Audi has released yet more tantalising images of its new Q7 off-roader. The latest photos show a car with only minimal masking that barely disguises its bold face, though the sufficiently disguised rear leaves a few final revelations to divulge when Audi premieres the Q7 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
To compete with the BMW X5, Range Rover Sport and the forthcoming Mercedes ML, Audi has concentrated on a road-biased ride, ditching the Volkswagen Touareg’s heavy transmission in favour of the simpler quattro system employed by the RS4. This means a rear-biased 40/60 rear-drive split and the loss of the Touareg’s locking differentials. The wheelbase has been extended 160mm over its sister cars, the Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. This provides an optional third row of seats to compete with the Mercedes G Class, Volvo XC90 and Land Rover Discovery.Power is expected to come from a new 280bhp 3.6-litre V6 and 335bhp 4.2-litre V8 petrol units and 3.0-litre V6 and 4.2-litre V8 common-rail diesel engines. There are also rumours of a sporty 'QS7', powered by a 500bhp 5.2-litre V10.The Q7 is due to go on sale early next year, with prices in the region of £37,000. It will be followed mid-year by the new A6 Allroad and in the latter half of 2007 the Audi off-roader trio is completed by the smaller Q5.
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