Audi's promise made is kept: 2007 Audi Q7 arrives At long last, quattro appears on a proper SUV

By Vince Bodiford
Automotive Editor

The long awaited and much anticipated 2007 Audi Q7 - the newest premium sport utility vehicle (SUV) from the people who brought us quattro and invented the all-wheel drive car segment, has arrived.

And you can expect this to be quite an arrival. Audi repeatedly told me that this is "the most important new vehicle launch for Audi," during our first drive. It's what they've said about every new Audi launch - but since this is their first "real" SUV in a segment that accounts for over half of all new vehicle sales in North America - this time I think they mean it.

Before we move much farther into this report - let me convey a personal message from Audi to you, our readers: "This is not a Toureg-based vehicle. It's not a Toureg wearing the Audi badge. It's a unique platform all its own."

That being said, it does share about 15% of the Toureg components. But the similarities indeed stop right there. The Audi Q7 is its own unique vehicle.

For this drive, I was impressed with the route that Audi selected for me to drive. I started the drive at about 100-feet above sea level, and within an hour followed a route that took us to an elevation above 5,500-feet, then back down. Most of the difficult off-road driving I encountered was at this higher elevation, and there was minimal reduction in power and torque. I was very impressed with the 4.2-liter engine - and the fact that in North America, Audi is launching the Q7 first with the V8, with the V6 to follow later.

Approaching the vehicle and looking upon its exterior styling and proportions, I was first impressed with its unique "Audi" appearance. It looks right. The Q7 speaks the Audi design language very clearly and loudly. It has a road presence that is more commanding and striking that you'd expect. Even when seen by drivers in their rear view mirror, it looks like an Audi. A very big Audi at that.

Once inside the Audi Q7, my first impression was the size and a sense of space and room of its interior. But it's more than a sense of space - it's truly large on the interior, however not excessively big. From the drivers seat, visibility is best in class in all directions, vehicle controls are where you'd expect them to be, the seats are comfortable, and the quality of the materials and finish are exceptional and impressive.

The uncompromising quality standards of the brand are to be found Audi Q7, combined with a high level of practicality and versatility. Clean architecture and the finest materials and craftsmanship throughout: these are the lasting impressions conveyed by the interior of the Audi Q7. The elegant forms and the high-quality surfaces are both robust and luxurious.

The whole package is a sophisticated, well-designed and well-built machine. This is more evident as you peel the layers back and inspect the Q7 closely - and you'll appreciate not seeing a single weld anywhere. It is bristling with an air of quality. The Audi Q7 is a vehicle of prodigious proportions even in the premium SUV category. It is 200.2 inches long and has a wheelbase of 118.2 in. - figures that put it ahead of all rivals. With the V8 engine the Audi Q7 weighs in at 5,269 lbs.

The Audi Q7 is available at its debut with a 4.2-liter (4,163 cc) V8 FSI engine, a close relative of the engine used in the new Audi RS 4. In line with the character of the performance SUV, the Q7 develops 350 bhp at 6,800 rpm.

But its torque curve is even beefier than in the RS 4: it achieves 325 lbs.-ft. This power output is the best in its class and is available at 3,500 rpm - 85 percent is unleashed from as low as 2,000 rpm. The figures confirm the impressive power potential of the eight-cylinder engine - which sprints the Q7 from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 7.0 seconds. Top speed is limited to 130 mph. The engine has a sonorous tone and is highly cultivated throughout the entire speed range.

A 3.6-liter (3,597 cc) V6 FSI engine will follow in the second half of 2006. It is derived from the six-cylinder engine that powers the top versions of the Audi A3 and the TT. Its torque is available across a wide range: 265 lbs.-ft. from 2,500 to 5,000 rpm. With a power output of 280 bhp at 6,200 rpm, the V6 represents yet another impressive power pack for the performance SUV. The performance figures are correspondingly impressive: the Audi Q7 3.6 FSI accelerates from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 8.2 seconds; its top speed is limited to 130 mph.

