Wednesday, May 31, 2006 1:44:00 pm

Abu Dhabi became part of an elite group of cities that was among the first to launch the remarkable new Audi Q7 at an exclusive and high profile event hosted by Ali and Sons, Audi’s exclusive dealer in the capital. The grand unveiling at the Abu Dhabi Beach Rotana Hotel witnessed the gathering of more than 300 invited guests and some of Abu Dhabi’s well-known personalities, who were all eager to discover the unique features of the highly-anticipated vehicle. The evening was themed as a classic Hollywood gala film-premiere with a red carpet, paparazzi, and a more unusual star in the spotlight: the new Audi Q7. Michael Lee, lead drummer of popular rock band Led Zeppelin, was the evening’s much applauded feature performer.

Andrew Hellyar, Audi Brand Manager at Ali and Sons commented “The launch of the Q7 offers motoring enthusiasts in the Emirate a whole new experience. This is the first full-fledged SUV from the inventors of the quattro permanent four-wheel drive system and we are positive it will be highly successful in Abu Dhabi. Last year AUDI AG reported a new sales record for the tenth year in succession. The Q7 and other developments at Audi this year will ensure an 11th record breaking year.”

The Audi Q7 marks a superlative new development in the sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment. The Audi Q7 ingeniously combines sportiness and versatility, sophisticated technology and the luxury of a premium-class vehicle. It has a new 4.2-litre V8 engine with FSI petrol direct injection, which develops 257 kW (350 bhp) and achieves a maximum torque of 440 Nm. Power transmission comes from the seamless 6-speed tiptronic.

On the road, the Q7 excels with the driving performance and dynamism of a sports car; off-road it redefines the benchmark in its category. A vehicle that outwardly makes no secret of its qualities and whose technology delivers on its promise – on any road and in all conditions.

The Audi Q7 is naturally equipped as standard with quattro permanent four wheel drive. This drive concept has become firmly established over the past 25 years: more than two million products have left the assembly line with this technology and countless victories have been notched up on the racetrack and in rallies by virtue of this system.

The Audi SUV also comes with the adaptive air suspension as a standard. The combination of air suspension and an electronically controlled damping system represents the perfect synthesis of decidedly sporty handling and supreme ride comfort.

With a length of 5,086 mm and a wheelbase of exactly 3,002 mm (width: 1,983 mm / height 1,737 mm), the Q7 takes the lead in the SUV contest. Its occupants benefit from the comfort of incomparable spaciousness and a new dimension in versatility: no less than 28 seating and loading configurations are possible in the Q7.

Up to seven occupants can be accommodated in three rows of seats. The seats in the second row are individually adjustable for fore/aft movement; in addition to this, passengers can enjoy the largest legroom in this class. Both rear seat rows can be folded flat to provide a load area of 2,035 litres. If used as a 5-seater the Q7 boasts a load capacity of 775 litres – the best in its class!
On board the performance SUV, a number of innovative driver assistance systems, introduced for the first time in standard production, are available. For example the Audi Side Assist with radar technology for lane-changing manoeuvres as an option. The ESP includes numerous new functions such as hill descent assist. A special off-road mode optimises brake performance and traction on loose surfaces. Car/trailer stabilisation reduces the risk of fishtailing by means of targeted brake intervention.

The Audi Q7 is available in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain from Ali and Sons, the exclusive distributors for Audi in the Emirate. To book a test drive and experience the superior performance of the Audi Q7, the public may contact the Audi Showrooms, for Abu Dhabi 02 6658000, Al Ain 03 7210066 or by email audimarketing@ali-sons.com.