EVEN in this fast-paced, hi-tech industry, it’s a rare occurrence for a manufacturer to unleash a car that genuinely tears up some rule books and makes you stop and stare in amazement. But the Audi Q7 V12 TDI is one of those cars.
The Q7 has been around for a little while now, of course, muscling its way into the SUV sector in 2006 and giving the established competition something to worry about – no mean feat given that this was Audi’s first foray into the sector.
It ticked all the right boxes, offering the road presence, refinement, space and comfort that meant it could compete against luxury cars as well as 4x4s.
Where this particular version fits into the range is revealed by the name tag. TDI Audis offer a great blend of performance and economy, and they suit the more practical models extremely well.
However, this is no ordinary diesel: this is a V12 diesel. For those of you who don’t know, V12 means 12 cylinders; this is a 12-cylinder diesel engine – a first for a passenger car. Not for a racing car, though: this unit is based on the diesel engine that gave Audi three Le Mans wins in a row.
This is a performance engine, of that there is no doubt. In fact, this is the fastest Q7 variant by some margin. Those 12 cylinders provide a supercar-baiting 493bhp and a truly epic 737lb/ft of torque, which is as much as any car you can buy in the UK bar the Bugatti Veyron – and that’s petrol powered.
Despite having to push along 2,600kg, the V12 Q7 can punch its way to 62mph in an incredible 5.5 seconds, and freed from its 155mph limiter it would easily break the 170mph barrier.
The figures don’t really do it justice, though. Maximum torque is available from just 1,750rpm, which is a whisper above tickover. So in normal driving you need just the faintest brush of the throttle to get moving.
It breezes along with the rev counter barely off its stop, with the automatic transmission slurring between ratios. Progress could not be more relaxed.
But with an automotive power station beneath the bonnet, it won’t be long before the temptation to tread the throttle becomes too great to resist.
The response is instant: the nose lifts, the engine note rises in volume and the horizon gets reeled in at an astonishing rate. It’s genuinely performance-car quick, and the massive torque right around the rev range means the acceleration never lets up. Yet all this goes on while you sit high up in a comfortable and very well equipped cabin, which makes it all the more remarkable.
Exploit the engine to the maximum and the Q7 V12 borders on the hilarious, such is the incongruous mix of drawing-room comfort and rocket-sled performance.
This is still a diesel, though, so it’s not unreasonable to expect some economy. There is, with a combined average of 25mpg – which, on the face of it, doesn’t appear to be earth-shatteringly good. Except that comparable SUVs either aren’t as quick or aren’t as economical.
Driven sensibly, the 100-litre tank will give you a range of more than 500 miles with seven people on board and still have enough punch to make overtaking the work of a moment.
The rest of the experience is pretty much par for the Q7 course: it still looks like Judge Dredd’s weekend wheels, combining unmistakable presence, off-road toughness and urban sophistication.
The V12 version gets its own mini-makeover, with a deeper front bumper, a smattering of badges and a standard equipment list that will take some beating: satnav, 20in wheels, ceramic brakes (usually a £10,000 option on any car you can find them on) B&O audio system – you’ll probably want a tour through the options list anyway, but there’s plenty to be getting on with.
So maybe this isn’t the humblest of SUVs, but there are other Q7s (and the Q5) that suit a smaller budget. Where the Q7 V12 stands out is that it squares up to other performance SUVs and does so with the unusual use of spectacular diesel power, giving it a character and a cache all of its own. That it can humble high-end performance cars in the process is all the more satisfying.
Model: Audi Q7 V12 TDI, £94,255
Engine: Six-litre diesel unit delivering 493bhp and 737lb/ft of torque
Transmission: Six-speed automatic driving all four wheels
Performance: Top speed 155mph; 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds
Economy: 25mpg combined
CO emissions: 298g/km