Audi revealed full details on the 2009 Q7 V12 TDI quattro: the world’s most powerful diesel-engined SUV. The SUV is priced at 130,600 Euros (although no U.S. pricing has been announced, the current exchange rate puts the price at about $184,000.) Ouch!
With a completely redeveloped common rail injection system the twelve-cylinder delivers a mighty 368 kW (500 hp) and 1,000 Nm (737.56 lb-ft) of torque from a capacity of six liters – giving the big SUV the performance of a sports car.
In everyday use the twelve-cylinder diesel is relatively frugal with economy of 11.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (20.82 US mpg). On demand, the six-liter engine catapults the Audi Q7 from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 5.5 seconds like a top-class sports car. Speed is electronically capped at 250 km/h (155.34 mph).
The world’s most powerful diesel-engined SUV will make its way to dealers towards the end of 2008.
Remember Audi said it will unveil a hybrid Q7 next year? Well is not that easy! According to AutoCar Audi has put the plans for a hybrid Q7 on indefinite hold, but is pushing ahead plans for a hybrid version of the Q5.
It seems that the company realized that the top priority is lithium ion technology and not gas-electric hybrid systems. "It’s clear this technology will become increasingly important in coming years and we want to make sure we are at the forefront when it comes to market," said Michael Dick, head of Audi’s research and development.
Although Audi no longer plans selling the Q7 in hybrid form, Dick says it still be produced in small volume to be run internally for evaluation purposes. "There are plans to build the Q7 Hybrid but only in very limited numbers, [but] it won’t be offered or sold to customers in the traditional sense."
Priority has now been switched to ensuring plans for a Q5 hybrid are realized. "We are looking to make the Q5 our first true hybrid model, and the plan is to have it ready for lithium ion technology," says Dick.
This is a video demonstrating the most common form of frontal accident, the offset crash. This video shot by the ADAC shows what happens in the real world when David takes on Goliath. The Fiat 500 is rated as one of the safest cars in its class by the European rating standards, but the Audi Q7’s mass proves to be too much.
The ADAC is to Germany kind of like what AAA is to the U.S. It’s an auto club that includes providing help to stranded motorists as part of its services. Unfortunately for the passengers of the Fiat 500, it looks like their problems go way beyond jumper cables.
It looks like JE Design will continue this year its customization programme for the 2008 Audi Q7. The vehicle will feature the same ECU tweaking for the V6 turbo diesel engine pushing it to 285 hp while the 4.2 petrol engine will develop the astonishing 500 hp.
Featuring a special color called Red Rocket the vehicle comes with the stylish body kit consisting in a front lip spoiler, side sills, re-designed rear spoiler with integrated air diffuser and double exhaust system and a rear roof spoiler. To complete this stylish tuning programme 22 inch alloy wheels were added making the car stable and look better. Price of the programme: an astonishing 61,000 euros.
The first orders for the Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro has already been placed, despite the fact that the car is not on sale yet. But the diesel SUV launched this year at the Geneva Motor Show comes with a very bad news: it will be priced around 180,000 euro (that’s around $283.000 - almost 5 times the price of the Audi Q7 4.2 Premium! - $58,600). Sales of the Q7 V12 TDI quattro will start by the end of the year.
The Q7 V12 TDI quattro is powered by the world’s first V12 diesel engine that generates 500 hp of power and 1,000 Nm (757.56 lb-ft) of torque from six liters of displacement. It makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 5.5 seconds while the top speed is electronically capped at 250 km/h (but on the speedometer, the range extends up to 310 km/h).
For now, we’ll not get into the debate on whether the Audi Q5 will be unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show or not, but what we will do is enjoy these new and clearer pictures of the car which have come out on the net.
The Q5 is positioned below the Q7 and Allroad models. We expected the Q5 ’s unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show but China appears to be a better location after seeing them unveil their Cross Coupe Quattro at Shanghai last year.
The Q5 will be spacious enough for five people and Audi has expressed no intentions on a seven-seater version. The Q5 will probably be the first model to be equipped with the in-house seven speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG Audi S-Tronic). Four cylinder engines, V6s, and TDI engines borrowed from the A4 will power this mini-SUV.
