Audi had given a hint of its new SUV 2 years ago, with a concept car called Pike’s Peak. The definitive version, called Q7, will be presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show, in October.
Offering accommodation for 7 people, this 4.85-meter long SUV, drawn by Walter De Silva, will compete with the BMW X5, Mercedes ML, Lexus RX 300, Range Rover and Volkswagen Touareg, with which it will share its platform.
The Q7 should be powered by the well-known 3.2 V6, 4.2 V8, and 5.0 V10 TDI. A twin-turbo evolution of the 4.2 seems to be underway, and it might develop about 500bhp.
To avoid direct competition with the Touareg, the big Audi will be more expensive, with a basic price of £32,000 at least, and more refined.
Audi intends to sell the Q7 in the US mainly – the biggest market for SUVs– and will launch it there early 2007.