Larger Q7 Derived from VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne Architecture
I have to admit to being a big fan of Volkswagen's Touareg and Porsche's Cayenne. The two sport utilities, which share a general overall architecture, combine agile driving
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| The Volkswagen Pikes Peak SUV concept debuted at last year's Detroit auto show. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Before I get into the all the details of Audi's new entry, a trip back to last year's Detroit auto show is necessary, where Audi first showed the new SUV in concept form amid a Technicolor lightshow of LEDs. The prototype, dubbed Pikes Peak in commemoration of the brand's many successes hill climbing the Colorado mountain road, was an intriguing prospect.
The Volkswagen-owned brand unveiled the real McCoy in Paris last month on September 23rd, and in doing so gave the vehicle a new name, the Q7. The Q designation is new to
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| The Q7 will feature Audi's 40-valve, dual-overhead cam, 4.2-liter V8 engine. (Photo: Audi Canada) |
"The letter Q denotes a new type family within our company, alongside A, S and RS," stated Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the Audi AG board of management. The 7 not only denotes passenger volume, as the new SUV will be the first 7-occupant vehicle sold under the quad-ringed brand, but also indicates its position in between the A6 and A8 sedans.
To reiterate, being that the Q7 is to be based on the same overall architecture as the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, both 5-passenger SUVs, it begs speculation that 7-passenger versions of these vehicles may be forthcoming. Of course, nothing about the two related SUVs and any passenger volume increase has been announced.