To optimally convert the high performance of the engines into forward propulsion, the Audi Q7 4.2 FSI and 3.6 FSI use Tiptronic automatic transmission as standard. Depending on the engine version, two technically different versions are employed, both of which have the same dynamic character. The six gears of the Tiptronic are wide-spaced and ideally exploit the torque potential of the engines - on the road and on difficult terrain, where the torque converter with its damping action and torque multiplication is particularly well suited for driving off; it also replaces a reduction gear.

Thanks to its enormous efficiency and ability to transmit up to 553 lbs.-ft. of torque, the Tiptronic is perfectly equipped for any situation. Typically for Audi, it is compact and light - the version for the 3.6 V6 FSI weighs only 176 lbs. Transmission management is taken care of by the dynamic shift program (DSP). It adapts to suit the individual style of the driver and the prevailing road conditions and responds to any changes.

A number of changes were made to the Tiptronic for off-road use. The transmission shafts, their mountings and the parking mechanism were reinforced; modifications to the oil sump and intake filter guarantee oil supply even under extreme conditions.

"If the heart of the new Q7 is its engines and Tiptronic gearbox, surely its soul is stirred by the venerable quattro system."

The classic technology for all high-performance Audi vehicles is quattro permanent four-wheel drive - a concept that has been celebrating victories in motorsport and in standard production vehicles for 25 years. More than two million Audi quattro vehicles have come off the assembly line to date. quattro technology ensures excellent traction and lateral stability and minimizes the effect of propulsive power on the vehicle's self-steering properties. This provides the basis for dynamic handling and driving stability - on- and off-road.

A self-locking center differential in the drivetrain of the new Audi Q7 - with its longitudinally installed engines - automatically ensures optimum power distribution to all four wheels. The center differential is a self-locking worm gear that is purely mechanical and so reacts instantly. Its locking action only takes effect under power, while allowing speed differences when the brakes are applied or when cornering.

Like the RS 4 and the S8, the Audi Q7 features the latest-generation self-locking center differential. It has an asymmetric/dynamic torque split of 42:58 between front and rear wheels. In particular off-road situations or if the prevailing road conditions change, the differential can direct up to 65 percent of the power to the front or up to 85 percent to the rear. If a wheel at one axle starts to spin, the electronic differential lock (EDL) takes control by means of appropriate brake intervention.

The slightly rear-biased basic characteristics of the quattro drive in the Audi Q7 signify even more agility. This is noticeable primarily when driving into bends - when the steering is virtually free of any noticeable torque steer. Thanks to direct Servotronic control, which is standard on all Audi Q7 models, the driver enjoys a level of steering precision and clearly defined handling that up to now has been unimaginable in an SUV and only rarely experienced in a sports car.

The transfer box on the Audi Q7 is installed directly next to the automatic transmission. A hollow shaft in the case delivers torque to the self-locking center differential. It is then distributed - the somewhat larger proportion flows via the ring gear and the coaxial output shaft to the driveshaft and from there to the rear. The smaller share is supplied to the center differential, from which it travels by chain to a second driveshaft, which leads past the transmission to the front axle.

Not unlike prior introductions of all-new models for Audi, the Q7 is a technological pioneer showcasing Audi's edge and underscoring Audi's "Lead, Never Follow" theme. Advanced features found on the Q7 perfectly demonstrate the attention to detail that characterized its development. From a cruise control system that stops and accelerates the SUV without driver input, to an award winning blind-spot detection system, technology is omnipresent - at the same time useful and intuitive.

To make for the Audi Q7 a true performance SUV, significant attention was directed to chassis development. Using experience gained from other Audi performance models, the Q7 has driving and handling characteristics normally found in a sporty luxury car, not a typical SUV.

