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This thread is about the Audi Q7 V12 TDI...

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Shomegrown

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to get some seat time in an Audi Q7 V12 TDI. I quickly fell in love with this vehicle as it offers a very unique combination of raw power, engineering, efficiency, performance, comfort, luxury, and refinement that few (if any) vehicles can match. For me, this is the ultimate "money no object" daily driver/family vehicle.
The numbers are downright staggering. It's a 5800 lbs 7 passengers, 500 hp, 1000 NM (738 lb-ft) of torque, 0-60 in the high 4's, 25+ mpg on the highway (European test cycle). It's electronically limited to 155 mph, but would happily surpass 170+ mph if unrestrained.
The most fascinating aspect of this vehicle is the engine. Under the hood is the most powerful diesel engine available in any passenger car - a 6.0 liter V12 twin turbo direct injected diesel sipping monster. The packaging and engineering in this engine is phenomenal. The CGI block has a 60* vee angle to fit it under the hood. At 725 lbs, it also offers a better hp/weight ratio of any other passenger car diesel powerplant. It’s the largest, most expensive, and most technically advanced engine that Audi offers. It’s sheer excess, yet absolutely refined in every way.
Some of the technical highlights of this engine are...
-Bosch 2000 bar (29,000 psi) direct injection system with 8 orifice piezo injectors and 2 CP4.2 high pressure fuel pumps.
-DOHC 48 valve heads with unique 3 piece design.
-180 bar peak cylinder pressure.
-Twin VTG turbochargers.
-EU5 emission level though EGR, dual OxiCats, and dual diesel particle filters (no exhaust smoke!)
-Highly efficient with a peak BSFC of 204 g/kw-h.
The performance is borderline ridiculous. Powerbraking the Q7 V12 TDI brings revs up to about 3,000 RPM which fully spools the turbos and brings the entire onslaught of 738 lb-feet immediately available as soon as you let off the brakes. All 4 tires (295 width) will break traction in wet or dry. When it started to mist during my test drive, all 4 tires would light up completely through 1st gear. Luckily the standard carbon/ceramic brakes are more than up to the task of stopping this behemoth.
The remarkable aspect is the power delivery. I've never driven another vehicle, gasoline or diesel, which was as smooth, quiet, and fluid as the V12 TDI.
The fully loaded example I drove had the leather trimmed dash, alcantara headliner, B&O sound, adaptive radar cruise control, Audi Exclusive seats, and carbon fiber trim. It's every bit as luxurious as an A8L, just with more room and more practicality.
Anyway, enough rambling...enjoy the pictures and videos below...
Videos:
Engine in detail - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeUXOXo-lRw
British road test - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o47pb2Mt56E
Drag race vs E60 M5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uJ-qLPzXxg
Speedometer video showing acceleration - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4muTCdqSx8
High speed driving - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0UWh2RrtHw
Here is an Audi PDF showing product specifications - http://www.audi.co.uk/etc/medi...e.pdf
And lastly, some pictures...
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Modified by Shomegrown at 3:32 AM 8-31-2009
 
#4 ·
Re: This thread is about the Audi Q7 V12 TDI... (Shomegrown)

Quote, originally posted by Shomegrown »
Tons of cool isht.

Thanks for the awesome post man!
 
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Discussion starter · #6 ·
Re: This thread is about the Audi Q7 V12 TDI... (JustinCSVT)

Quote, originally posted by JustinCSVT »
$$$$$$$$
Image

Absolutely. It starts at 132,000 Euro in Europe (which does include 20% sales tax) so it's not cheap. Most of that money (over the price of a regular Q7) goes to the engine itself, though the 4 wheel ceramic brakes are probably worth about $20k too.
Image

If I had the means though, I wouldn't think twice about dropping the price of admission.
Not everyone wants a nice car which is flashy. This is a fantastic sleeper that has all the performance I'd ever want in a daily driver while keeping a low profile. It would also make a great road trip vehicle and would pull 500+ miles out of a tank.



Modified by Shomegrown at 11:36 AM 8-31-2009
 
#8 ·
FV-QR

I think the Q7 is ugly. I think that Audi gets fellated far too much on this forum. I, for the most part, dislike diesel engines.
All that said, I really like this completely ridiculous vehicle.
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
Re: (FBMphil)

Quote, originally posted by FBMphil »
I gotta ask...
...how can Audi turn a profit on what more or less amounts to an entirely new low volume engine in such a niche vehicle?

They probably don't. It's a halo vehicle. It's an engineering exercise that shows what's possible with diesel technology. Much of what was developed for this engine has trickled down to their regular cars.
The V6 3.0 TDI you can buy in the US shares a lot with this engine.
 
#10 ·
Re: This thread is about the Audi Q7 V12 TDI... (Shomegrown)

Quote, originally posted by Shomegrown »

Absolutely. It starts at 132,000 Euro in Europe.

Image

I agree with Phil, I think that the Q7 is really ugly and I'm not a fan of Audi but this one seems like it's worth it.
 
#11 ·
Re: (Shomegrown)

Quote, originally posted by Shomegrown »

The V6 3.0 TDI you can buy in the US shares a lot with this engine.

That's what I was thinking when I wrote my post.
It's just such wretched, awesome excess
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Discussion starter · #12 ·
Re: FV-QR (Fritz27)

Quote, originally posted by Fritz27 »

All that said, I really like this completely ridiculous vehicle.

Prior to driving one, I probably wouldn't have taken much interest in it (though I respect the engineering).
However, I don't think anyone in this forum would walk away from a test drive without a smile on their face. AWD, 738 lb-ft, and short gearing make for holeshots that shouldn't be possible with a vehicle this big and heavy.
You know those bulls that run through the alleyways in Spain and mow down everything in their path? That's what driving one of these is like. People get the F out of your way on the Autobahn too, that's for sure.
 
#14 ·
Re: This thread is about the Audi Q7 V12 TDI... (Shomegrown)

http://****************.com/smile/emlove.gif
 
#15 ·
Re: (FBMphil)

Quote, originally posted by FBMphil »

That's what I was thinking when I wrote my post.
It's just such wretched, awesome excess
Image

I never thought that someone would top the V12 that Benz puts in the S65/SL65 for sheer wretched excess, but Audi did it -- matching the output and performance in a diesel.
 
#17 ·
That interior is pure sex
 
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