First previewed by the Pikes Peak Quattro concept in January 2003 and launched in 2006, the current Audi Q7 is a familiar sight in affluent neighborhoods the world over. But as those dates indicate, it's getting long in the tooth. It's good, then, that the second generation—rendered above—of the sister model to the Porsche Cayenne and the VW Touareg is likely to be unveiled as soon as the Detroit auto show this January.
The first Q7 came as something of an unpleasant surprise to Porsche, who originally believed that its Cayenne wouldn't have to compete with a luxury platform mate. The Touareg was sufficiently downmarket so as not to pose a threat, but Audi desperately needed an SUV and the plans changed. At least the four-ringers differentiated their SUV from Porsche's with a longer wheelbase and an available third row—and a far more luxurious interior.
The 2016 Q7 will be the first VW Group vehicle to use the MLB Evo architecture, as Audi has the lead in developing the platform for all brands; it will thus launch before the next Touareg and Cayenne. The new bones will, our sources say, cut at least 500 pounds versus the current Q7. (For reference, our long-term 2011 TDI tipped our scales at a rather portly 5687 pounds.)
As with its predecessor, the 2016 Q7 will ride on a longer wheelbase than its siblings and will be the only one of the trio to offer a third row of seats. It will incorporate a cutting-edge suite of telematics and electronics that will include highly customizable, Audi TT–like TFT instrumentation—unlike that car, however, the Q7 could have a center-stack screen—as well as the latest driver-assistance systems.
Every Q7 will be fitted with Quattro all-wheel drive, and the engine portfolio again will include V-6 and V-8 diesel and gasoline engines. The diesel lineup is especially interesting: Beyond the latest 3.0-liter V-6 TDI (details here) and its roughly 265 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque, Audi also will offer a V-8 TDI with approximately 450 horsepower. U.S. plans for the latter are still murky, but the V-6 diesel is a shoo-in. One plug-in hybrid has already been confirmed: Dubbed the Q7 e-tron, it will team the V-6 TDI with an electric motor for a reported total system output of 369 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. This model will launch sometime after the conventionally powered Q7 models.
More exciting: Audi will offer a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 TDI with an electric supercharger, an engine previewed by the RS5 TDI concept. (We drove that RS5 and the powertrain is incredible.) Rated at more than 400 horsepower and perhaps 600 lb-ft of torque, this powerful SUV will wear SQ7 TDI badging. Audi will of course also offer V-6 and V-8 gasoline engines, and a high-powered derivative using the corporate twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 could see the light of day as a gasoline-powered SQ7. Less likely but tantalizing—but currently still being discussed—are RS Q7 and 500-plus-hp V-10 TDI variants.
- 2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S Tested: 550 Horses, 4.1 Seconds to 60!
- 2015 Volkswagen Touareg Debuts: Honed for Safety, Toned for Style
- Audi Q7 Research: News, Photos, Reviews, Pricing, and More
According to our intel, Audi will launch the Q7 with LED headlights, but laser lights will be offered at a date likely to coincide with the launch of the powerful SQ7s. The brand also is working on a sporty, low-slung spin-off model called the Q8, which will go head-to-head with the BMW X6—and the next Porsche Cayenne. It seems fitting to turn up the wick on that sibling rivalry, no?
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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