This is a big facelift.
The Audi Q7 began to look dated compared with the more fashionable Q8 swoopy SUV. But the talented people from Ingolstadt have made a significant mid-cycle overhaul to their BMW X5 rival. Audi’s old flagship SUV was revealed at the end June. A nice example in Matador Red was taken to the camera by Motor1.com, long-time friend Audiography.
Although Audi’s confusing nomenclature is well-known worldwide, and even more so in China and India for some time, we are still unable to accept the idea of a Q7 55TFSI like this. We hope that Audi will return to the original naming scheme, which is simpler and more understandable.
This particular Q7 is equipped with the optional S Line package. It shows the many changes Audi’s seven-seat SUV underwent during the mid-cycle refresh. The bumpers have been nipped and tucked, and the taillights and headlights have been replaced. It is an S Line model with a blade in its front bumper and underbody protection at it’s back. This makes it look a little sportier than a regular Q7.
The cabin has seen further modifications. An additional touchscreen is now located lower on the console and replaces the traditional buttons for the climate controls. This is the same layout as in the Q8 and A6 through A8 models. It makes the Q7 appear like an entirely new model, rather than a facelift.
People don’t care much about 0-60 mph times (100 km/h) unless you’re talking to the SQ7. However, we can see that the Q7 55 TFSI took only 5.9 seconds to accomplish the task for such a heavy and large SUV. We are curious if Audi Sport is working on a full-fledged RS Q7 for the SQ7. After all, the company formerly known under Quattro GmbH has made clear that it wants to expand its SUV range.