Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 TFSI and quattro: more power, more electric range, more power.

New for Q7 and Q8

• V6 3.0 TFSI with electric motor and two power stages: 490 HP, +28 HP compared to the previous model, or 394 HP, +13 HP compared to the past
• New 22 kWh lithium battery: zero emission rate increases to 70% and reaches 84 km WLTP
• Sporty performance and maximum efficiency with full power: the top 60 TFSI e variant sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.0 seconds and travels up to 77 km/litre.
• Improved technical features: adjustable air suspension, quattro permanent all-wheel drive, all-wheel steering and active anti-roll stabilization
• Attractive design: one extended frame, more ventilation and a new light signature
• Advanced lighting technology: Audi Matrix HD LED headlights with laser spots and OLED backlights are available
• In the Italian sale during the month of June

Audi’s smart mobility offering is being strengthened with the introduction of the new plug-in versions of the Audi Q7 and Audi Q8. High-end SUVs benefit from advanced battery cell chemistry, better driving modes and a more muscular design than previous models. For the first time, both cars have all-wheel steering, while the Audi Q7 TFSI can benefit from active anti-roll stabilization for dynamic behavior as before.

Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 TFSI and quattro can count two “hearts”. The 340 HP V6 3.0 TFSI petrol engine is connected to a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PSM) with 177 HP and 460 Nm of torque combined, with a separating clutch, in an 8-speed tiptronic transmission with a torque converter. The new liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, placed under the boot floor, uses 17 cells of 70 Ah (ampere hours) each: the change in battery chemistry is accompanied by a new arrangement of cells, called stacking, which. ensures high energy density. So it is possible to have 25.9 kWh (22 kWh net) with a nominal voltage of 370 Volts instead of the previous 18 kWh (14.4 kWh net). The increased capacity translates into an electric range of up to 84 km WLTP: 70% higher than in the past.

The maximum power of both cars in TFSI 55 and quattro variants is 394 HP (+13 HP compared to the previous model) while the torque reaches 600 Nm ​​that corresponds to a sprint from 0 to 100 km / h 5, 7 seconds. The top of the range 60 TFSI and quattro uses a new generation electric motor that contributes a total power of 490 HP (+28 HP compared to the old one) and 700 Nm of torque. In this configuration, the Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 TFSI and quattro go from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.0 seconds with low fuel consumption: 1.3 – 1.4 liters per 100 kilometers in the combined WLTP cycle (1, 3 – 1.6 liters for Audi Q8) with emissions of 29 – 33 grams/km of CO2 (30 – 35 g/km for Audi Q8). For all variants top speed is electronically limited to 240 km/h (135 km/h in electronic mode only).

The high-voltage battery of high-end SUVs can be charged with alternating current (AC) with a maximum power of 7.4 kW that allows the energy to be fully renewed in 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Advanced “charge” program and electro-hydraulic braking
Unlike the previous model, customers can start the Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 TFSI and quattro in pure electric mode (EV) or in hybrid mode. Once selected via the MMI, the required configuration remains active until the next manual change. EV mode allows you to use only electric motion even when high performance is required. The hybrid setup includes two main operating strategies: “automatic” and “hold”. Programs that respectively give priority to the automatic hybrid mode, with a predictive strategy used at the beginning of the movement, or to save energy for the benefit of the next phase of the movement. Next to “auto” and “hold” there is a “charge” program, aimed at recharging the battery, modified to work only at speeds above 65 km / h and favoring the energy recovery phase instead of the active work of the thermal engine. . A solution that allows you to accurately plan energy consumption based, for example, on the distance traveled in the last kilometers of an urban trip. Recharging using the “charge” program ends when the battery reaches 75% capacity, for the benefit of battery life.

Predictive efficiency assist (PEA) contributes to increasing the electric range and driving comfort by automatically controlling the distance from the vehicle in front and the lane overlap and recovering up to 25 kW of electric energy.
In recovery phases, the electric motor acts as a generator, storing energy in the lithium-ion battery. The electro-hydraulic braking system, capable of managing up to 80 kW of electric power, sees the zero-emission engine to take care of low speed reduction: constant – up to 90% – in daily driving. Braking with moderate force (more than 0.3 g) is the responsibility of conventional hydraulic brakes.

