New Audi Q5, SQ7 spied testing in India

Test mules of the second-gen Q5 and high-performance SQ7 caught testing around New Delhi.

Lately, there’ve been a lot of speculations, suggesting that Audi may finally bring in the performance-oriented SQ7 to India. While there was no clear-cut answer to that, it now seems that the SQ7 is finally coming here since we’ve just spotted a test mule of the SQ7 in the capital. What’s more, the SQ7 was accompanied by a next-gen Audi Q5, which is also India bound. Both the cars that were spied here are on test runs.

While the SQ7 is definitely the one that excites us, it’ll be the next-gen Q5 that’ll be more important for the Indian market. The first-gen Audi Q5 is one of the popular cars in its segment, so the upcoming model has a lot riding on its shoulders. However, given the improvements to the new model packs, it should definitely deliver.

Q5

The 2017 Audi Q5 is built on the new MLBevo platform, which also underpins the Q7 and A4. The lightweight architecture has helped reduce the weight of the SUV by up to 90 kilograms. On the inside, the new Q5 will have a completely new interior design featuring Audi’s cutting edge Virtual Cockpit display. It will also come with Matrix LED headlamps and dynamic turn signals. The overall exterior design, however, remains more or less unchanged, as it didn’t look all that different from the current model, we’ve to say.

As you can see in the spy shots, the badges on the test mule were covered so we aren’t sure which engine option this particular car had. However, the India-bound Q5 is expected to come with two engine options initially- a 2.0 TDI and 2.0 TFSI. The diesel will come with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox while the petrol will be paired to an eight-speed automatic. All-wheel drive ‘quattro’ will be standard.

The new Q5 will compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X3, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Volvo XC60 in India. Expect it to be priced between Rs 55 lakh – Rs 65 lakh.

SQ7

The SQ7 is a high-performance derivative of the Q7. It’s headlined by a 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo diesel engine that develops 429bhp and 900Nm. The main highlight of the powertrain is that it uses an electric compressor (turbo) that eliminates lag at lower engine revs. The engine comes paired to an eight-speed auto that sends the drive to all four wheels. Performance wise, the SQ7 will hit 0-100km/h in just 4.8 seconds!

Unlike the Q5, the SQ7 that we’ve spotted here was left-hand drive model, which means there may still be some time before it gets a final go-ahead for its India launch. When launched, though, the SQ7 should come with a sticker price north of a crore mark. It will lock horns with the likes of the BMW X5 M and Range Rover Sport SVR.

Also read: New Audi Q5 Review