2009 Audi Q7 V12 TDI unleashed in Australia

By George Skentzos | November 18th, 2009

The flagship Audi Q7 performance SUV has arrived in Australia as the brand introduces its entire range of newly-style Q7 models for the local market.

The Audi Q7 V12 TDI is the most powerful diesel SUV on the road, with 368kW of power and an incredible 1000Nm.

Its twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre diesel engine is related to the powerplant used in the triple-Le Mans-winning Audi R10, establishing Audi’s close link between its road-going performance cars and its highly successful motorsport program.

This powerhouse leads a more elegant and efficient range of Q7 models which have arrived in Australia – pitched as a high-performance vehicle for leisure and business.

It has been engineered as the ultimate go-anywhere family SUV, with flexible seating for up to seven adults, a high payload, generous luggage area of up to 2,035 litres and a hefty towing capacity.

Its exterior design utilises tautly curved body surfaces and new accents front and rear in conjunction with the xenon headlights (optional for V6 models) and light-emitting diodes arranged to form U-shaped bands provide the Audi trademark daytime running lights.

The indicators and tail lamps also use LED technology, with many more subtle design changes contributing to the overall revised package such as inlays on the passenger side door, new colours, new wheels, and new materials.

The driver is treated to redesigned instruments, including the latest generation MMI Navigation system which is standard for V8 and V12 engines.

Four new exterior paint colours have been added to the Q7 range including Ibis White, Graphite Grey, Orca Black and Teak Brown, along with two additional RS-special paint colours for the new V12 TDI version – Mugello Blue and Daytona Grey.

Standard equipment includes a six-speed tiptronic which transfers power to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, which distributes it to the axles with modest emphasis on the rear.

All V6 and V8 models also incorporate an energy recovery system which converts mechanical energy into electric energy during braking and coasting, reducing CO2 emissions by up to five grams per kilometre.

Model range and manufacturer’s recommended pricing

Audi Q7 V12 TDI quattro $254,900
Audi Q7 4.2 TDI quattro $127,900
Audi Q7 4.2 FSI quattro $122,600
Audi Q7 3.0 TDI quattro $88,700
Audi Q7 3.6 FSI quattro $86,900

Shak

I think i saw one of these the other day down my street. This bloke down my street is an Audi dealer and there was his usual A4 on the driveway accompanied by a Q5 and a Q7 which looked very similar to this.
Robin Graves

Now thats an engine!
Baddass

Looks pretty sharp, and personally I think the idea of a torquey V12 will sway many buyers from an X5 M.
Mark

why didn’t they just call it an RSQ7 – or something with the RS label.
Skoda dealer

whoa, someone give me next weeks winning Lotto numbers, that’s awesome torque.
spellbound

Adds new meaning to “toorak tractor ” wow what a motor , saddle up the plow lets till some paddocks .
Car fanatic

Till the paddock, you could move the paddock with that much torque. Well done Audi, now drop that donk in your sedans!
Jake02

The Q7s are some of my favourite cars on the road, and this V12 TDI is even better! It’s certainly the pick of the School-Run 4WDs (I call them bitchwagons because where I live, most of the drivers are!) as it has lots standard but it’s relatively cheap too. The 3.0TDI would be my pick (a grey S-Line please ) if I was on a budget, obviously the V12 if not…the V12 is great in Forza 3!
Reality Check

0-100 in 5.5 seconds isn’t that impressive relative to the price, why because its a tank. This thing weighs well north of 2.5 tonnes, is vastly over-priced and for “big noters” only.

Really either of the 4.2 litre versions at less than half the money do just the same job and are as quick as anyone even remotely needs for an extremly heavy SUV.

If you must have an overweight SUV like this, and must have high performance why not buy either of the 4.2 litre powered versions and a Nissan GTR with the change ? Then at least you get really serious performance AND a SUV rather than just one SUV masquerading as something it can never be.

Matt

Some people just like the wank value I guess

Jimmy James

Shoehorn this engine into the Q5 !!!!

Devil666

understeer much?

h man

love it
what i call a beast
ha ha

OMG OMG…..so much love this car, but my only area i can fault it is in the back of the car looks abit outdated, needs abit more spoiler under the number plate but other than that WOW.. any other like or dislike the boot area ??
Joe S

Please, someone tell me how this could possibly be worth 130k more than the already brilliant 4.2 TDI version?

The 4.2 TDI already has a huge range of options on-board as standard, so you can’t tell me that an engine and a few more extras are worth 130k. Price gouging at its best, done basically because they can i.e. people with too much money will buy it regardless to show up their mates Cayenne Turbos and BMW X5M’s.

