History
Audi’s first-generation Q7 launched locally in 2006, a bold move from the Ingolstadt marque, and subsequently established the company’s SUV range. It was a handsome thing with sumptuous seating for seven and offering a wide range of petrol and diesel engines to boot. My first interaction with the model was through the narrow German country roads just outside of Munich, where my fellow motoring journalist, the award-winning Egmont Sippel, threaded the large 4.2 TDI V8 SUV through some narrow Munich country roads at a fair lick.
Since then, I had sampled the 3.6-litre V6 petrol variant before being reacquainted with the 4.2 TDI back on home soil. It was the latter model that I took on a road trip from Johannesburg to East London, a jaunt that took us 8 hours to cover 1,200km. Not bad for a large SUV with 7 passengers on board. We even had a scrap with a BMW E90 330d, which we finally left in our wake just outside of Queenstown. Mightily impressed by the V8 turbo diesel engine of that model when Audi announced that it would bring the 6.0-litre V12 TDI to our shores in 2009, I was very keen to sample this monster following my spell with its V8 TDI sibling.
It did not disappoint. Thanks to 368kW and 1,000 Nm on tap, it went like the clappers, recording an official 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds, which was more than commendable for a vehicle of that stature and weight. The zenith of diesel technology, it was an engine that was modelled on the 2010 winning Le Mans R15 race car, so we will never see this sort of ambitious undertaking anytime soon.
Introduction
This brings me firmly to the subject of this article, our review of the current Q7’s flagship model, the SQ7. Decked out in the Black Edition trim, which includes the blacked out grille, badges, and beading – it truly looks the part – offering a sporty premium. The specimen on test is finished in Ascari Blue does not only looks the part, but also accentuates the model’s subtle sporting credentials, highlighted by the quad exhausts that belch out a fruity note that will leave you wanting to advocate for the endangered V8s to live on.
VW Group’s 4.0-litre V8 remains a peach of a powerplant that powers the brand’s flagship models to great effect, including Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Porsche Cayenne. It is a versatile engine with oodles of torque and a broad performance spectrum, both powerful and efficient in equal measure. A characteristic engine that satisfies with its broad talents – feeling strong enough to leave many a performance car in its wake, but also being able to be the proverbial premium SUV, offering lofty levels of comfort and convenience.
Styling
Yes, I agree, it has been quite a while since the current Q7 has been on sale, in fact, 11 years to be more precise, and this is the last hurrah for the current Q7, crowned by this SQ7 variant. Crouching on handsome 22-inch alloys, the model truly rings true to the adage of: “A bouncer in a seville row suit,” making a firm statement without the swinging-on-the-chandeliers at a party type of showmanship. The cabin also carries this theme quite amiably, blending high-quality tactile materials with top-shelf conveniences from the premium toy nook.
Those sumptuous, quilted red leather seats not only offer exemplary ergonomics but also play a huge role in elevating the cabin’s architecture and overall tactile look and feel. There’s ample space for up to seven occupants, and the Q7’s repertoire for high-quality materials is well-documented. You can while away hours on end at the wheel or as a passenger in absolute comfort.
Powerplant
Fire up the V8 powerplant, and you’re met with the whirr of the starter motor before the engine springs to life in a guttural, yet ever so composed demeanour. It mellowingly settles into a smooth idle that only the sports exhaust can allude to the power that nestles below the bonnet. The SQ7 packs quite a punch, thanks to the 4-litre twin-turbo V8 that pushes out 373kW and 770Nm channeled through an 8-speed tiptronic gearbox and driving all four wheels. As such, it can scoot from 0-100km/h in 4.3 seconds and continue to gallop up to 250km/h, which remains an impressive feat.
Standard air suspension ensures that the vehicle remains flat going through corners in its sportiest setting, while its slackest (read: comfort mode) irons out road imperfections with the utmost aplomb.
Verdict
While the Q7 is the oldest model amongst its rivals, Audi has done well to keep the model up to date with this latest facelift. Sure, the vehicle is feeling a bit long in the tooth in some instances, but this SQ7 is a stellar proposition and a fitting last hurrah for one of the most complete premium performance SUVs.
Pricing:
R2,349,995