The Q5 is based on the company’s Modular Longitudinal Platform (MLP) found on the A4 and A5. MLP allows Audi to place the longitudinally-mounted engine and transmission further back behind the front axle and helps elongate the wheelbase without modifying the car’s exterior dimensions.
Will the same platform be used to make the smaller Cayenne? Audi’s board members are against the whole thing fearing such a model will wipe out the Q5, but with the increase of Porsche’s stake in VW, there are chances of the so called Porsche ’Roxster’ turning into reality. At least we hope it happens.
Audi will present at the Geneva Motor Show the Q7 Coastline, a concept inspired by the luxury yacht’s design. A large part of the high-performance SUV’s exterior and interior is bathed in a trendy white.
The Q7 Coastline is powered by a six-liter engine V12 engine that delivers 368 kW (500 hp) of power and an impressive 1,000 Nm (757.56 lb-ft) of torque between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm. As a result, the vehicle performs like a world-class sportscar – sprinting from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 5.5 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155.34 mph). On average, the world’s only 12-cylinder diesel engine in a passenger car uses just 11.9 liters of fuel per 100 km (19.77 mpg).
In contrast to the production version of the Q7 V12 TDI, the casing for the exterior mirrors on the Audi Q7 coastline is white as well; the single-frame radiator grill and the side air intake slots come in dark High Gloss Steel. The Audi Q7 coastline has the same body modifications as the Audi Q7 V12 TDI, with widened wheel arches and striking front and back bumpers that immediately catch the eye.
The equally stylish and trendy interior is dominated by alabaster white, a color popular on luxury yachts. Also in luminous white are the carpet, embroidered floor mats made of fine wool, pillar trim, roof lining, seat upholstery made of plush velvet and Valcona leather, seatbelts, steering wheel, the front of the cockpit and the door trim. The majority of the switches and controls as well as the instrument panel with cowl are likewise in this trendy color from Audi.
Audi previewed today the Q7 V12 TDI quattro, a new version of the Q7 SUV that will debut in Geneva. The diesel version of the Q7 will go on sale in the second half of 2008.
The Q7 V12 TDI quattro is powered by the world’s first V12 diesel engine that generates 500 hp of power and 1,000 Nm (757.56 lb-ft) of torque from six liters of displacement. It makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 5.5 seconds while the top speed is electronically capped at 250 km/h (but on the speedometer, the range extends up to 310 km/h).
The Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro’s powerful engine torque flows through a rapidly and gently shifting six-speed tiptronic that was specially designed for the six-liter diesel engine’s immense torque. The driver can shift the gears of the automatic transmission either with the selector lever or manually with the standard chromed shift paddles on the three-spoke steering wheel.
The quattro drive distributes the power to the front and back wheels in a 40:60 ratio – giving the vehicle a sporty, rear-focused driving style that guarantees maximum agility and driving enjoyment. When needed, the inter-axle differential transfers most of the power to the axle with better traction. Great care has also been devoted to reinforcing all key components in the quattro driveline.
PPI Automotive Design today presented the Ice SUV based on the Audi Q7. Compared to the Q7, the PPI Ice is more luxurious and even more exclusive. It is a car to satisfy the highest requirements when it comes to driving pleasure and active safety.
The impressive appearance of the PPI ICE is supported by a range of performance kits. The first stage for all diesel and petrol engines is a kit comprising a sports exhaust system, sports air filter and an optimised engine management system. This produces a power increase of up to 35 kW/47 bhp and an additional 45 Nm torque compared with the standard production version. The top engine is a turbo-charged version of the 4.2L V8 engine. 600 bhp and a top speed of 295 km/h being the outcome of the PPI development.
A further requirement from the design brief of the PPI development crew specifying that the car should accelerate to 100 km/h in less than 6 seconds was satisfied in impressive style by the engine technicians. At 5.9 seconds, the PPI ICE® performs this sprint 1.5 seconds faster than its production counterpart. And what is more, it is acoustically accentuated by the powerful, sonorous sound of the PPI sports exhaust system with its 4 tailpipes.
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