for $750 but not the black Audi rings.
Under The Hood
The 2023 Audi S7 is powered by a 2.9-liter V-6, which features two turbochargers augmented by an electric supercharger, called EPC, Electric Powered Compressor. It consists of an electric motor with a small turbine that helps quickly build turbo boost pressure, sharpening throttle response and reducing any noticeable turbo lag. The entire EPC system adds just 22 lbs to the vehicles’ overall weight and reduces response time to less than 250 milliseconds.
The V6 sends 444 hp and 443 lb-ft to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission instead of the dual-clutch as before and the S7 differentiates itself from the lesser A7 by having an adaptive air suspension system. These additional components have increased the curb weight, the S7 now weighing in at 4,623 lbs some 132 pounds heavier than its predecessor.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:24 Exterior
0:50 New for 2024
1:45 Under the Hood
2:57 Cargo Area
3:50 Pricing
5:06 Rear Seat
5:35 Interior and Tech
8:36 Driving
14:02 Verdict
It doesn't take a hit on performance with 0-60 taking 4.1 seconds, and the 2024 S7 achieves better mileage than its top rival, the BMW M850i Gran Coupe earning an estimated 19 city and 26 mpg highway fuel economy rating from the EPA.
2024 Audi S7 Numbers
BASE PRICE: $84,500
PRICE AS TESTED: $101,425
VEHICLE LAYOUT: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
ENGINE: 2.9 liter twin-turbocharged, supercharged, DOHC 24-valve V-6
POWER: 444 hp @ 6,700 rpm
TORQUE: 443 lb-ft @ 1,900 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode
CURB WEIGHT: 4,597 lbs
0-60 MPH: 4.1 seconds
TOP SPEED: 155 mph
BRAKES FRONT: 17.3-in vented, cross-drilled, carbon-ceramic disc
BRAKES REAR: Front: 15.7-in vented, Rear: 13.8-in vented
WHEELS: 21-inch V spoke
TIRES: Bridgestone Turanza, 255/35R-21
EPA CITY/HWY/COMBINED: 19/26/22 mpg
OUR OBSERVED: 16.9 mpg
CARGO SPACE: 25 cubic feet
PROS: Superb handling, Incredible chassis, the perfect grand tourer.
CONS: Options get pricey