BMW, Mercedes or Porsche should be aware that a new and powerful rival is on its way. It seems that the german car maker, Audi works at the new generation of the biggest SUV in the Audi range, the Q7, which will be launched in 2012.
Considering the current fuel problem, here comes a logical question: wouldn’t they be better off investing that cash in small fuel-savers or in high-performance station wagons? Well, for Audi, at least, there’s a logical answer: an eye-popping 155,000 Q5s sold globally last year to go along with 47,700 Q7s.
“There is no doubt…that crossovers are still selling like hotcakes even though the trend seems to be shifting toward more compact models,” says Audi chairman Rupert Stadler.
So the German brand is continuing to pour cash into the development of its next generation crossovers, and in addition to a range of new high-riding models, the next Q5 and Q7 are set to go on a serious diet. No it’s not a writing mistake, is for real. The new model will share the same platform with both the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche’s Cayenne, but while the other two German carmakers have managed to shave about 400 pounds (181 kg) off their SUVs, Audi wants much more.
According to Automobilemag, the redesigned Q5 will drop around 220 pounds from its curb weight, while the larger Q7 will reportedly shed some 650 pounds thanks to a new aluminum body.
Beside this, there will also be relative restraint on the powertrain front and, according to the same report, a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 will serve as primary motivation for the Q4, Q5, and Q6 and should burn twenty percent less fuel than the current supercharged version of that engine. No official details have been made public yet, but rumors say that more efficient powertrains include a 250-hp turbo-diesel V-6 and a plug-in hybrid that combines that ubiquitous 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine with a 100-hp electric motor.
Source: Automobilemag
Photo Source: Autoevolution
