The Indian arm of the German luxury car manufacturer, Audi India on Monday launched a new petrol-engine powered variant of its luxury Q7 sport utility vehicle (SUV), christened as the “Audi Q7 40 TFSI” in the Indian four-wheeler market. Like the diesel variant, the petrol-powered Audi Q7 40 TFSI also comes in two trims: Premium Plus and Technology Pack. As for pricing, the entry-level Audi Q7 Petrol Premium Plus variant has been launched in the country with a price tag of Rs. 67.76 lakh, while the top-of-the-line Audi Q7 Petrol Technology Pack has been priced at Rs. 74.43 lakh (all prices are mentioned ex-showroom, pan India). A few days ago, the German car maker also launched the Audi Q7 and Audi A6 Design Edition in the country in order to celebrate their 10 years’ successful journey in India.
Introducing the new Audi Q7 40 TFSI petrol variant in the Indian market, Mr Rahil Ansari, Head of Audi India, said, “Our flagship SUV Audi Q7 had been the only product in its segment in India when it was launched. A popular choice of Bollywood celebrities and big industrialists, the Audi Q7 lead the way for the luxury SUV segment in India. With the introduction of the Audi Q7 40 TFSI Quattro, we are now offering customers an exciting line up of their preferred SUV to choose from and own their favourite Audi. This marks the debut of the first-ever luxury SUV in its segment in India and reigning segment leader with a petrol engine.”
Engine & Power:
Talking about its mechanical department, the Audi Q7 40 TFSI is powered by a 1,984 cc, four-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine that produces 252 bhp of peak power at 5,000 – 6,000 rpm and 370Nm of peak torque at 1,600 – 4,500 rpm. The petrol engine comes mated to an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission that sends power to all four-wheels via the company’s famed Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. The Audi Q7 40 TFSI offers six driving modes including Off-road, All-road, Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual, each subtly changing the speed-sensitive steering and the characteristics of the power delivery. The Audi Q7 40 TFSI luxury SUV needs only 6.9 seconds (0.3 seconds faster than diesel-powered Audi Q7 45 TDI) to accelerate the car from engine start to 100kmph and it has an electronically restricted top speed of 233km per hour. The all-wheel drive petrol SUV has an Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) certified fuel efficiency figure of 11.68 kmpl and comes with a 75-litre fuel tank.
Exterior & Interior:
Talking about its exterior design, the Audi Q7 40 TFSI borrows it’s all design language from the diesel variants. There are no cosmetic changes over the diesel version, the only giveaway is the ’40 TFSI’ badge on the tailgate. The Audi Q7 petrol gets the company’s signature wide sculptured 3D single frame grille, Matrix LED headlamps with signature day time running lamps (DRLs), 19-inch aluminium finished 5-spoke alloy wheels, electronically controlled air suspension with variable damping, Audi’s “Parking System Plus” with a 360-degree surround-view camera and a panoramic sunroof. The rear section comes equipped with twin exhaust pipes and dynamic LED taillights with directional turn indicators. Based on Audi’s new MLB platform, the new Audi Q7 SUV comes with new-age chassis built from steel and aluminium, making it about 325 kg lighter than its predecessor. The Audi Q7 Petrol variant is available in five exciting body colour options including Carrara white, Graphite Grey, Floret Silver, Orca black and Ink Blue.
Inside the cabin, the vehicle gets Black and Beige coloured genuine Cricket Leather upholstery, Electrically adjustable driver and front passenger seats, electrically foldable 3rd-row seats, Audi MMI infotainment system which includes an 8.3-inch touchscreen display and onboard GPS navigation system, four-zone climate control, Audi smartphone interface for Apple Carplay & Android Auto, Audi Phone Box with Wireless Qi-charging, Ambient lighting in 30 different shades, all-digital Audi Virtual Cockpit instrument console and much more. Apart from this, the car also features a DVD player and a 558-watt Bose 3D Surround sound system.
Safety Features:
In terms of safety, the Audi Q7 40 TFSI offers various safety features that include — Eight Airbags, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution), ESP (Electronic Stability Program), Emergency Brake Assist, Hill Descent Control, Audi’s Pre-Sense Predictive safety system, Automatic Parking assistance, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, 360-degree surround-view camera among others.
In the Indian auto market, the Audi Q7 petrol variant will compete against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLE 400, BMW X5 xDrive35i, Land Rover Discovery 3.0L petrol and the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
