Question: who would you rather have a beer with, Kane Williamson or Brendon McCullum? There’s no right answer; it’s entirely up to you.
Some would argue Kane Williamson is the best cricketer New Zealand fans have ever witnessed. He’s currently ranked the fourth best test batsman in the world.
He’s been number one. He’s known for his “steady the ship” mindset; time and again, when the Black Caps have been on the ropes, he’s the guy that steps up in the big moments and pulls NZ through.
Brendon McCullum will either smash 10 sixes or be out in the first over. Either way he will go back to the changing room, smash a couple of durries and have a beer.
Watch: We test the Audi RS6 Avant
How is this relevant to the RS7 I drove this week? I’m an Audi guy, I have an RS4 B7 and I genuinely like the brand. Before I go too far, I have to say I would go for the RS6 over the RS7.
This decision is not based on practicality. It’s just the one to have. It’s cooler and it looks more balanced. Not to mention the fact that from the side, the RS7 looks very similar to a Kia Stinger. Once you see that, you can’t get it out of your head.
From the corners however, front or back the RS7 looks phenomenal. It’s a stunning car.
The performance figures are bonkers, too. Over 440kW gets you to a hundy in 3.6 seconds. And this is a big car. It simply warps time and space. Plus there’s plenty of romance in a twin-turbo V8. But this is where it goes a bit wrong. It’s perfect. Perfect in every way. When you launch at the lights there is no fuss. The wheels don’t squirm. The engine roars, but in a very German and refined way.
People in the motoring game often then use the term “it would be a great car to live with” and it would be. But for me, when you buy the RS brand you want theatre. You want to almost be a little bit scared of it. You want to feel like you don’t quite have the skills to tame the angry dragon that you are riding. But the car is good, so in control that it never feels that exciting.
The interior is much the same. It’s perfect, refined, elegant. It’s the nicest interior I’ve ever been in. But when I’m in a performance car, I want design cues from a race car, not a limousine. I want the dash to look like a video game, like the Mercedes-AMG A45 S or any Lamborghini. I want to hear the engine howling and popping and banging under back pressure. It didn’t. The whole time I had the car, it remained perfect.
I cannot fault the RS7. It passed my main car criterion: it makes you feel special.
So back to my original question, Kane or Brendon? If you chose to have a beer with Kane Williamson, chances are this is the perfect car for you. If you chose Brendon McCullum, go for a car with a bit more character.
AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK
ENGINE: 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V8
POWER: 441kW/800Nm
GEARBOX: 8-speed automatic, AWD
ECONOMY: 11.6l/100km
PRICE: $228,900.
