Photo: ABT Sportsline
There was a time when performance SUVs were few and far between. In the 1980s, only the Lamborghini LM002 “Rambo Lambo” had the legs to keep up with sports cars and supercars in addition to the capability of bashing sand dunes and rocky trails into submission. These days, however, you can even get an e-charged turbo diesel Audi sports utility vehicle.
The SQ7 is the culprit, and under the hood, the four-ringed automaker has stuffed a 4.0-liter engine with two turbos and an electric compressor powered by a 48-volt electrical subsystem. The 4.0 TDI may be complicated, but it’s also the most powerful diesel the Volkswagen Group sells in a series-production automobile thanks to 435 PS (429 horsepower).
It’s the torque, however, that beggars belief. Save for a few Bentleys and the Bugatti Chiron, the 4.0 TDI comes in third place with 900 Nm (664 pound-feet) of torque from 1,250 through 3,250 rpm. And such, does it come as a surprise the SQ7 needs 4.8 seconds to hit 100 km/h?
ABT Sportsline can do better than Audi, though. The German tuning company has extracted 510 PS (503 horsepower) and 970 Nm (716 pound-feet) from the diesel-fueled blunderbuss, an upgrade made possible by the ABT Engine Control Unit. The ABT Sound Control System is another highlight of the tuning program, helping the engine sound a bit more exciting.
“The engine and platform have plenty in reserve, providing both impressive power and excellent driveability," explained chief executive officer Hans-Jurgen Abt. Come 2020, the SQ7 can also be modified with an aerodynamic widebody kit that’s currently under “intensive development.”
But wait, there’s more! Like every tuner that respects itself, ABT Sportsline is much obliged to swap the bone-stock alloys for three 22-inch options. These are the Sport GR in two finishes (gloss or matte black), HR Aero only available dark smoke, and the HR-F flow-forming wheels in shadow silver. Interior finishing options are also available, but still, the bone-stock cockpit of the SQ7 is already luxurious by most people’s standards.
It’s the torque, however, that beggars belief. Save for a few Bentleys and the Bugatti Chiron, the 4.0 TDI comes in third place with 900 Nm (664 pound-feet) of torque from 1,250 through 3,250 rpm. And such, does it come as a surprise the SQ7 needs 4.8 seconds to hit 100 km/h?
ABT Sportsline can do better than Audi, though. The German tuning company has extracted 510 PS (503 horsepower) and 970 Nm (716 pound-feet) from the diesel-fueled blunderbuss, an upgrade made possible by the ABT Engine Control Unit. The ABT Sound Control System is another highlight of the tuning program, helping the engine sound a bit more exciting.
“The engine and platform have plenty in reserve, providing both impressive power and excellent driveability," explained chief executive officer Hans-Jurgen Abt. Come 2020, the SQ7 can also be modified with an aerodynamic widebody kit that’s currently under “intensive development.”
But wait, there’s more! Like every tuner that respects itself, ABT Sportsline is much obliged to swap the bone-stock alloys for three 22-inch options. These are the Sport GR in two finishes (gloss or matte black), HR Aero only available dark smoke, and the HR-F flow-forming wheels in shadow silver. Interior finishing options are also available, but still, the bone-stock cockpit of the SQ7 is already luxurious by most people’s standards.
Google News