Audi has revealed that its new Q7 SUV has set new standards in lightweight construction. This is an imposing car with the best height:weight ratio in its class: 5.05 metres (16.6 feet) long, a 2.99 metre (9.8 feet) wheelbase, 1.97 metres (6.5 feet) wide and 1.74 metres (5.7 feet) tall (with steel suspension).
Although it is shorter and narrower than its predecessor, the cabin is longer and offers more headroom. The German carmaker says 20 years of experience with lightweight construction have helped flow into the new Q7. Equipped with the 3.0 TDI engine, the new Q7 tips the scales at 1,995 kilograms (4,398 lb), which is 325 kilograms (716.5 lb) less weight – the equivalent of a concert grand piano.
Audi engineers have made a multitude of its components even lighter, from the body to the radiator to the aluminium brake pedal. The key is the body structure, where a new multimaterial design reduces its weight by 71 kilograms (156.5 lb). This places the new Q7 among the best in its segment. Compared with the previous model, the chassis of the new Q7 is over 100 kilograms (220.5 lb) lighter – thanks to many changes. The links of the wheel suspensions, for example, are now made of aluminium and high-strength steel; the cardan shafts of the front axle are hollow; and the pivot bearings are aluminum forgings. All this means that 325 kilograms less weight and the low centre of mass make it extremely agile. The large weight savings helped to significantly improve performance while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions by as much as 70 g/km (112.7 g/mi).