2007 Audi Q7 Preview

Written By: MyRide.com
Reprinted under license.

Audi gets a real SUV, but is it too late?

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Introduction

With gas prices reaching near record highs in North America, many might ask why Audi would introduce a new V8-powered SUV called the Q7 into today's marketplace. The fact is that Audi couldn't see the impending gas crunch coming any better than you or I could, and since it takes several years to get a vehicle from paper to production, the 2007 Audi Q7 is more a reaction to consumer preferences of yesterday rather than a plan for consumer preferences of tomorrow. When the idea for the Q7 was hatched, SUVs were all the rage and gas was half the cost it is today. The Q7's debut at the 2005 Frankfurt Auto Show is unfortunate timing for Audi. However, on the flip side, Audi is a luxury make and its buyers are likely wealthy enough that higher prices at the pump won't make one bit of difference. Audi thinks that the Q7's base price will be close to $50,000, and the Q7's success rests more on how well it performs against the competition. Only time will tell.

What's Inside

The 2007 Audi Q7 is Ingolstadt's first attempt at a full-size SUV. Although based on the same platform as the Porsche Cayenne and the Volkswagen Touareg, the Audi Q7 is a larger vehicle designed to seat seven in three rows of seats. Offering no less than 28 seating and loading configurations, the 2007 Audi Q7's interior has been designed for versatility. With five occupants aboard, the Q7 boasts twenty-seven cubic feet of cargo space.

Until now, Audi has been trying to pass off a jacked-up A6 Avant wagon called the Allroad as a sport-utility vehicle, but luxo-ute buyers in North America aren't having any of it. Not only does the new 2007 Q7 supply Audi with a true SUV, but it's got space for seven passengers and that command-of-the-road seating position adored by so many.

What's Under the Hood

Choose from one of two V8 engines that power the 2007 Audi Q7. Most suited for the Q7's size is a 4.2-liter V8 developing 350 horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque. A more economical six-cylinder engine produces 233 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. A six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission transfers power to all four wheels through Audi's Quattro four-wheel-drive system, and an independent suspension with twin-tube shock absorbers at each corner aid in delivering a comfortable ride both on and off the road. Eighteen-inch wheels are standard with nineteen- and twenty-inch rims available as optional equipment. The stability control system features new functions as well, with an off-road mode that optimizes brake performance and traction on loose surfaces, and a towing mode reduces the risk of fish tailing when tugging a trailer by means of targeted brake intervention.

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