Photo: Carpix
Audi is currently working full throttle to develop a new generation of the Q7, with our spy shooters recently encountering a test mule that was undergoing a cold weather testing session.
If we take a look at these photos, we’ll notice that the fenders are beefier, while the front overhang appears to be shorter. However, the real changes are hidden under the skin, with Audi set to reinvent its full-size SUV.
Just like the upcoming Range Rover, the Q7 is expected to be a lot lighter when it arrives on the market, with the car set to lose about 400 kg (880 lbs). While the VW Group is already familiar with such a process (the company has already done this for the VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne), the engineers now face more and more challenges, as the competition in the SUV segment is fiercer than ever.
The Audi Q7 has already established a reputation as a dependable, premium SUV and now the Ingolstadt people have to build on that. Unlike the rest of the VW Group SUVs, this Audi has skipped a generation, so now it has to make up for that.
The new downsized engines that will power the second-generation Q7 will bring more benefits than just a reduced overall weight. With less mass hanging over the vehicle's front end, the handling will be improved too.
Then there are the safety benefits. Engineers may have learned to channel the movement of the engine in case of an impact, but a more compact, lighter structure means their efforts will only offer better results.
As for the offroad credentials of the model, Audi never played that card for the Q7, so don't expect too much from the newcomer. Instead, those who are into hybrid powertrains will certainly have something to talk about.
Just like the upcoming Range Rover, the Q7 is expected to be a lot lighter when it arrives on the market, with the car set to lose about 400 kg (880 lbs). While the VW Group is already familiar with such a process (the company has already done this for the VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne), the engineers now face more and more challenges, as the competition in the SUV segment is fiercer than ever.
The Audi Q7 has already established a reputation as a dependable, premium SUV and now the Ingolstadt people have to build on that. Unlike the rest of the VW Group SUVs, this Audi has skipped a generation, so now it has to make up for that.
The new downsized engines that will power the second-generation Q7 will bring more benefits than just a reduced overall weight. With less mass hanging over the vehicle's front end, the handling will be improved too.
Then there are the safety benefits. Engineers may have learned to channel the movement of the engine in case of an impact, but a more compact, lighter structure means their efforts will only offer better results.
As for the offroad credentials of the model, Audi never played that card for the Q7, so don't expect too much from the newcomer. Instead, those who are into hybrid powertrains will certainly have something to talk about.
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