Car India – August 2019

rivingthroughthesmallcountyofKerryinireland

—alongitsfamousringofKerry,a picturesquecirculardrivingrouteknown

theworldoverforitsincrediblevistas—wasa bitofa dauntingundertaking.

thelaneswerenarrow,theviewsonofferweresobeautifulthattheyconstantly

drewtheeyeawayfromthetarmac,therewastheconstantthreatof

encroachinganimalsfromthefarmsalongtheroute,andiwasdrivinga left-

hand-drivecar(thefleetofpresstest

suvs werebroughtinfromgermany)ona right-hand-

driveroad.andit isn’tliketheQ7isa compactlittle

hatcheither.

all ofthiswasrollingthroughmyheadasigot

behindthewheelformygo.Butthenthatwasbecausei

wasn’tsurewhetherornotthisnewQ7hadthatsame

innateabilitytoshrinkaroundyou,allowingyouto

judgeitsproportionswithstartlingaccuracy.Well,it

does,inwhatiwassoontofindoutwasa bitoftheme

withthenew,big(butnolongerbiggest)Q—retaining

thepositivesfromthepreviousiteration,buttaking

everythinga stepfurtherinthisnewone.startingwith

theaesthetics.

theQ7isa littlebiggerthanbeforewithan

11-millimetreincreaseinlengthto5,063mmandit has

gainedanextramillimetreortwointheheightand

widthdepartmentaswell.thewheelbase,however,remainsunchangedat

2,994mm.thankstoa freshapproachindesigntheQ7nowlooksa little

morebutch—likeit switchedfromcardiotoweightsattheoldgymkhana.

theresultisa morecommandingfacewiththatnewoctagon-shapedgrille

sportingsixverticalslats.themassiveairinletsoneithersideonlyfurther

underscorethesuv’s newfoundflexand,whencombinedwiththesleek

headlampunit(equippedwithoptionalhdmatrixleds withaudilaser

lights),subtlyridgedbonnet,andsportybumperdesign,thisauraofstrength

andstatureisonlyamplified.

the new 20-inch five-spoke cast aluminium alloy wheels (these are

optional, you get 19-inchers as standard) in conjunction with the flared

wheel-arches look striking and the rear is clean, minimal, and very classy,

with that aluminium strip running between the tail-lamps adding a touch

of shine to the look, allowing you to focus on those massive twin exhaust

ports instead.

(Right) The

optional Audi

laser lights are a

sharp touch

D

58 carindia August^2019 http://www.carindia.in

First Drive | Audi Q7 55 TFSI quattro