The Audi Q7 is a classic illustration of Audi's claim to offer optimum technical solutions in every model. As a performance SUV the Q7 harmoniously combines excellent driving comfort with a level of dynamism that is quite new for this category of vehicle. Even the slightly rear-biased axle load distribution of 42:58 percent between front and rear is a clear sign of its agile nature.

Audi supplies the Q7 with a conventional steel-spring suspension and hydraulic twin-tube shock absorbers as standard. Ground clearance is around 8.1 inches to ensure good off-road handling. Spring travel is correspondingly long and comfortable. The long wheelbase of 118.2 in. guarantees straight-line stability at high speeds.

To enhance ride comfort and driving dynamics, the double wishbones at the front of the Q7 are made of aluminum. The upper triangular wishbone is a cast part, and the lower is forged. The large gap between the wishbones guarantees precise wheel control.

All Q7 models are equipped as standard with speed-dependent Servotronic steering. The purely hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering helps the driver to maneuver in or out of a parking space, and its directness and precision ensure good road contact and clear feedback at high speeds.

The Servotronic generally is tuned for direct sporty response: depending on steering wheel angle, its ratio varies from around 10.0:1 to 16.5:1. When steering out of the central position, the steering responds more indirectly. This guards against nervous vehicle reactions at high speeds and makes minor corrections to maintain straight-line stability. If the steering wheel is at a greater angle, the control action is more direct and agile with a view to an active driving feel.

At the rear axle, the upper wishbone and the spring strut cross bar are made of forged aluminum. The tie rod is made of weight-optimized tailored rolled blanks, which because of steel plates of varying thicknesses, combine low weight with high rigidity for sections under particular load and strain.

The Q7 is fitted with 18-inch aluminum wheels as standard, with 235/60 tires - on the eight-cylinder version with 255/55 tires. The rims underneath are 7.5 inches wide (for the V6 engines) and 8 inches (for the V8). Each can bear a wheel load of 1,980 lbs. while weighing only 24.2 and 26.4 lbs. respectively. Wheels in other sizes (19 and 20-inch) can be ordered as options. An optical highlight is the new 20-inch 5 twin-spoke cast aluminum wheel of two-color design - with spoke flanks in anthracite and polished design elements.

The latest-generation adaptive air suspension is available as an option on the Audi Q7. The combination of air suspension and an electronically controlled damping system produces the perfect synthesis of sporty handling and supreme ride comfort. The air suspension comprises a compressor, two accumulators each with a capacity of around 10 liters and four electronically controlled dampers, integrated into the suspension struts.

For normal driving, a choice of three different characteristics can be selected via the Multi Media Interface (MMI) operating system, ranging from very sporty to comfortable, namely Dynamic, Automatic and Comfort.

The system control unit varies the air spring and damping characteristics at the compression and rebound stage according to the mode selected and vehicle speed. The driving modes and height levels can be read off the MMI screen. The ride height also appears in the central driver information display.

The Automatic mode is designed to offer the best handling performance in every situation. Alternatively, drivers requiring more comfort can select the Comfort mode, which has a particularly soft damping action. In both cases the body is at normal ride height up to 75 mph, offering 7.1-in. ground clearance. In the Dynamic mode the suspension is lowered by 0.6-in. from the start - the lower center of gravity ensures a more dynamic driving experience.

Regardless of the mode selected, the body is automatically lowered on highways to a ground clearance of 6.5 in. if the Audi Q7 travels for more than 30 seconds at a speed of at least 75 mph. From a speed of 100 mph - maintained constantly for more than 20 seconds - the body is lowered by another 0.6 in. to further optimize stability and aerodynamic drag. If the vehicle slows down, the air suspension lifts the body in two stages to restore the normal ride height - the thresholds for this being 81 and 44 mph.

Particularly on country roads, the dynamics also benefit from an important innovative feature of adaptive air suspension - the dynamic roll stabilization function. The system, using information provided by four sensors at the wheels and three additional sensors on the body, actively responds to steering input and body roll. By deliberately increasing the damping forces, it counteracts the rolling motion of the vehicle. In fast cornering maneuvers, for example, the body remains horizontally stable.

