The second generation of the Audi Q7 luxury SUV is a very different animal compared to the original. The SQ7 TDI is even more different, priding itself on an electric powered compressor.
435 PS (429 hp) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) from a 4.0-liter biturbo V8 doesn’t come cheap, though. In Germany, the SQ7 TDI starts from €89,900. In the United Kingdom, £70,970 is the starting point. Hence, the hottest variant is slightly more than the Q7 e-tron quattro and a lot more than the Q7 3.0 TDI.
There’s not a single word on U.S. pricing or when it will arrive in America, but the German automaker offers a glimmer of hope: “With high torque even at low engine speeds and low consumption figures, it is also ideally suited for markets such as the United States." Need I say anything more?
The electric powered compressor is what makes this full-size SUV special. According to Audi, the EPC consigns turbo lag to the history books by supporting the sequentially activated turbos, mostly in the lower rpm range.
And so, ladies and gentlemen, this 2,345-kilogram (5,170-pound) behemoth can accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds. If you’re brave enough and you have a long enough straight ahead of you, the 2017 Audi SQ7 TDI can be pushed to an electronically governed 250 km/h (155 mph). It’s mighty impressive, especially if you bear in mind that the Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S are seven-tenths of a second faster.
Even though it is fueled with diesel, the 2017 Audi SQ7 TDI is not exactly a tractor. It can be equipped with all-wheel steering, sport differential, electromechanical active roll stabilization, carbon ceramic brakes, everything that’s worthy of a supercar, but only as long as you’re prepared to pay extra. It doesn’t sound tractor-like either, as you’ll find out from the clip below.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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