Laser spot and OLED backlights
On top of the lighting version are the Audi Matrix HD LED headlights with laser spots. Audi’s laser light, identified by a blue marker and characterized by a wavelength of 450 nanometers, doubles the range of the upper beams. The laser zone, which operates from 70 kilometers per hour outside urban centers, guarantees advantages in terms of visibility and safety. If the camera on the windshield detects other vehicles, the laser zone is automatically switched off.

Light signature – The customer can choose between four different settings via the MMI – and the design of the headlights is new, similar to the one installed on the new hybrid versions of the Audi Q7 and Audi Q8. Daylights, in particular, are placed in the upper part of the heads and contribute to strengthen the character of the motor’s muscles, in fact to expand one’s frame. The groups of rear lights with OLED technology share the availability of four light signatures with the front lights and integrate proximity signals: with the car stationary, if the road user approaches within two meters of the car, all parts light up. As soon as the car moves again, the original characteristic light is restored. The range of functions offered by the OLED backlights is complemented by dynamic direction indicators and Home Coming and Leaving animations.

All-wheel drive, air suspension and active anti-roll stabilization
Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 TFSI and quattro use improved technical solutions. Adaptive air suspension is fitted as standard (on request only for the entry-level and High Business variants of the Audi Q7 55 TFSI e), they are also available in the sports configuration – the ultimate Audi Q8 TFSI e – which through the Audi drive. select control of the driving dynamics allows the height of the vehicles to be different up to 90 mm.
For the first time, the plug-in range of high-end SUVs can be optionally equipped with all-wheel steering, capable of turning the rear wheels up to 5 degrees. The rear wheels that at low speeds act in opposite directions: The turning circle of the SUV is reduced by more than a meter, for the benefit of agility. At high speed the rear wheels point in the same direction (up to 1.5 °) as the front wheels, increasing stability.

Another advanced technical feature fitted to the Audi Q7 TFSI and quattro is the anti-roll stabilization, which is included – similar to the all-wheel steering – in the Advanced Chassis package, available on request. A compact electric motor, located on each axle, controls the action of the two sections of the stability bar. When driving in a straight line, the groups of the anti-roll bar are separated, with the result of a reduction of the stress that the car body faces in front of the rough road and a significant increase in comfort. If, however, the driver uses a sports driving style, the half-bars are joined together, to reduce the lateral lie to a minimum. A characteristic made possible by the EFP electronic suspension platform that sends the necessary information to activate the anti-roll system based on the processing of inputs from the all-wheel steering, dynamic air suspension and sports differential.

Finally, the quattro permanent all-wheel drive relies on a limited-slip differential. In normal conditions, the torque is distributed between the front and the rear according to the ratio of 40:60. In the event of loss of grip, most of the thrust is transferred to the axle which ensures high traction.

Extended customization possibilities
The new Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 TFSI and quattro can rely on wider customization possibilities than the previous generation. For example, it is possible to choose between five decorative inserts, including inserts in matt carbon twill and matt brushed aluminum, new metallic colors derived from Audi Sport – Sakhir gold and Ascari blue – and a full range of wheels that includes five proposals new ones measuring from 21 to 23 inches (from 19 to 22 inches in the case of the Audi Q7 TFSI and quattro).

Thanks to the integration of the App Store in the car, Customers can directly and intuitively access the most popular third-party applications (for example Spotify or Amazon music) through the MMI media interface. As for driver assistance systems, cars can rely on more accurate recognition of what is happening around the car. Therefore, the Audi cockpit with Full HD quality reports a lot of information from lane change warning to the presence of other road users (trucks, cars and motorcycles), from safety distance to intersection assistance to online information on the lights of traffic.

The new Audi Q7 and Audi Q8 TFSI and quattro will reach Italian dealers during the month of June with prices starting from, respectively, 82,900 euros and 98,150 euros.

Bruno Allevi