Curb weight is down to 4343 lbs (3.0-liter TDI model) from 5070 lbs (same engine, UK spec), but the new Q7's external dimensions aren't significantly different. The old Q7 was 200.3 inches long, the new Q7 is 199.2. Same with width; the new one is 0.1 inches narrower. All that weight reduction allows the company to fit the smaller motor, but how did Audi trim the pounds significantly if the overall size is roughly the same?
The answer is greater use of high-strength steel and aluminum in key places. Ultra-high-strength steel is used to a greater extent in the crash structure, and more aluminum castings and extrusions were used throughout—aluminum now accounts for 41 percent of the total body structure. Aluminum doors saved 53 lbs alone; the material was also used to lighten the front fenders, hood, and rear hatch. In total, Audi saved a total of 156.5 lbs in the body, and a further 220.5 lbs in the chassis. Audi claims that everything on the vehicle has been subjected to a lightweighting program, even the electrical system.
Fuel economy in 3-liter TDI models has been improved, too, as you might expect. The outgoing 3-liter TDI model in the UK achieved 7.2 liters per kilometer on the combined cycle; the 2016 Q7 3-liter TDI will achieve 5.7 liters. That's roughly a 20 percent improvement for a claimed combined equivalent of 41.2 US mpg (note, their test cycle does not translate directly to our EPA's). And that's not even the stingiest TDI model on the table; there's a less powerful, more efficient 3.0 TDI coming, as well as a plug-in hybrid (detailed below), and the familiar 3.0-liter TSFI gasoline engine as well.
A new addition to U.S.-market 2016 Q7s will be the aforementioned 2.0 TFSI four-cylinder engine. In the Q7, it will make 252 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque. It doesn't seem like it will be offered in quantity in Europe; Audi's materials make it clear that the 2.0 turbo is intended for North American and Asian markets.
Handling should be improved. Audi lowered the center of mass by 2 inches, primarily by mounting the engine lower in the chassis. This Q7 will also offer an all-wheel steering system that uses an electric spindle to turn the rear wheels by as much as 5 degrees. Just like the old Honda Prelude's AWS system, at low speeds the rear wheels turn opposite to the front; at higher speeds, they follow the front wheels. It reduces the turning radius by up to 3.3 feet and should increase steering response. This is combined with an air suspension that varies ride height by as much as 3.6 inches—1.2 inches down or 2.4 inches up, depending on mode, and with available sport tuning.
The Q7 e-tron quattro variant will also be available as a plug-in diesel with all-wheel drive. Audi claims it will get a US equivalent of 138.4 mpg. With a combined system output of 373 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, the plug-in Q7 will be capable of a 0–62 mph run in 6 seconds. On electric power only, the same trip takes 6.1 seconds. It's not clear whether the hybrid Q7 will be offered in the U.S.
We'll learn more, we assume, when the SUV makes its debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto show a month from now.