Even bigger and less green(ish): Audi set to launch V12 TDI Q7
If you were thinking that the biggest diesel engine that a German automaker would stuff inside the engine bay of an SUV was going to be VW's V10 TDI, think again. Audi showed off a concept Q7 SUV at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year and has now announced that the machine will be sold to consumers. Making 500 horsepower and over 700 lb. ft. of torque, this is a powerful diesel engine for a production car. Need more power? Consider a semi. Of course, the semi won't be able to keep up, as the Q7 V12 TDI will be able to reach sixty in about 5.5 seconds. The machine is expected to achieve about 20 miles per gallon and is surely more of an engine than anybody really needs in the car.
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[Source: Motor Authority]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GoodCheer 1:22PM (8/09/2007)
Can we all have a moment of silence for the sad parting of the last European automaker without an SUV in it's lineup...
(at least the last one with US imports, I don't really know about Renault, Seat, Fiat, Citroen)
Oh wait! There's still Ferrari and Lamborghini! Thank goodness. Though they get mileage even SUVs would be ashamed of.
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iamhoff 2:52PM (8/09/2007)
Renault and Citroen each sell a version of the Mitsubishi Outlander (see regular Autoblog archives for stories on them). Jaguar doesn't have an SUV, and neither do Fiat or Alfa. I think Jag may be the only European automaker who sells in this country (besides the supercar makers - Ferrari, Lambo, Aston Martin, Maser, etc.).
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Ron 3:13PM (8/09/2007)
Why does an SUV need that much power when they can't even turn as well as cars?
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http://www.webyaa.com/category/motor
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Tam 3:34PM (8/09/2007)
since we're bashing SUVs, let me chime in. Just read in Forbes magazine about a guy who bought a Hummer, couldn't fit it into his garage, and parked it on the street. He had the misfortune to live in a very eco-concious neigborhood and apparently enjoyed irking his neighbors. Until he woke up and found his Hummer's windows shattered, tires slashed and body carved with the ominous "ENVIRON".
To beat that, someone just left a post on cardevotion.com saying that in a test between a 30's model T and a hummer..well, you guess which won.
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CT-Jake 4:07PM (8/09/2007)
I was recently reading an article about the changes in diesels for 18 wheelers. It stated that they are required to get between 6 & 7 mpg while towing 80,000 lbs! The Bummer, I mean Hummer, can barely beat that just hauling a driver around. Hmmmm. While I'm on it, these companies have been making diesels in Europe for years (read GM, Ford, etc.) are now needing an additional 4-5 years to bring a clean burning one the U.S. B......T! Just sticking it to the US consumer AGAIN! Ok, enough ranting. By y'all.
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John Metcalf 5:56PM (8/09/2007)
All we can hope is that the price will keep the number sold to a minimum.
There will always be a few nuts who want the biggest and most powerful thing (like the nut I saw driving a full size F-250 around Tokyo!), but hopefully the majority will turn their backs on these newly designed dinosaurs.
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MikeW 7:59PM (8/09/2007)
Will this get better mileage than the Porsche Cayenne Turbo? yes.
Hopefully the transmission will handle the same 1050meter-newtons as the Bentley twin turbo V8. So peak power can improve from the 500ps.
It isn't going to be that heavy, 5500lbs-tops. If it gets 525hp, then its top speed should be circa 180mph.
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Turbofrog 9:21PM (8/09/2007)
Where does that weight/power/top speed equation come from? Weight has nothing to do with top speed, but aerodynamics certainly does.
That thing doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting to 180 mph. And why on earth would you want it to in the first place?
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Peter 11:21PM (8/09/2007)
What a waste of a great engine! Put this in the R8 or the RS6 and then we'll be talking. I would hate to think that Audi put all of that money and effort into racing the R10 just to make an SUV.
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MikeW 11:31PM (8/09/2007)
The VW touareg V10 only had 308hp, and much too short gearing. Although the top speed was ~140mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfcP8HaFhYw
and acceleration isn't that good because power is all down hill from 3750rpm to 4250. Power at 500rpm over peak is the same as 1000 rpm under.
Hopefully in actual production trim, the weight of the V12 Q7 is under 6000lbs. (keep fingers crossed for 16" front carbon-ceramic brakes)
The Bentley Brooklands is up to 530hp, 774ft-lbs, that is a good figure for the V12 diesel. That should do 180mph in a Q7 in 5th gear, if the axle ratio is tall enough. Leaving 6th gear as the supercruise gear (still able to hit 150mph though)
Porsche claims a top speed of 171mph with the 500hp cayenne turbo.
http://www.worldcarfans.com/2060911.001/mini14/audi-q7-v12-tdi-revealed
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