What Is It?

2006 Audi Q7

What's Special About It?

Audi is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its quattro all-wheel-drive system by introducing its first SUV, the Audi Q7. On sale internationally in the spring of 2006, Frankfurt show-goers watched as German-born Dirk Nowitzi, the 7-foot-tall forward for the Dallas Mavericks, climbed from the cabin of the all-new Q7.

Measuring just over 200 inches long, 78 inches tall and 68.4 inches wide, the Q7 rides on a 118.2-inch wheelbase, and provides an adequate package to handle even the stretched limbs of a pro basketball player.

Seven-passenger seating is spread across three rows, with an adjustable second-row bench that allows its occupants to maximize their legroom. The Q7 has no trouble swallowing up cargo either, with 28 different seating/storage configurations to optimize interior space. Seventy-two cubic feet of cargo capacity is available with both rear seats folded flat, and cuts to 27.4 cubes when used as a five-passenger.

Available at launch with two engines, a gasoline-burning 345-horsepower, 4.2-liter V8 with FSI direct fuel injection and a diesel 3.0 TDI six-cylinder rated at 312 hp, the Q7 is expected to add a hybrid version to its lineup in 2008. A six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission is paired with both engines.

All Q7s are equipped with Audi's quattro system, and a standard torque split of 40/60 front to rear.

The now familiar Audi family grille puts a recognizable face on the Q7, and sharply sloping D-pillars offer a coupelike profile. The Q7 comes in 11 colors, three of which are exclusive to the SUV.