autoevolution
 

ABT Takes One Last Look at the Audi Q7 Before the Next-Gen Arrives

The Q7 might be the ugliest Audi ever made, but it's also one of the most resilient. In the same time period when VW and Porsche sold two different generations of SUV, Audi only had to sell one, this old-timer here.
ABT Audi QS7 9 photos
Photo: ABT Sportsline
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Not surprisingly, the tuning projects are just as hard to kill. The SQ7 is one of the first Audi tuning projects from ABT that he autoevolution team looked at, way back in 2009. Today, it's back under the spotlight for a completely different reason. You see, the Q7 is selling rather well in America and ABT has had representatives across the pond for a couple of months who were able to put together an SQ7 on California plates.

The white knight

Gloss white with black accents constituted a very popular look these days, so it's not surprising that the QS7 pulled the Stormtrooper look. Cosmetic changes include a more muscular front grille, new bumpers and flared arches. They also installed prominent LED daytime running lights and a set of black alloys in their typical style.

However, the part that stands out is the new custom exhaust with huge square tip. It's rather ugly, but so is the rest of the car, plus it exudes power.

The highest any ABT-tuned Q7 has been in terms of horsepower is 560. However, that's hardly impressive considering the BMW X5 M has more than that as standard. ABT also needed the Q7's V12 TDI engine to get there, a mill that has long been out of production.

But whichever way you decide to look at it, he Q7 is much older than any of its competitors. A replacement is likely to debut within two months at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. That's when ABT will have to start from scratch with a whole new body and fresh engines.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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