By Umer Nangiana/Staff Reporter
The all-new Audi Q7 SUV has been launched in Qatar by Q-Auto, the official dealer for Audi in the country, at an exclusive event at the main showroom on Salwa Road.
Audi Qatar’s brand ambassador, Mohamed Saadon al-Kuwari, unveiled the model for the first time with Audi Qatar dealer principal Ahmed Shariefi.
With a curb weight of just 1,970kg, the new Audi Q7 weighs up to 325kg less than the previous model, making it one of the lightest in the premium SUV segment.
“The all-new Q7 is a stunning composition of technological efficiency and cutting-edge design, and totally embodies the Audi philosophy of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik - Advancement through Technology,” explained Shariefi.
The seven-seater Q7 also boasts of the most spacious interior in its class. Passengers enjoy more head, shoulder and knee room, thanks to the adjustable seatbacks for the second row of seat units. There is a spacious cargo compartment of 890 litres and an even greater capacity of 2,075 litres if the second row seat backs are folded down. “Inside legroom is the best in its class now for a seven-seater, though the car is shorter than the earlier model,” Ala Mackey, sales manager Audi Qatar, said.
The all-new Audi Q7 has a range of driver assistance systems, for which the SUV has been awarded the top grade of five stars for safety by the European Euro NCAP consortium.
The premium SUV features rear parking assistance, cruise control, an adjustable speed limiter, rest recommendation and an all-new Audi pre-sense city feature, which has been uniquely designed to sense impending collisions, thereby initiating heavy braking in an emergency.
“The old Q7 took nine years to be changed because it was successful and we expect the same from the new model,” Mackey explained.
The Audi Q7 also impresses with its second-generation modular infotainment platform as well as the acclaimed Audi virtual cockpit. The range of technology features include Audi connect, the Audi tablet for rear seat passengers and the optional Bose or Bang & Olufsen 3D surround sound system entertainment features.
“We have an extremely positive response for Q7 from around the world. If you look at Europe, where we launched in the start of the year besides the motor show in Qatar, the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Anthony Kwan, marketing manager, Audi Qatar.
The Audi Q7’s exterior design gives the all-new model a presence and style befitting the classic quattro models from Audi through the striking horizontal lines that extend above the wheels.
The single-frame grille extends to the headlights and features either LED or Matrix LED-driven headlights. The V6 3.0 TFSI engine yields 333hp and 440 Nm of torque, producing acceleration from 0 to 100km/h in just 6.3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 250km/h.
“There will be a new generation 4-cylinder, 2.0 litre engine next year for Q7,” Mackey added.
The all-new Audi Q7 is priced from QR272,500. There are in-house financing and trade-in options.
The all-new Audi Q7 SUV has been launched in Qatar by Q-Auto, the official dealer for Audi in the country.
