The Audi Q7 is a Mid-size luxury crossover SUV made by the German manufacturer Audi, unveiled in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Production of this seven-seater SUV began in November 2005 at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia.[2]
The Q7 was the first SUV sold by Audi and went on sale in 2006.[3] Later, Audi's second SUV, the Q5, was unveiled as a 2009 model. Audi has since unveiled a third SUV model, the Q3, which went on sale in the third quarter of 2011, and a fourth SUV model, the Q2, which went on sale in November 2016. The Q7 shares a Volkswagen Group MLB platform and chassis with the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne and the Volkswagen Touareg.
The Q7 is the second largest vehicle from Audi, being surpassed by the Q6 since 2022.[4] While the Q7 has been the flagship SUV in Audi's product portfolio, a top-of-the-line model with a lower roof, called the Audi Q8, was released in 2018.
It was one of the vehicles involved in the Volkswagen emissions scandal, with the company ordered to buy back some of the affected cars manufactured between 2009 and 2012.[5][6] The Q7 is also subject to hundreds of NTSB complaints with many relating to potentially catastrophic engine failure[7] issues, and a class-action lawsuit related to squealing brakes.[8]
First generation (Typ 4L; 2005)
The Q7 (internally designated Typ 4L) utilizes a modified version of the Volkswagen Group PL71 platform. Previewed by the Audi Pikes Peak quattro concept car, the Q7 is designed more for on-road use, and was not meant for serious off-road use where a transfer case is needed. In an off-road test through the Australian outback it fared well for a "soft roader".[14]
Development began in 2002 under the code AU 716, primarily focused on the Pikes Peak Concept. Design work was frozen for the Concept in July 2002, for presentation at the North American International Auto Show in January 2003. Following the introduction of the concept, full-scale development began on Typ 4L of the PL71 platform.
The production design was frozen in late 2003, for a late 2005 start of production. Prototypes went into testing in 2004, with development concluding in the first half of 2005. It introduced the world's only series production passenger car V12 TDI diesel engine.
Giles Smith, writing for the Guardian described the first-generation Q7 as "the SUV that dwarfs everybody else's SUV."[15] Writing for the Observer, Martin Love described the interior as "a master class in luxury" whilst calling the Q7 "vast, whale-like, bloated ... it's the Lurch of the hard shoulder, a gas-guzzling Zeppelin" and saying "clearly those who buy SUVs couldn't give a monkey's about petrol consumption, but responsible makers such as Audi need to protect these people from themselves."
Second generation (Typ 4M; 2015)
The second generation Audi Q7 was unveiled in January 2015 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.[45] The diesel- and petrol-powered versions were released for retail sales in 2015, followed shortly by diesel-powered plug-in hybrid variant, which is sold in Europe,[46] but not in Canada.[47]
Regardless of engine, all Q7's come with a ZF 8HP 8-speed automatic transmission and a Quattro Permanent all-wheel drive system with a self-locking center differential and a default 40:60 front-to-rear torque split. Depending on available traction, up to 70% of available power can be diverted to the front axle, or up to 85% to the rear axle, without ESP intervention.
In 2016, the BBC noted the Q7 as one of several models on the market which were too large to fit in a standard parking space.[48]
Third generation (2026)
Set to debut in early 2026 along with the SQ7,[65] spy shots of the third-generation Q7 from multiple sources have been shared online.[66] Split headlights similar to that of third-generation Q3 models can be seen, as well as a split taillight setup shared with other recent Audi models. Additionally, small wing-like door handles seem to be used instead of traditional door handles, similar to the Ford Mustang Mach-E.[65]
Sales
External links
- Official website (United Kingdom)
References
- Group dynamics at VW - Automotive Manufacturing Solutions automotivemanufacturingsolutions.com, 1 July 2011, retrieved 3 April 2018^
- Audi Production in Ultramodern Bratislava Plant worldcarfans.com, retrieved 2010-06-17^
- Audi Q7 Review, For Sale, Interior, Colours & Specs in Australia