Click the Q7 4.2 TDI for a high-res gallery

At the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, Audi made a big show of the Q7 TDI that they were planning to introduce to the U.S. market. That particular model is coming late this year or early next and will be powered by a 3.0L V-6 diesel. At the same show the Germans also showed a concept version of the Q7 powered (or should I say torqued?) by a new 6.0L V-12 TDI paying homage to the success of the R10 TDI Le Mans race car. Last month at the Geneva Motor Show, Audi announced that the V-12 Q7 would be going into limited production later this year.

In between those two diesel extremes lies a third Q7 TDI that's been available in Europe for the past year. This third model uses Audi's 4.2L V-8 diesel and it won't be coming to the U.S. market. However, thanks to the kind folks at Honeywell, we had a chance to sample a Q7 4.2 TDI recently in and around Ann Arbor. Like fuel and exhaust system supplier Bosch, Honeywell has a vested interest in promoting diesel adoption in the U.S. market. Honeywell is the owner of the turbocharger manufacturer formerly known as Garret and they supply turbos for many of the diesel engines currently on the market. To help promote the technology they have a fleet of current European diesel models that they are exposing to American media including this Q7. Read on after the jump to find out how the Q7 TDI comported itself.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Click image for a hi-res gallery of the Q7 V12 TDI

The next stage of Audi's performance diesel onslaught is about to begin at the Geneva Motor Show. A year before we saw the mighty Audi R8 V12 TDI at the Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen's premium brand showed the same engine in the Q7 V12 TDI Concept SUV. Just in time for Geneva, Audi has confirmed that they will indeed put the Q7 V12 TDI quattro into production. The monster 6.0L V12 diesel dishes out 500 horsepower and can possily alter the rotation of the Earth with with its mammoth 758 lb-ft of torque. All that twist is transmitted to the 20" alloys via quattro and helps propel the seven-seat SUV to 100km/h (62 mph) in a scant 5.5 seconds.

Even with that performance capability, the big diesel still manages to get 19.8 mpg (US). Of course, it probably won't come near that number if you were to actually utilize all that torque. That mileage is also only good in the context of the vehicle's capabilities, while in absolute terms it's obviously nothing special. Audi will start taking pre-orders in the second half of 2008. So far it isn't saying how much this beast will cost, nor does it say if US buyers will get a chance to partake. We won't hold our breath re: the latter.


[Source: Audi]