Off-road, the Audi Q7 driver can activate two additional modes: the off-road mode is one inch above normal ride height and can be used up to a speed of 60 mph. The lift mode is even higher with 1.4 in. of extra ground clearance, so even major obstacles can be negotiated at moderate speeds.

Finally, two functions round off the range of options: via a button in the luggage compartment the driver can lower the loading lip by 2.8 in., making it much easier to load heavy objects into the vehicle. There is even a special suspension mode for driving with a trailer.

The air suspension of the Audi Q7 also functions as a high-tech self-leveling suspension - it keeps the body at the ideal height, regardless of the load situation. Passengers benefit from a very smooth ride at all times.

To help save drivers from poor conditions that might otherwise ruin a perfectly good day, the Q7 is equipped with the latest-generation stabilization control technologies. The Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) incorporates a number of components - the anti-lock brake system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and hydraulic brake assist, the traction control system (ASR) and the electronic differential lock (EDL).

To allow for the far-reaching scope of the performance SUV, the ESP has new features such as an off-road mode that can be activated by a switch. In this mode the system tolerates a certain amount of slip when braking or accelerating, which often can be of help on loose surfaces. Fluid control thresholds apply at lower speeds, whereas more priority is attached to driving stability as the speed increases.

For downhill driving there is a special assist function. Below 12 mph it keeps the speed constant on steep downhill stretches, allowing the driver to fully concentrate on steering the vehicle. In addition, the rollover stabilization program intervenes in the event of critical driving situations that might cause the vehicle to overturn and takes the necessary corrective braking action - thus potentially saving the day.

With all these technologies - quattro permanent four-wheel drive, high-torque engines, long spring travel and high ground clearance - the Audi Q7 offers superior off-road capability.

Its maximum possible climbing capacity is 31 degrees. The ramp angle measures 21 degrees for vehicles with steel-spring suspension and 24 degrees for the Audi Q7 with air suspension. There is a similar difference in the angle of slope (23/25 degrees).

When driving through water the Audi performance SUV can plunge in up to a depth of 20 in. An off-road package for fans of a more cross-country look will be available at a later date. This includes painted front guards, underside protection plates of brushed stainless steel at front and rear, flared wheel arches and rocker panels.

ESP is not the only system on the Audi Q7 to feature state-of-the-art technology - the hydraulic brake system also gives a strong performance. Even under extreme load it has exceptional deceleration capabilities. The four discs are internally ventilated and generous in size - those at the front axle are 13.8 inches in diameter and 1.3 in. thick; rear disks are 13.0 in. in diameter. The front brake calipers are cast from black anodized aluminum and feature a six-piston design. Air ducts in the vehicle floor help to improve brake cooling. The smooth-finished discs are dirt-resistant - important for off-road driving. Deflector shields protect the brake lines from damage caused by the impact of gravel.

The standard tire pressure monitoring system makes another important contribution to driving safety. It constantly monitors the temperature and pressure of all four tires. In the event of pressure loss it sends warning messages, varying in priority according to pressure levels.

On the road, the Audi Q7 excels with sporty driving performance and dynamism; off-road, its uncompromising propulsion is dazzling. The Audi Q7 is the performance SUV from the creator of quattro - and it does not disappoint. It's a unique blend of a performance sedan together with the genuine off-road machine. To me, it's as if Audi squashed together the best attributes of the Porsche Cayenne S and the robust off-road performance of a Jeep®. And for good measure, they threw in real towing capability, plus a full array of lifestyle accessories for your mountain bikes and toys.

Audi has delivered on its promise and has created one of the worlds finest SUV's. Vehicles go on sale in North America in June 2006.

North American Vehicle Pricing: Audi Q7 4.2-liter FSI Quattro - $49,900; Q7 4.2-liter FSI Quattro with Premium package, $59,900.

For More Information, visit www.audi.com (global site).

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