Compare the2024 Mercedes AMG S-ClassVS 2024 Audi RS 7

The rear seatbelts optional on the AMG S-Class inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The RS 7 doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The AMG S-Class’ standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The AMG S-Class has a standard Maneuvering Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The RS 7 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The AMG S-Class has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the RS 7’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the AMG S-Class has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Brake automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the RS 7.

The AMG S-Class’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the AMG S-Class and the RS 7 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The Mercedes AMG S-Class weighs 804 to 857 pounds more than the Audi RS 7. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the AMG S-Class’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 20 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 37 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The AMG S-Class’ 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 200 more horsepower (791 vs. 591) and 465 lbs.-ft. more torque (1055 vs. 590) than the RS 7’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid. The AMG S-Class’ 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 170 more horsepower (791 vs. 621) and 428 lbs.-ft. more torque (1055 vs. 627) than the RS 7 Performance’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid.

A nine-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Mercedes AMG S-Class, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the RS 7.

The AMG S-Class offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The RS 7 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better traction and acceleration, the AMG S-Class has larger rear tires than the RS 7 (285/40R20 vs. 275/35R21).

The AMG S-Class has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The RS 7 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The AMG S-Class offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Audi doesn’t offer an active suspension on the RS 7.

The AMG S-Class’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The RS 7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the AMG S-Class’ wheelbase is 11.3 inches longer than on the RS 7 (126.6 inches vs. 115.3 inches).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the AMG S-Class a Large car, while the RS 7 is rated a Mid-size.

The AMG S-Class has 17 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RS 7 (112 vs. 95).

The AMG S-Class has 5.1 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear headroom, 6.8 inches more rear legroom and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the RS 7.

The AMG S-Class has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the AMG S-Class to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The RS 7 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

The RS 7’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The AMG S-Class’ standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the AMG S-Class has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The RS 7 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

A power rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are standard in the AMG S-Class to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The AMG S-Class has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The RS 7 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The AMG S-Class has standard massaging front seats. Massaging front seats cost extra on the RS 7. The AMG S-Class also offers optional massaging rear seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging rear seats aren’t available in the RS 7.

Both the Mercedes AMG S-Class and the Audi RS 7 have a standard Qi wireless phone charging system in the front seat. To easily keep personal devices charged in the rear seat, without cables tangling and wearing out, the AMG S-Class also offers an optional wireless charging system.

The AMG S-Class has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The RS 7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Mercedes S-Class outsold the Audi A7/S7/RS 7 by almost seven to one during 2023.