How to Install an Akrapovic Exhaust on Audi RS7 (C7)

Installing an Akrapovic exhaust on an Audi RS7 (C7) is a bolt-on cat-back job that takes about two to three hours in a home garage and shaves roughly 8 kg (about 18 lb) off the back of the car. The Akrapovic Evolution Line titanium cat-back (part number S-AU/TI/4H, priced at $10,688.07) replaces the heavy factory rear section on the 2014–2018 twin-turbo 4.0 TFSI V8 while keeping the OEM sound-control valves fully functional. Below is our step-by-step install walkthrough from the NLP Performance shop in Tampa, FL, plus the torque figures, tools, and fitment notes that keep the job clean the first time.

Why the Akrapovic Evolution Line for the RS7 C7?

The Akrapovic Evolution Line is a full titanium cat-back that trades the factory steel muffler section for lighter, higher-flowing titanium while retaining the RS7's electronic sound-control flaps. The C7-generation RS7 Sportback runs Audi's 4.0L TFSI twin-turbo V8, rated at 560 horsepower and 516 lb-ft in the 2014–2015 car and 605 horsepower and 553 lb-ft in the 2016–2018 RS7 Performance. That is a heavy, quiet grand tourer from the factory — roughly 4,475 lb with a muffled V8 note — so the biggest wins from a cat-back here are weight loss, a deeper cold-start bark, and a more theatrical top end when the valves open.

Tools and Parts You Need Before You Start

You can install the Akrapovic cat-back with a standard metric hand-tool set, some patience, and a safe way to get the car in the air. Gather everything below before you loosen a single bolt so the OEM system is never left hanging unsupported.

• Two-post lift, or a floor jack plus four rated jack stands
• Metric sockets and combination wrenches (10–18 mm covers the exhaust hardware)
• Torque wrench capable of 15–30 Nm for the band clamps
• Penetrating oil, applied to every clamp and hanger 15 minutes before you start
• A second set of hands, or an adjustable exhaust jack, to cradle the OEM section as it drops
• Nitrile gloves and safety glasses — titanium edges and old rubber hangers are unforgiving

Step-by-Step: Installing the Akrapovic Cat-Back

The Akrapovic Evolution Line bolts to the factory flanges behind the catalytic converters, so no cutting or welding is required on a stock RS7 C7. Work through the steps below in order and let the exhaust cool completely first.

Step 1: Lift the car and let the exhaust cool

Raise the RS7 evenly on a lift or on four jack stands rated for the car's roughly 4,475 lb curb weight, and wait until the exhaust is cold to the touch. Titanium and cast flanges hold heat, and a hot system makes fastener removal both harder and more dangerous. Spray every clamp bolt and hanger with penetrating oil while you wait.

Step 2: Support the OEM system and disconnect the valve actuators

Cradle the factory rear section before you free it, because the OEM muffler assembly is heavy and will drop suddenly once the last hanger releases. The C7 RS7 uses electronically controlled exhaust flaps in the rear muffler; unplug or unbolt those actuators carefully so the connectors and vacuum/electric lines are not damaged. You will reuse or transfer them per Akrapovic's instructions.

Step 3: Release the clamps, flange bolts, and rubber hangers

Loosen the mid-pipe band clamps or flange bolts behind the cats, then walk the OEM section off its rubber isolator hangers. A little silicone spray on the rubber grommets makes the hangers slide off without tearing. Lower the factory cat-back and set it aside — keep it; a stock system is worth money at resale and is your ticket back to whisper-quiet if you ever need it.

Step 4: Hang the Akrapovic sections loosely

Offer the titanium mufflers and link pipes up to the car and hang them hand-tight first so you can align everything before torquing. Start every clamp and flange bolt by hand to avoid cross-threading titanium hardware. Fit the new hangers into the same rubber isolators, then re-connect the exhaust flap actuators you set aside in Step 2.

Step 5: Align the tips, torque everything, and test

Center the carbon tips in the RS7's rear valance with even gaps before you tighten the clamps — this is the difference between a factory-clean look and a crooked one. Torque the band clamps to Akrapovic's specification (typically in the 15–30 Nm / 11–22 lb-ft range for this style of clamp) and snug the flange bolts evenly. Lower the car, start the engine cold, and listen: you should hear the signature Akrapovic cold-start bark, then a settle to a civil idle once the flaps close. Verify there are no leaks at the flanges and no rattles at the hangers, then take a short drive to confirm the valves open under load.

Sound, Weight, and What to Expect After Install

The headline change is sound and weight, not a big dyno number. The Akrapovic Evolution Line removes roughly 8 kg (about 18 lb) of mass from behind the rear axle versus the OEM steel system, which sharpens throttle response and gives the tail a lighter feel. Because it keeps the factory sound-control valves, the RS7 stays quiet in Comfort and drone-free on the highway, then opens up to a hard-edged twin-turbo V8 snarl in Dynamic. Expect only marginal peak power gains from a cat-back alone; the real value is character, titanium durability, and the weight loss. For measurable horsepower, pair it with an ECU tune and the intake below.

From Cat-Back to Real Power: Downpipes and a Tune

If your goal is measurable horsepower, the cat-back is step one of a three-part exhaust and tuning path on the RS7 C7. The factory 4.0 TFSI is turbocharged, so the largest flow restriction sits at the catalytic downpipes, not the muffler. High-flow or catless downpipes plus an ECU tune are where the big numbers come from: a Stage 1 software tune alone commonly lifts a stock 560-horsepower RS7 into the 640–700 horsepower range, and adding downpipes with a Stage 2 tune pushes many cars past 700 horsepower and well over 700 lb-ft on pump gas and E85 blends. The Akrapovic titanium cat-back complements that build by keeping backpressure low and giving the extra power a signature voice. If you plan to chase those numbers, budget for supporting maintenance too — fresh spark plugs, a quality intercooler, and healthy turbos matter far more at 700 horsepower than they do at stock, and the twin-turbo 4.0 TFSI rewards a methodical, staged approach over a single big jump.

Common RS7 C7 install mistakes to avoid

The two mistakes we see most often are forgetting to reconnect the exhaust flap actuators and over-torquing the titanium clamps. A disconnected valve actuator can trigger a check-engine light or leave the flaps stuck open, so confirm the connector clicks home and the valves cycle before you drop the car. Titanium hardware does not need to be gorilla-tight — follow Akrapovic's torque spec and stop there. Finally, never skip the tip alignment step; a rushed hang leaves the carbon tips sitting crooked in the valance, which is the one flaw everyone notices.

Complete the RS7 C7 Build

The Akrapovic exhaust pairs naturally with a handful of other C7 4.0T upgrades we stock for the RS7 and its RS6 sibling. An intake wakes up induction noise and flow, height-adjustable springs or a sport spring set dial in the stance, and slotted rotors upgrade the brakes for track days. Here is how the supporting cast compares.