- Lotsa new gear for new Audi Q7 and SQ7 TDI
- Black Edition joins the Q7 range in Europe
- 22″ wheels, super sport seats, extended leather
LONDON, England – The Audi Q7, according to its builder, “further narrows the margin between luxury limousine and SUV as it becomes available with a new Vorsprung specification”.
Interested? Read on. Possible buyer? Price in UK (Oct 2017) equivalent to about R1.4-million, speak to your local Audi dealer.
The seven-seat SUV, while also upgrading visual appeal and cabin, is said to have brought on board the highest level of standard equipment yet in a Q7, including a 204kW 3.0 TDI V6 or a 326kW V8 TDI.
Now the Black Edition has joined the Q7 range with, Audi says, “a distinct design differentiation and a highly desirable equipment package”.
It is the Black Edition option, available exclusively in conjunction with the 204kW 3.0 TDI, the first on the catalogue above the previous range-topping S line spec. The Q7 Black Edition units go “above and beyond” their S line counterparts with larger 21″ alloy wheel rims and a black styling pack that includes the radiator grille frame, profile trim strip, front bumper styling accents and external mirrors.
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“Black inlays set the tone in the cabin,” Audi says, “which also benefits from an upholstery upgrade to premium-quality Valcona leather. A full-length sunroof lets the sunshine in, at night an ambient lighting pack generates a soft diode-lit hue in various colours.”
A flat-bottomed multi-function steering-wheel and a virtual cockpit are said to expand the equipment list. “The latter renders a 31cm digital instrument display showing user-configurable graphics, infotainment menus, and high-resolution mapping.”
BIGGER WHEELS, ‘RUNNING BOARDS’
Also appearing for the first time in the UK Q7 range is a self-adjusting suspension that drops the body by 15mm and continually adjusts the shock-absorbers according to the surface being crossed.
A rear view camera completes the Q7 Black Edition specification.
The new Q7 Vorsprung edition delivers a wheel upgrade to a 22″ Audi Sport design and “running boards” (excluding SQ7 TDI models) come with the black styling pack. The Corner would point out that such additions are not a good idea if plan to cross rough terrain.
The front seats are described as “ultra-supportive super sport”, each with a memory setting function, diamond contrast stitching through the Valcona leather, and heating. There’s also an option pack that extends animal skin to the door pulls, armrests, lower-door trim, front centre console and the underside of the instrument panel.
SECOND INFORMATION DISPLAY
Seat heating has been added to the second row. Vorsprung units have a smart key and wireless cellphone charging.
A secondary info display focusing on speed but with other functions,can be projected on to the windscreen and the audio-visual system gains a3D Bose surround-sound system.
Matrix diode headlights will adapt their output according to road conditions.
A Driving Assistance Tour Pack, if selected for the Q7 Vorsprung, will add Level 2 partial autonomy in the form of adaptive cruise-control, lane-keeping and go-along-with-the queue progress (up to 60km/h) in heavy traffic.
…AND THE PRICES
An optional Parking Assistance Pack will steer the car into a parallel or perpendicular slot using a 360-degree camera.
Prices (converted to South African, October 2017) start at R1.16-million and rise through model choice to R1.6-million for the SQ7 TDI Vorsprung.
Carman's Corner 