Audi Q7 Hybrid on sale by late 2008

Petrol/electric hybrid Audi SUV waits in the wings as new cleaner, more economical TDI engine joins the range

Updated TDI engine first seen in A5 coupe is adopted by Q7, bringing reduced emissions, increased power and torque and improved performance

Revised Q7 3.0 TDI quattro available to order now in standard, SE and S line trim priced from £38,075 OTR to £41,475 OTR

240PS@4,000rpm, 550Nm from 1,750rpm to 2,750rpm, 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds, top speed 134mph, 34.9mpg, CO2 260g/km

Working Q7 petrol/electric hybrid prototype reduces consumption and emissions by over 20 per cent – production version is expected to go on sale in certain markets towards the end of 2008

The seven-seat Audi Q7 SUV benefits from a ‘win-win’ upgrade this week courtesy of a new version of its 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine which brings lower emissions, higher power and torque and improved performance and fuel economy.

The even more efficient 2008 Model Year Q7 3.0 TDI quattro, which is also now equipped with an exhaust-cleansing Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), is available for order in standard, SE and S line trim priced from £38,075 OTR. It forms part of a Q7 development programme which also includes petrol/electric hybrid versions that slash fuel consumption and emissions by over 20 per cent.

Featuring an advanced common rail direct fuel injection system using sophisticated piezoelectric quartz crystal technology, the upgraded V6 TDI engine benefits from enhancements that boost combined cycle fuel economy in the Q7 3.0 TDI quattro from 33.6mpg to 34.9mpg, reduce CO2 output from 279g/km to 260g/km and bring down the 0-62mph time by 0.6 seconds to 8.5 seconds. Power rises from 233PS to 240PS, delivered at 4,000rpm, and torque increases from 500Nm to an even healthier 550Nm, available from just 1,750rpm.

Diesel is of course far from the only source of responsibly delivered power to be championed by the Vorsprung durch Technik brand. As well as exploring the possibilities opened up by second generation ‘future fuels’ such as the biomass-to-liquid (BTL) SunFuel, Audi is also testing fully operational prototypes running on bioethanol (E85), CNG (compressed natural gas) and petrol/electric hybrid power.

Q7 hybrid reduces consumption and emissions by over 20 per cent.

The Q7 hybrid is expected to go on sale in its first markets towards the end of 2008, combining its familiar 280PS 3.6-litre FSI petrol engine with an electric motor situated in the drivetrain powered by a 288-volt nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery, which adds a further 51PS. The Q7 hybrid reduces fuel consumption, and therefore C02 output, by approximately 23 per cent compared with the Q7 3.6 FSI as we know it today.

Designed in a parallel configuration in which all major assemblies are arranged in line, helping to reduce weight and energy loss, the 3.6-litre FSI V6 with its 375 Nm torque peak is boosted by up to 285Nm by the electric motor. Channelled via a six-speed tiptronic gearbox and through the quattro four-wheel-drive system with asymmetric 40% front / 60% rear torque split, this joint output enables a 0-62mph acceleration time of just 7.6 seconds (standard Q7 3.6 FSI 8.5 seconds) and combined fuel consumption of 28.8mpg (standard Q7 3.6 FSI 22.2mpg). The Q7 3.6 FSI’s 309g/km output is reduced to 237g/km thanks to the electric motor and a number of revisions to ancillaries such as the power steering pump.

Fundamentally, three driving modes are possible. The FSI engine and the electric motor can each work on their own as the drive unit, or the vehicle can combine the power of the two for acceleration. In this mode, the petrol engine is responsible for basic operation, whereby it also needs to supply energy to the battery.

Recuperation conserves energyThe electric motor on the other hand can operate independently and almost inaudibly at speeds of up to 30mph, considerably reducing exhaust and noise emissions in built up areas. It is also able to feed kinetic energy back into the system and so recharge the battery when the vehicle is braked or coasting. During this operation, known as recuperation, the motor reverses its function to become an alternator.

The capacity of the NiMH battery allows the vehicle to be driven up to 1.2 miles on purely electrical power – coasting and braking feed additional energy into the system. When the capacity limit of the battery has been reached, the combustion engine is activated to recharge the battery. Through regeneration measures such as these, the Audi Q7 hybrid recuperates about 720 kWh of energy a year – approximately a sixth of what a four-person household uses – based on an average of 12,000 miles per annum.

If the Audi Q7 hybrid is coasting without the accelerator pedal being depressed, the combustion engine is switched off – this is possible at speeds up to 74mph. It is also switched off if the vehicle remains stationary for more than three seconds. To continue the journey, all the driver has to do is to remove his foot from the brake and to depress the accelerator pedal again.

