Audi hints at Frankfurt debut for S Q7

Audi has this week launched its first new Q7 in almost a decade, and says the roll-out of other variants will follow in quick succession.

Likely to top that list is a higher performance variant dubbed S Q7. Following a similar path to the strong selling S Q5 TDI, the larger go-fast SUV is expected to offer turbo-diesel power, possibly from an electrically turbocharged 4.0-litre turbo-diesel V8.

"There must always be a space for premium engines," said Audi Technical Program Manager, Oliver Schol. "We've done this with other models [however] it's always a question of what the market accepts."

Schol went on to say that Audi was interested in offering a sportier Q7, giving the four-ringed brand a competitor to place against its nearest rivals at BMW and Mercedes-Benz. As to whether that means an RS Q7 would be developed to rival the X5 M (from $185,900) or Mercedes-AMG ML63 (from $182,900) Schol was noncommittal, hinting that turbo-diesel power — like that offered in the cracking Q7 V12 TDI — was a more appealing option.

"We are prepared to react if necessary," Schol suggested, adding "the platform is very flexible."

Audi's new Q7 is the first vehicle to feature parent company Volkswagen's new MLB 2 underpinnings, which give not only flexibility of powertrains in a longitudinal setting, but also access to various wheelbases, body lengths and widths. The platform will soon debut in other, shorter wheelbase variants including the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, as well as beneath the next Bentley Continental.

When asked when we can expect to see the S Q7 debut publicly, Audi's technical guru smiled, saying only that "you will see it very soon", and with the next big European motor show being Frankfurt in September, our money says the deal is as good as done.