So what's the verdict on the new Audi Q7 SUV? STUD or DUD?

Stud. I love the look, and I'm sure the interior will be superior, as all Audi interiors are. But the Q7 was like an elephant in its gestation. Hasn't it been four years since the pikes peak quattro?...

DUD. No question.

stud when it's in the black shaded pictures they were teasing us with.....

DUD in real light......

It'll be a blockbuster.

Gorgeous inside & out, especially for a large SUV.

Expect plenty of design awards and massive sales.

It also completely shames BMW and Merc's offerings in the same class. And no, it's not even close to a Touareg. It's actually comprised of over 90% exclusicve Audi technology, including the rear-bised quattro T3, and FSI engine technology.

We're all used to posters on this forum lazily insulting new Audi designs. It's become rather boring.

What really matters will be the massive industry praise and unprecedented sales for this very impressive new vehicle.

Well done.

Alright boys, here again is my list of facts:

- Audi has its own separate technology division (apart from VW), and its own high-performance division (quattro GmbH). Audi separated its technology from VW 5 years ago. They do still share VW's massive cash and some parts. That's just good business (although the same can't be said for the fiscal disaster that is Daimler Benz).

- Audi manufactures most of its engines and sells them at cost to VW. Audi is one of the world’s largest engine providers. For example, the all aluminum 260 HP Audi 3.2 FSI (actually a 3.1 liter engine) IS NOT the same as the metal-bodied 250 HP R32 from VW.

- Audi has its own design teams (exterior/interior/technology/ergonomics, etc.), NOT SHARED BY VW.

- All new Audi's from the A4 up use the advanced ‘Torsen’ differential all-wheel drive system (quattro). 60% rear, 40% front, permanent. Up to 100% of power can be transferred to either the front or rear axels.

- VW's use the less advanced 'Haldex' all-wheel drive (4-motion). It’s front drive by default. Up to 50% of the power can be temporarily sent to the back wheels.

- Unlike Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus, most Audi models are built in Audi-only manufacturing plants. The exception is the Q7, which is built in the same facility that produces the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg. But the Q7's platform was significantly re-engineered and redesigned by Audi, resulting in a longer chassis with a higher level of rigidity.

Even the forthcoming TT, which is supposed to share the same platform as the Golf, is actually dramatically different from any VW, posessing a completely different drivetrain (Torsen 3 quattro instead of Haldex AWD) and a far stiffer all-aluminum chassis.

- The A4 is its own platform (B7), NOT SHARED BY VW.

- The A6 is its own platform (C6), NOT SHARED BY VW.

- The A8's D3 platform was created by Audi. VW then copied the platform for Phaeton production at a different plant. Audi's platform is still technically superior, being lighter and stronger than its VW offshoot.

So claiming that an Audi is just a dressed up VW is an outdated and incorrect assumption.

Actually Audi's current petrol engine policy is to only produce naturally aspiring engines (no turbo charging) throughout the model range. This includes all forthcoming RS models. The only exception is the entry level 1.8T.

Of course, diesels will always have turbo charging for the foreseeable future.

Also, both the 1.8T and 4.2 engines are designed and manufactured by Audi, not VW. VW gets them at cost of course.

Audi's new non-turbo policy is very temporary though. Both Audi and BMW are currently testing next generation turbo charging for possible future supercar engines.

2.0T, not 1.8T.

When I mentioned the 1.8T engine in the post above, I actually meant Audi's new 2.0T FSI engine.

It's a shame that this forum doesn't afford you the ability to modify your posts.