Car fanatic

I’d say it’s based on the R&D cost of developing the V12 vs how many units world wide they think they would sell. Companies are not in business to lose money.

Alex

It is an epic car, but for less money you could have a top of the line Range Rover Vogue which looks better, has a nicer interior, is better off road, is much more luxurious, is more tasteful and much more prestigious too. It’s not exactly lacking in the engine department either.
But that doesn’t change the fact that this is an amazing car. I think it’s ugly, but that’s not the point. From what I’ve read, there’s nothing quite like this engine and I’d really like to try one out. I only wish they’d put it in the R8.

Car fanatic

They did have a concept R8 V12 diesel but it got canned. as I believe it, the car was capable of 0-100 in low 4′s, could hit 300km/h and had a fuel consumtion in the region of 10 to 10.5 litres per 100km, unfortunately Audi believed the engine to be too heavy for the R8.

Alex

For people complaining about price, it’s because of the tiny production numbers, not simply because they can charge that much.
DILLIGAF

My god thats ugly !

X6 ,yes please.

Jeff

X6 now thats ugly

Technofreak

That is the only SUV I would love to go for a drive in
justin

anti social conspicuous consumption tank like all such suvs that never see a farm. how can we lecture china about frugality and low footprint living while not penalizing our own citizens for making such obscene choices in private transport. when I am elected these things would attract a 20k a year “bad choice dude” road tax.

spellbound

Yep every pinko , green , whale loving ,tree hugging embicile will hate it , who cares its epic

Camski

Spotted leaving the Audi Center Sydney along South Dowling at about 9am on the 9th of November alongside a RS6 Sedan (?, ie. Not Avant, not sure if they have a techno name for sedan). Easily spotted by brushed (frosted?) metal exterior mirror covers. Not sure if I agree with this, should be strictly available on “S” and “RS” (not S-Line) models only, as has been, up until this Q7.

I love how people underestimate the sheer size of the Q7. The number of taped on exterior mirrors i’ve seen is more than I can count on my fingers and toes.

Edit – Forgot to mention, spotted in the above dark blue colour. Also believe it has Carbon Ceramics.

PROJET – L

Definately got Carbon Ceramics.
At least the one I was drooling over outside the hotel in Milan,
last Christmas did.
The one in question was white.
Looked menacing.
Especially in Italy against all their city cars everywhere.
Germans used to channel all this engineering into awesome war machines.
Now they do things like this.

Neo Utopia

Aggree with you about the annual road tax justin. However, I would much rather a person who has enough money to buy all organic food, clothing and who catches the train Monday to Friday into the city, while on the weekend reserving to drive this rather than two people who drive uninteresting generic small car to every destination they need to go every day of the week.
Tomas79

Not a fan of crossovers my self, but this one looks good!
Has a fairly gothic look to it!
Alan

This is the most ridiculous car on the road today, a 2.5 tonne suv with a 6L V12 twin turbo diesel engine, it is absolutely mad. As an engineering exercise, a brilliant piece of kit, but I honestly don’t see the point of it at all, there are other better fast SUVs on the market. X5M, ML63, Cayenne Turbo are all better choices, I’d even prefer a Range Rover Sport with the supercharged V8 over this.

Or even better, if you need a fast car with lots of space, RS6/E63 wagon/M5 wagon (sadly not sold here)
christos

It also does 11L/100km combined!
Car fanatic

Some people would disagree with you Alan, those that want a faster capable SUV would buy the X5M, ML63 or the Cayenne Turbo over this, because they are better in that regard, others who want a big powerful SUV, but don’t want one that is as polluting ( and there are people out there) as those three will choose this. After all it has 12% lower emmissions than the X5M, 20% lower than the Porsche and 31% lower than the ML. I know it is far more expensive than it’s rival, but with the biggest fuel tank and far greater fuel economy, the convenience of not stopping every 600km or less to fill up would be appealing. This SUV will get you at least 800k’s before you have to tank it. It will certainly get from Melbourne to Sydney on one tank, the others won’t.
Marcoz

dangerous combo in such a high based car like that…in my opinion…!!!!
Will

Another very competent piece of kit from Volkswagen garage.
Jeff

The fact that it weighs 2.5 tonnes and does 0-100km in 5.5 is impressive.
Mick Dunn

74 year old retired Hoon here! I WANNIT! IWANNIT! IWANNIT! The car is a ridiculous BEASTIE…like me!
Shak

I just realised this does tread on the toes of the RS6. The RS6 is quicker, and IMO looks better. It can also carry pretty much the same amount, and as Top Gear showed, this thing aint that good off-road. But i guess 1000 Nm is hard to argue with…