With the growing popularity of luxury SUVs it just makes sense that more and more tuners are preparing hot rod packages for these larger people movers. As it comes from the factory, the Audi Q7 is nearly a perfect vehicle. It Is built on top of a solid platform that is shared with the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg, the interior of the Audi has a few extremely upscale features like a pair of Bang and Olufsen speakers that pop up from the dashboard and some of the softest leather you will ever sit in. The only area that the German automaker has left to be improved upon is what’s under the hood and B&B Automobiltechnik have all the options covered.
For the top of the line 6.0 Liter V12 TDI powered Q7, B&B has added an upgraded air intake, intercooler and injection system along with modified engine software to take full advantage of the new performance parts and bring the diesel burning mill’s output up to 595 HP and an astounding 936.7 lb-ft of torque for only 10,000 Euro. B&B has come up with a few options for the slightly smaller 4.2 Liter V8 equipped Q7, squeezing out 375 HP and 627 lb-ft of torque for a mere 1,698 Euro or and even higher 400 HP and 664 lb-ft of thrust for just 4,950 Euro.
B&B offers even more options for the smallest and most fuel efficient model in the Q7 lineup, the 3.0 Liter TDI powered Audi SUV with three different engine tuning packages. The first stage consists of a simple ECU upgrade that slightly increases the TDI’s boost pressure so that it churns out 280 HP and 431 lb-ft of torque for only 1,398 Euro; the second ups the output to 300 HP and 443 lb-ft of torque for 1,498 Euro while the most powerful makes 325 HP and 427 b-ft of torque for 3,950 Euro. No matter which package you choose, the Q7 is guaranteed to look perfect with a set of twin five spoke B12 rims sized anywhere from 20 to 23 inches in diameter and B&B Automobiltechnik’s subtle aero package.
More often than not, when the size of your family increases, the bulge in your back pocket gets smaller. However for a lucky few whose wallets manage to stay full even after the addition of a few offspring, they are in the fortunate position of not having to sacrifice the finer things in life, like a tuned high end people mover. Even though it has only been on the market for a short while now, the redesigned Audi Q7 is already a big hit in the tuner scene. A perfect example is this modified version from the German tuning house Caractere.
Not only will you be able to haul the kid to soccer practice and load up on umber for those time consuming weekend projects, but you will be able to do it in style. That is because the Caractere kit changes the appearance of the full size SUV by adding a more aggressive front bumper that makes use of the factory fog lights, the vehicle’s original Adaptive Cruise Control sensor and even incorporates the original headlight washers. Out back the new rear bumper can be ordered to fit vehicles with or without a trailer hitch depending on what kind of hauling duties the owner has planned for their Q7.
Finishing off the sporty styling of the Caractere kit is a wing atop the rear hatch, a set of bold wheel arches and the company’s signature CW1 wheels that are available in either 20 or 22 inch diameters.
ABT Sportsline is used to building entrants for Gemany’s DTM racing series, but are never too busy to tune any product out of the Audi catalog. When the tuners found out that the luxury carmaker was putting a turbocharged diesel V12 in the Q7, they couldn’t wait to turn up the boost. Output is up to 560 HP, from the factory 500 HP; and torque has been increased to 885 lb-ft from the standard 737.5 lb-ft of twist. The full size Audi SUV can now go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 5.3 seconds. Not bad for an alternatively fueled tuner truck.
The German automaker, Audi has prepared a subtle facelift for the 2010 model year, and part of that new lineup will be the next generation Q7 coming in 2011. If this year’s restyling didn’t quite do it for you, next year’s is going to be completely different. The biggest change will come at the front end with the headlights, and continue throughout the bodylines, creating a much more aggressive, sharper design.
The front grill will now be hexagonal in shape, with a series of LED driving lights on either side. New for the next generation Audi SUV will be an all-new 2.0 Liter TFSI motor that will put out 210 HP. All of the familiar engine options will be back as well. Except for the alternatively fueled, the extremely torquey, V12 TDI version will be dropped for the future.
When European tuners talk about ICE they are referring to in car entertainment. That was one of the main aspects that PPI Design focused on when they created the PPI ICE from an Audi Q7. The tuners stuffed enough gadgets into the interior to keep any computer geek occupied for hours.
After revealing the facelift version of the Q7 SUV, Audi also revealed the first official video of the SUV. The new Q7 comes with a slightly restyled grille, new bumpers and xenon headlights.
Audi is working off the old maxim: “If you ain’t new, you’re through.” So three years into the Q7’s first life cycle Audi says it has given the Q7 a facelift. Can’t see the difference? don’t worry, you’re not the only one.
Outside this Q7 comes with a slightly restyled grille, new bumpers and xenon headlights. If you think the interior is where the significant updates are, then we are sorry to disappoint. The most noticeable elements are a few new wood bits and an upgraded sat nav system.
The engine lineup hasn’t changed for the U.S. either. The 280 hp 3.6-liter V6 and 350 hp 4.2-liter V8 gas engines as well as the 225 hp 3.0-liter diesel V6 make up the entire North American range. Sorry folks, the 500 hp 6.0-liter diesel V12 stays in Europe.
Audi announced today the pricing for the Q7 TDI - the first clean diesel to be sold on the US market. Sales will begin later this month and prices will start from $50,900.
The Q7 TDI (powered by a 3.0-liter V6 engine) offers the efficiency of 25 mpg in highway driving and a range of more than 600 miles on a full tank. The Q7 TDI also gets an EPA-rated 17 mpg in city driving and combined fuel economy of 20 mpg.
On the exterior the Q7 TDI features sporty S line styling upgrades, including S line front and rear bumpers, S line badging, headlight washers and 19-inch five-spoke wheels.
Audi USA will start offering the Q7 3.0 TDI this month on the national dealers. The car has a fuel economy of 25 mpg and over 600 highway miles of range.
The new SUV is powered by a TDI 3.0 V6 clean diesel (50-state) that delivers 221 hp and a peak torque of 406 lb-ft torque. It makes the 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds.
The Q7 3.0 TDI comes with 21 inch wheels with 295/35 tires, six-piston front and four-piston rear brakes provide ample stopping power, turbocharger optimized for US market.
The Audi Q7 hasn’t even been on the market for a full three years yet, and it’s already time for a refreshening. Next month at the Shanghai Auto Show, Audi will show off a few new minor touches to its largest SUV. The easiest things to notice on the new Q7 will likely be a new grille and new headlights that should have the now-standard LED eyebrow. What is harder to notice, but more functional, will be the S-tronic double-clutch transmission and possible 3.0-liter hybrid drivetrain.
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