In the new Audi Q7, the brand's technicians resorted to black magic. That's the feeling I got when driving the new Audi Q7 through the winding roads of the Swiss Alps. With more than 5 meters in length (5,050mm) this SUV doesn't defy the laws of physics but… almost circumvents them.
The agility with which the new SUV from Ingolstadt described the curves and counter-curves, near the town of Verbier, is not that of a sports car (obviously…), but it is not typical of a SUV with 7 seats either. It seems like magic, from that coming from the Lord of the Rings saga. It jumps from curve to curve with a remarkable ease. The brand's technicians present at the presentation assured me that it was just state-of-the-art technology, there were no magic potions in the mix.
For two days, they tried to convince me of this using diagrams and infographics: “(…) look at Guilherme, we did this for that… it's not wizardry, what nonsense!”. With an English washed down with a German accent, they attributed the merits to the new MLB platform – from this platform the next A4, A6 and A8 will be born – which lost 325 kilograms. Which is a big reduction – 71 kilograms were taken from the body and more than 100 kilograms came out of the chassis.
Uma foto publicada por Razão Automóvel (@razaoautomovel) a
Weight reduction extended to the rear suspension (45kg lighter) which now has a steering wheel system (optional).
If dynamically convinced, in the field of comfort the same thing. Regardless of the mode selected in the Audi Drive Select offered as standard (Comfort, Sport, Efficient, Normal or Individual), comfort has always been the dominant note – even if the test by fire is reserved for that 'patchwork quilt' we insist on in naming national roads.
Inside: Shall We Dance?
After the reference to the Lord of the Rings saga, I decided to continue with the analogies related to the seventh art. Are you familiar with the movie Shall we Dance, starring Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere? Well, it could have been shot inside the new Audi Q7, you can almost dance. There's room for seven passengers, and with the seats folded down, the luggage compartment can almost accommodate the Star Wars Galactic Senate (1955 liters capacity).
The refinement and rigor of construction are the envy of the most luxurious scenes of 007 Casino Royale, and are finished off by a technological touch of Tron, thanks to the presence of LED lights throughout the cabin. The Audi Virtual Cockpit system (optional) that we already know from the TT and the new R8 is once again present, totally replacing the analogue dials.
At the top of the center console we find the MMI system screen, which has the ability to clean a large part of the cabin buttons. Overall, from a stylistic point of view, the interior of the new Audi Q7 is perhaps the highest point of the model. The driving position does not deserve any repair. In short, it's what you'd expect from an SUV priced at over 80,000 euros, in other words, it's flawless, flawless and criticism-proof.
The new Audi Q7 introduces a range of impressive driving aids. Somewhere inside the Q7 there are several sensors and processors working to avoid the mistakes that usually take place in that part located between the steering wheel and the seat: knots.
Up to 60 km/h it is possible to activate the semi-autonomous driving mode. Those long lines for work? Enjoy and relax a little, the system controls steering, acceleration and braking. A bit like the movie starring Will Smith, ‘Me, Robot’, in which the American actor allowed himself to be driven by a kind of Audi R8 without wheels.
But the help extends to other fields. The system is able to detect the presence of pedestrians and brake on its own to avoid being run over, and it can also do so to avoid collisions in the most diverse situations. Imagine you want to cross an intersection and not detect a car in the opposite direction, the Audi Q7 can determine for itself whether or not it is safe to go forward and brake if a collision is imminent.
Parking aids are also present, in what is possibly the most advanced system we have ever tested. It parks anyway, as long as there is space. Most. In an SUV over 5 meters long, reversing a parking lot is tricky due to poor visibility into the road. The Audi Q7 alerts if a car comes in either direction.
The cruise-control is able to read traffic signs and adapt the speed to the limits established by the signs, it is even capable of slowing down when it detects the approach to an intersection. Best of all, all these systems work autonomously, requiring no intervention from us. When we need them they are there.
Engines: Two different formulas for similar results
The new Audi Q7 will be launched with two engines, a 3.0 V6 TDI with 272 hp and 600 Nm of torque capable of going from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds, and a 3.0 TFSI with 333 hp and 440 Nm of torque capable of averages going from 0 to 10 km/h in 6.1 seconds. Both coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission supplied by ZF. On the road, the two engines stand out for their speed and smoothness.
Regarding consumption, it was not possible to draw definitive conclusions. But I got the feeling that it will be possible to reach consumption close to 9 l/100 km with the 3.0 TDI engine in conditions of daily use.
Later on, the Ultra version of the same 3.0 TDI will appear (with 218 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque), and at the beginning of 2016 comes the Q7 E-tron Quattro hybrid plug-in with 373 hp and 700 Nm of torque. It combines the 3.0-litre V6 TDI coupled to an electric motor integrated in the gearbox powered by a 17.3 kW lithium battery. Combined power of 368 horsepower and 700 Nm of torque, it is capable of covering 56 kilometers in 100% electric mode and going from 0 to 100 km/h in 6 seconds.
Price
The price of the new Audi Q7 starts at 88,190 euros, to which an additional 6,000 euros must be added for the TECHNO Pack, which includes the city assistance package; MMI Plus navigation system; Audi Virtual Cockpit; Comfort Key with alarm; 4-zone automatic air conditioning; and assisted closing of the doors. Extras that make all the difference on board the biggest SUV's produced by Audi.
