If you’re looking for a pre-owned sedan that’s fun to drive and can fit your family of four, then a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord with a V6 would work well. However, neither of those choices will get your blood pumping on a daily drive or push you back into the seat under hard acceleration. If you’re seeking something more exhilarating and sporty to add some spice into your life, then one of the best cars that you can get is a used Audi S7.

A four-seat performer

The Audi S7 debuted for the 2013 model year as the performance variant for the sedan/coupe/hatchback Audi A7 that was released a couple of years prior.

While consumers were still trying to think of what to even call Audi’s new “Sportback” body style, the company decided to blow everyone away with a more-potent version that competed with the likes of the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and the Mercedes CLS.

It held its own very well. With a high-performance engine under the hood, sport-tuned dampers in all four corners, and practical yet stylish hatchback design, the first-generation Audi S7 proved to be a bonafide European muscle car for five model years.

The first-generation went away in 2018 after Audi completely revamped the A7 for the 2019 model year.

Turbocharged muscle

Under the hood, the Audi S7 utilizes a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces 420 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

This powertrain was able to get the S7 up to 60 mph in about 3.8 seconds, according to Car and Driver, and lay down quarter-mile times in the 12.3-second range.

That’s not bad, considering the car weighs nearly 4,500 pounds. But we’re sure that the car’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, in addition to a limited-slip rear differential, is what helps the car grip the pavement so well.

A sleek sedan

The Audi S7’s body style is based on the four-door sport back styling that debuted with the first-generation A7. It was very unique at the time as the low-slung sedan turned heads and offered a lot of practicality. Although, not when it came to seating.

Although it has four doors, the Audi S7 is only able to seat up to four total occupants as the middle rear seat was “blanked out” in favor of a storage cubby. Its A7 counterpart actually has a seat there, though.

Other differences in the interior included diamond stitching and Nappa leather seats while the trim around the dash and door panels were a faux carbon fiber to keep with the sporty theme.

The main highlight of the awkward body style was the hatchback cargo area that measures in at 24.5 cubic feet, which should be enough for two golf bags.

Fuel economy

Considering this fire-breathing turbo V8 can produce super-car-like performance, you might be surprised to know that fuel economy isn’t that bad.

No, it’s not as good as an Accord or Camry V6, but it’s close, as the Audi S7 is rated at 17 in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. If you can manage to keep your right foot from pushing the pedal to the floorboard, you might actually average somewhere in the mid-20 mpg range.

Pricing

When it was new, the first-generation Audi S7 retailed for about $80,000, however, in today’s used-car market, we have seen them for anywhere between $25,000 to $39,000 depending on the condition, location, and mileage.

For reference, a new Honda Accord will cost you around $25,000 to $36,000. And while you can bank on a warranty and lower cost of ownership for one of those, we can almost guarantee you that the Audi S7 would be so much more fun.