Like the standard Q7, the hybrid also has space for three rows of seats and a large luggage compartment. The battery system that supplies energy to the electric motor is located in the spare wheel recess at the rear of the vehicle. Compared to earlier generations of hybrid vehicles, the electric motor and the battery are extremely lightweight. The battery weighs 69 kg and the hybrid module with the electric motor 40 kg.

Cadillac SLS enters the Middle East

The Middle East will be the first export market for the Cadillac SLS, the long-wheelbase version of the STS luxury sedan. The car will be revealed at the Middle East International Motor Show in Dubai on 13 November and will reach regional showrooms in the first quarter of 2008.

The newcomer is the third variant in the successful STS range, after STS itself and the high-performance STS-V. The SLS is based on the STS, but with additional design and engineering work, as well as manufacturing, taking place at Shanghai GM’s state-of-the art facilities in Shanghai, China.

"With the arrival of the SLS, the STS family will become a strong three-member line-up. The STS and the STS-V have already established themselves as two successful cars, and the SLS is set to build on their success", said Terry Johnsson, President, General Motors Middle East Operations.“Middle East customers demand excellence in luxury cars and place a premium on quality and performance, the dominant attributes of the SLS, so we pounced on the opportunity to satisfy this demand for long wheelbase luxury sedans”.

Elegance, comfort, and superior driving performance are the SLS keynotes, boasting an array of standard equipment that on many competitors is available only as optional extras.

Externally, the SLS is unmistakably Cadillac in styling. The diamond-faceted contours echo the geometry of its CTS and STS stablemates, mirroring the brand’s rich heritage of art in design, and subtle V-shapes, inspired by Cadillac’s shield badge, are a recurring motif in exterior and interior design execution.

The chrome pentagonal grille is a variant on the classic badge shape and points to the future of Cadillac’s exterior design language, with cues inspired by the Cadillac Sixteen concept car. In typical Cadillac fashion, the SLS excels in interior design, fittings, and finishes, delivering an outstanding experience from any seat. The tone is set by luxurious ambient lighting that bathes the cabin in tranquil and elegant ‘Cadillac White,’ an automotive innovation modelled on first-class air travel.

The SLS has been comprehensively tested in harsh climate and driving conditions such as those it will encounter in the Middle East. Typical of its ability to more than match the environment is the independent tri-zone climate control delivered by the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, specially developed for extreme temperatures. Using the Smart Keyless Entry feature, the engine and climate control can be started as far away as 60 metres from the car, ensuring that the perfect cabin environment is always waiting.

The SLS is an important step to grow Cadillac’s presence in a competitive luxury market and its introduction to the Middle East will strengthen the brand’s already powerful position in the region” said Johnsson.

The SLS will be on display on the Cadillac stand at the 9th Middle East Motor Show next month in Dubai.

Cadillac is the luxury vehicle division of General Motors. It was founded in 1902. Cadillac is committed to developing compelling, high-quality vehicles with bold design, breakthrough technology and world-class performance. In doing so, Cadillac has carefully preserved the qualities relevant to luxury consumers and translated them into vehicles with the performance, features and benefits that appeal to 21st-century buyers.

Global sales and market share have made consistent gains in recent years. Cadillac today produces the XLR convertible luxury roadster, the SRX midsize luxury utility, the premium entry level BLS, the CTS luxury sedan, the STS performance luxury sedan, the DTS full-size luxury sedan, a line of supercharged performance V-Series models and the world's most powerful line-up of SUVs: the Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT.

The Cadillac brand has been an iconic presence in the Middle East region for over 80 years.

Scion xD caught in Europe

In the U.S, the Scion brand is a division of Toyota Motor Corporation and targets Generation Y consumers who are young, modern, urban-minded shoppers on a budget. Utilising guerrilla marketing tactics, negotiation-free “pure pricing” in addition to offering a multitude of limited editions with exclusive equipment and dozens of add-on accessories, the Scion brand has been well received. Since its introduction in 2002 the brand did not gain traction until 2004 but currently sells out quickly of its limited production runs. However, the trendy tuning orientated brand has no presence in Europe, but that all could change.

Based upon these spy photos of Scion’s latest model, the xD was caught undergoing mountain testing in the Austrian Alps. It appears Toyota is planning to introduce the brand to the European market although it is uncertain whether it will be done under the Toyota or Scion name.

Provided that Toyota does not replace the engine used in the U.S, the xD would come with a 128 bhp 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine mated with a five-speed manual transmission. Positioned as the replacement model for the Scion xA, the xD is basically a Toyota Yaris 5-door or more specifically a rebadged Toyota IST from the Japanese market but because the xD isn't sold in Europe yet we were told it is based off the U.S Corolla, meaning it is taller, longer and wider than the Yaris.

We have no information yet on a launch date but expect Paris Motor Show in early October 2008 as a likely event to present the European xD.