Auto Express – July 30, 2019

18 SpecialIssue

NEWS AudiSQ

Audi turns up the heat with

FOLLOWINGonfromtherecentlyupdated

Q7,Audihasrevealedafaceliftedversion

ofitsSQ7performanceSUVflagship.

DuetobelaunchedintheUKthisautumn,

thebrand’slatestoff-roaderhasanewmild-

hybriddieselpowertrain,arangeofchassis

upgradesandahostofstylingandtech

revisionsovertheoutgoingmodel.

TheSQ7TDIispoweredbythesame

biturboV8dieselenginethatyou’llfindin

Audi’snewSQ8.The4.0-litreunitdevelops

429bhpand900Nmoftorque,andisfitted

witha48-voltelectriccompressor,which

assiststhetwoturbochargerswhenoff-boost.

Thiscompressorisfedbythesame

48-voltlithium-ionbatterypackthatisat

theheartoftheSQ7’smild-hybridsystem.

Comprisingabelt-drivenalternatorstarter

andanenergy-recuperationsystem,itcan

powertheGermanperformanceSUVat

speedsupto14mphandrecoverupto

8kWofenergyunderdeceleration.

AudisaysthenewSQ7cancoverthe

0-62mphsprintin4.8secondsandreach

anelectronicallylimitedtopspeedof

●PerformanceSUV getsfresh

look and mild-hybrid technology

155mph.Economyfiguresstandat37mpg,

withC0 2 emissionsof200g/km.

Theenginefeedsitspowerthroughan

eight-speedautomaticgearboxandasport

differentialtoAudi’squattroall-wheel-drive

set-up.Thediffactivelydistributesthepower

betweentherearwheelsthroughfaster

corners,whichAudisaysreducesundersteer.

ChassischangesoverthestandardQ

includeupratedbrakediscs,biggercalipers

andsport-tunedairsuspension.Larger-

diametercarbonceramicbrakesareonoffer

asanoptionalextra,asisthemaker’sactive

electromechanicalrollstabilisationsystem.

AlsoavailableasanoptionisAudi’sall-

wheel-steeringset-up,whichthefirmsays

makestheSQ7easiertomanoeuvre.At

lowspeeds,therearwheelsturnuptofive

degreesintheoppositedirectiontothe

fronts,whichreducesthecar’sturningcircle.

Athigherspeeds,thefrontandrearwheels

turninthesamedirection,whichthebrand

claimsimprovestheSUV’sstability.

Ontheoutside,thefreshSQ7receives

Audi’susualS-modeltreatment,withnew

INTERIOR

Digital dials and

atouchscreen

areall partofthe

contemporary

styling of the

new Audi SQ

Luke Wilkinson

[email protected]

@LT_Wilkinson

STYLINGNew SQ7 will have

aggressive bumpersatthe front

and rear,side skirts and chrome-

tipped quad exhaustpipes

OFFICIAL

“Athigher speeds the front

and rear wheels turn in the

same direction, which Audi

claims improves stability”