JHF
Driving Dynamics Pro
Audi Spied Testing Sporty Q7 Prototype, Could Be the S Q7
We’ve spied the future second-generation Audi Q7 on countless occasions and now we are here to tell you the new incarnation of the SUV will bring the vehicle up to speed. Literally.
Among other benefits, the generation change will grant the Audi Q7 an invitation to the performance SUV party. Late to this the Q7 might be, but the German automaker has... big plans for the vehicle.
Before we move on to the details though, let’s take a moment to talk about what sets the spied prototype apart. Take a closer look at its rear end, as if the test vehicle has just overtaken you and you’ll notice the rounded tailpipes of the previous test vehicles are gone.
These have been replaced with a set of trapezoidal tailpipes that obviously spell “AMG”, pointing out this prototype could be the test bed for the expected performance version of the car, the S Q7. This isn’t the first time major automakers turn to trolling for their test vehicles, so we’ll move on to the technical side of the story.
While Audi hasn’t confirmed the S Q7 yet, the model’s arrival is almost certain. It’s only natural for Ingolstadt to want a bite of the segment where models like the BMW X5 M, Mercedes ML 63 AMG and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo play. Mind you, the Q7’s more generous frame will mean that its closest competitor is probably the Mercedes GL 63 AMG.
Regardless of that, motivation will come from Audi’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. For the S Q7, the engine could deliver anywhere between 500 and 600 hp. You see, when Audi enters a power war within a certain segment, the automaker likes to dominate. The latest example of this comes from the all-new RS6 Plus, which takes the aforementioned 4.0-liter unit to 600 HP, a tad above everything else in the class.
Nonetheless, the Q7 will be an S, not an RS model, so we expect its output to stay closer to 520 hp of the S8 sedan, rather than to 600 hp.
Like the rest of the Q7 line-up, the S will ride on Audi’s incarnation of the third-generation VW Group SUV platform. This is expected to put the Q7 on an aluminum diet, so we could see a weight loss of up to 800 lbs (363 kg). That’s about the same as a pair of Ducati motorcycles, in case you were wondering.
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/audi-spied-testing-sporty-q7-prototype-could-be-the-s-q7-82927.html
We’ve spied the future second-generation Audi Q7 on countless occasions and now we are here to tell you the new incarnation of the SUV will bring the vehicle up to speed. Literally.
Among other benefits, the generation change will grant the Audi Q7 an invitation to the performance SUV party. Late to this the Q7 might be, but the German automaker has... big plans for the vehicle.
Before we move on to the details though, let’s take a moment to talk about what sets the spied prototype apart. Take a closer look at its rear end, as if the test vehicle has just overtaken you and you’ll notice the rounded tailpipes of the previous test vehicles are gone.
These have been replaced with a set of trapezoidal tailpipes that obviously spell “AMG”, pointing out this prototype could be the test bed for the expected performance version of the car, the S Q7. This isn’t the first time major automakers turn to trolling for their test vehicles, so we’ll move on to the technical side of the story.
While Audi hasn’t confirmed the S Q7 yet, the model’s arrival is almost certain. It’s only natural for Ingolstadt to want a bite of the segment where models like the BMW X5 M, Mercedes ML 63 AMG and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo play. Mind you, the Q7’s more generous frame will mean that its closest competitor is probably the Mercedes GL 63 AMG.
Regardless of that, motivation will come from Audi’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. For the S Q7, the engine could deliver anywhere between 500 and 600 hp. You see, when Audi enters a power war within a certain segment, the automaker likes to dominate. The latest example of this comes from the all-new RS6 Plus, which takes the aforementioned 4.0-liter unit to 600 HP, a tad above everything else in the class.
Nonetheless, the Q7 will be an S, not an RS model, so we expect its output to stay closer to 520 hp of the S8 sedan, rather than to 600 hp.
Like the rest of the Q7 line-up, the S will ride on Audi’s incarnation of the third-generation VW Group SUV platform. This is expected to put the Q7 on an aluminum diet, so we could see a weight loss of up to 800 lbs (363 kg). That’s about the same as a pair of Ducati motorcycles, in case you were wondering.
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/audi-spied-testing-sporty-q7-prototype-could-be-the-s-q7-82927.html
