2007 Audi Q7 Review

Specifications

Audi Prepares a Refined SUV for the Upper Crust

The Audi Q7 just might be the industrys worst kept secret. Purposely, Audis advertising agency released three series of teasers, several staged “spy photos” and a hype-generating website, Audi is finally - and we mean it - ready to unwrap its new seven-seat Q7 sport utility vehicle. But aside from making the job of industry analysts just a little bit easier, Audis decision to force the Q7 into the spotlight has made it easy to track the development progression of its first sport utility vehicle.

While Audi is the pioneer of all-wheel drive for road cars, this will be its first official sport utility vehicle. The allroad quattro (lower case intentional) initially eased the Volkswagen-owned premium division into the sport utility crossover segment, with its plastic body cladding, air suspension and quattro all-wheel drive it was never a true SUV. And while the second-generation allroad will be making a return shortly, its still about as much a sport utility vehicle as the Subaru Legacy Outback Wagon or Volvos XC70.

The Q7 quattro is more or less the finished, production-ready version of the Pikes Peaks Quattro concept, introduced some three years ago. While consumers are starting to warm up to the new corporate schnozz, now fitted to all Audis bar the soon to be replaced TT sports coupe, it actually looks quite natural up front. Overall Q7 styling mimics the rest of the revised Audi range, particularly its roofline and shallow tailgate, though it differs by offering a higher metal to glass ratio than were used to seeing. From the rear three-quarters, it is a close match to the A6 Avant, with similarly shaped LED tail lamps and a coke-bottle beltline. Standard to the Q7 are 18-inch alloy wheels, although optional 19- and 20-inchers are available.

The reason for the Q7s late arrival to the premium sport utility market can be pinpointed to upper managements inability to decide which platform it should ride on. Originally it was supposed to be the third musketeer in the VW Touareg/Porsche Cayenne partnership, but Audis execs opted against the plan and instead insisted it be a seven-seat vehicle, which would need a unique platform underneath its stylish sheetmetal. In the end, the runabout resulted in compromise - the Q7 will indeed be related to the Touareg and Cayenne, however, its wheelbase has been stretched by 6.57 inches, allowing enough space to incorporate a third row with adequate legroom.

One goal that Audi set out to achieve was making the Q7 the largest premium sport utility vehicle on the market. At 200.2 inches long, 78.0 inches wide, 68.4 inches high and 118.2 inches in wheelbase, the Q7 not only casts a shadow over the Touareg and Cayenne, but key rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In fact, the Q7 is so large that it dwarfs Land Rovers new LR3 by 9.8 inches and the X5 by a gargantuan 16.5 inches. However, Audi may have played the timing right, as seven-seat rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz are just around the corner.

With all that extra space and three rows of seating, the Q7 just might be the most practical premium sport utility vehicle on the market. Audi claims that no less than 28 different seating and loading combinations can be made, a figure that shames most modern minivans. With clever packaging including second and third row seating which folds flat into the floor, luggage space is never at a premium. When used as a five-seater, as most owners will, the Q7 can carry a class-leading 27.4 cubic feet of gear, and when second and third row are stowed away a gargantuan 71.9 cubic feet becomes available.

But size isnt the only area where the Q7 will differ from the Touareg and Cayenne. The key difference is that Audi will not be fitting it with the same heavy-duty equipment which the Cayenne or Touareg has. The grounds for this decision are based on making the Q7 one of the best handling sport utility vehicles on the market. By reducing weight, on-road performance, handling and better fuel consumption are expected. The optional ride height adjustable air suspension system allows the Q7 to vary its ground clearance, as it does in the Touareg and Cayenne. At higher speeds, it automatically lowers, reducing the center of gravity and coefficient of drag. When called upon, the system can also be raised to provide extra ground clearance or lowered to assist in loading heavy objects into the trunk.

The heart of the Q7s traction system will not be the typical heavy-duty part-time transfer case with locking hubs and differentials. Instead, its system is comprised of the same Torsen permanent all-wheel drive system as used in the RS4 Quattro high performance sedan, with a 40:60 rear-wheel drive bias in normal driving conditions. Audi has cleverly integrated a form of hill descent control into the Q7s electronic stability control program allowing it to tackle steep inclines with little trouble. The ESP also features a trailer stabilization system that automatically applies the vehicles brakes, intervening to stop a fishtailing trailer.

At launch, the Q7 will be offered with two large engines, a 3.0-liter TDI turbodiesel and a 4.2-liter FSI V8, the latter bound for North American markets. The piezo-injector diesel engine generates 230-horsepower, backed by an impressive 369 lb-ft of torque. As for gasoline-power, the V8s big displacement generates 345 horsepower pavement-conquering horses, boosted by FSI direct injection technology. This is the same engine featured in the latest V8-powered A6 and A8 models. Eventually, Audi will add an entry-level 3.2-liter FSI V6 and range-topping 4.2-liter V8 TDI, but that wont be until later in the year. All engines will be mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox before being routed through the brands legendary Quattro all-wheel drive system.

For those familiar with the cabin of the new A6, the Q7 will be a familiar place. Audi has adapted the A6s driver-focused theme to the new SUV, which angles the center console towards the driver for easier operation and improved ergonomics. Like the Touareg and Cayenne, the Q7s layout is similar to that of a regular automobile, as opposed to a traditional truck or sport utility vehicle. Included on all models will be the MMI system, Audis answer to BMWs rather complex iDrive system. Information pertaining to the navigation, stereo and many other vital systems such as the air suspension can be accessed through this intuitively designed scroll wheel and push-button interface.

As Audis first sport utility vehicle, the German premium brand chose to launch several new driver assistance systems to enhance performance and luxury, and such will undoubtedly influence future Audi vehicles. Swiveling bi-xenon headlamps are on the options list, as is Audis Side Assist with Radar Technology, which helps drivers safely perform lane-change maneuvers, while the Advanced Parking System aids in parking through optical and acoustic guidance. A rear-view camera displays a live video on the consoles TFT display system.

The Q7 quattro will make its formal debut at this years IAA, otherwise known as the Frankfurt Motor Show in a few weeks time, but it may be some time before it arrives in North American showrooms. Audis dealers are currently bustling with a wave of new products, from the World Car of the Year-winning A6 to the Golf-sized A3 Sportback. The first North American showing will most likely take place at the Detroit Motor Show in January. Official pricing has yet to be announced for the model range, however, Audi has dropped a hint to much of Europe, where the car will be made available this Autumn on a pre-sale basis: the entry-level 3.0 TDI will start at E48,900 ($59,400 USD), pricing it in line with the SUV upper crust.