Audi Q7
On sale July 2006

In the last decade, one prestige car manufacturer has quadrupled its range of models. In 1996 Audi had six cars, which this year has leapt to sixteen, but with one major omission – a premium SUV. In July this year, the Audi Q7 goes on sale. Competing with the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport, the Q7 is a very luxurious, very large, tough, four wheel drive off roader, with luxury saloon refinements.

Its styling is rugged but with the now familiar new Audi grille. There are three trim levels, S, SE and the S line, which Audi says will be the most popular trim, but even the bottom of the range will include a high specification list. Cruise control, rear acoustic parking, multifunction steering wheel and two zone automatic climate control amongst others.

The cabin is impressively lavish and will accommodate seven adults, and there is plenty of leg room with adjustable second row seats and easy access to the third row of seats. There are actually 28 seating and loading configurations, which means exceptional versatility. The Q7 has the largest luggage area in the segment, of 2,035 litres if required, and the seats don’t have to be removed.

As the longest and widest vehicle in the segment, it gave me some hair raising moments, driving it on UK narrow country lanes, and a left hand drive at that! In the driving seat however, it does feel agile and car like, with precision steering. It also has very commendable levels of silence.

Audi says it is the fastest, the most powerful and the most technologically advanced SUV, with a 4.2 litre FSi petrol engine and a 3 litre TDi which costs from £37,330. Despite its very large bulk, the 3 litre TDi will still accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds and the 4.2 litre FSi is even quicker at 7.4 seconds. This is a real sporty sounding SUV but with the practicality of being able to transport seven people.

The Q7 will be the first in the Audi range, to pioneer a lot of new equipment. Like the A6 and A8 models, the Q7 is equipped as standard with the innovative Multi Media Interface (MMI) which has just one button to control many major in car functions. In the Q7 the system is available with a variety of new optional extras, which include Audi side assist with radar technology, which helps detect cars that may be in the driver’s blind spot. An advanced parking system has optical and acoustic guidance and a rear view camera.

Quattro technology gives stable cornering and outstanding grip on wet slippery roads. And with twenty six years Quattro experience, the Q7 takes the rough as much in its stride as the smooth. The off road setting with 205mm of clearance is perfect for cross country driving. The Electronic Stability Programme includes numerous new functions such as hill descent assist, a special off road mode that optimises brake performance and traction on loose surfaces and a trailer stabilisation system that reduces the risk of fish tailing.

Audi expects that two thirds of sales will be the diesel model and three quarters of sales will be the automatic transmission. The Q7 will be bought mainly by men who are self employed and already 1,327 customers have put down deposits, even before the on sale date of 1st July. They will have to be customers that are not price conscious, because the new Audi Q7 will be expensive to buy, and to run. It’s not difficult to understand its popularity though, when predicted residual values are expected to be the highest in the sector, at 45% to 51%. Audi expects to sell 3,500 vehicles in 2006 and in its first full year, 5,000.

Introducing new models into segments where currently Audi is not represented is a strategy, which the German company says will bring it significant growth and therefore Audi promises even more new cars this year.

By Sue Cooke