Audi Q7 4.2 FSI : FOURSPRUNG DURCH TECHNIK

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It's big and rather profligate but it's still rather desirable. Andy Enright drives the Audi Q7 4.2 FSIâ€¦

A man on a bicycle is sitting next to me at the lights, eyeing the Q7 with barely disguised horror. Even school run mums in Discoveries and X3s recoil at the sight of a vehicle a good deal further up the automotive food chain. The Audi Q7 4.2 FSI is a great vehicle for attracting reaction from almost every angle. My wife thought it ugly, my in-laws found it brash but do you know what? After a couple of days I'd given up caring.

Metaphorically flicking the rest of the world the Vs was all well and good until I went to refill the tank and needed to book a slot in my diary to do so. I got cramp in one hand, standing there watching the digital readout on the unleaded pump tick into uncharted territory. I was then obliged to console myself with a bag of jelly babies to get over the pranging to my credit card. I was soon back into the Q7's feel good groove, although I did notice I was a little lighter on the throttle thereafter. Is it possible to drive this car without feeling a degree of guilt? Ninety per cent of the time I drove it on work commitments, I was by myself and I never once averaged more than 20mpg. Even if I had more money, I don't think the nagging sense of profligacy would really evaporate. Only if you're lugging a family around and you really need the seven seats can you approach the Q7 with any sense of justification but even then, there are plenty of other vehicles that will do the job with a little less excess. In the final reckoning, the only way to really square driving this car is by treating it as an unashamed indulgence and vow to make amends elsewhere in your life. And it does indulgence supremely well. Drive a Q7 and even if, like me, you're the most fraudulent pauper, you'll soon develop a superiority complex to reckon with. The powerful 4.2-litre V8 petrol unit features FSI direct injection and cranks out a healthy 350bhp with a peak torque figure pitched at 440Nm. Mated to a six-speed Tiptronic transmission, this engine offers effortless acceleration with barely a let up in urge until you're well into three figures.

"The Q7 4.2FSI isn't an easy car to justify. Sometimes, however, life can seem too short for tedious justification"

Despite the weight-saving aluminium parts, this behemoth still tips the scales at 2,270kg but it's worth remembering that this powerplant is effectively a detuned version of the V8 found in the RS4 and the R8, so it's got some punch to it. Leather the Q7 4.2 FSI off the line and it'll get to 60mph in a smidgeon over 7 seconds and hit a top speed of 154mph. That feels very rapid indeed with this much bulk in tow. All Q7s are equipped as standard with quattro permanent four-wheel drive. The Torsen centre differential directs power to all four wheels, on-road and off-road, which means fast-reacting power to whichever wheel can best deploy it and excellent lateral stability - the prerequisites for optimum driving dynamics and safety. The driver benefits - also thanks to virtually balanced axle load distribution - from even better agility and steering precision that remains practically free of torque steer. The chassis of the Audi Q7 comprises numerous aluminium components - independent wheel suspension with double wishbones at the front and rear - and excels with its all-round qualities. Steel spring suspension and twin-tube shock absorbers are designed for sporty driving and superior comfort, even off-road. The tilted position of the rear spring and shock absorber unit reduces overall height and creates more room at the rear. With a length of 5,086mm and a wheelbase of 3,002mm, the Q7 isn't the most nimble rock hopper, but it does feature variable ground clearance (from 180 to 240mm), hill descent assist and an off-road mode whereby the ESP stability control system backs off to allow for loose surfaces. There's also a trailer stabilisation system which reduces the risk of fishtailing via targeted brake intervention. The latest models display the results of a mild facelift with the key changes being more shapely bumpers incorporating under-body protectors and LED rear light clusters. Inside, the instrument cluster and the controls have been redesigned and nudged up market. Two trim levels are offered. The `entry level' version is hardly bereft of kit, the Q7 4.2 FSI tiptronic SE retailing at around £49,000 while the slightly sportier S line model is priced at around £50,500. Whether or not you see the Q7 as a big step forward for Audi really rather depends on your view of big 4x4s. I always liked the Allroad, a pragmatic vehicle that was more competent than most would require off road and had a reassuringly car-like feel on the tarmac. The air suspension system could turn your suave estate car into a mud plugger in a matter of seconds without the negative social connotations of larger 4x4s. The Allroad was a clever distillation of Audi's brand image - cool, pragmatic, well built and ever so slightly self effacing. It doesn't have the versatility of the Q7 though. Audi claims 28 seating and loading configurations are available in this car and the seats in the second row are adjustable for fore/aft movement. This allows Audi to not only lay claim to the most generous second row legroom in the class but also - with the second row slid forward and the rear folded - to also pinch first prize for luggage capacity, a huge 775 litres. I keep telling myself that this is just the sort of unsustainable, overblown vehicle that I should hate. The motor industry needs to cut out vehicles like the Q7 and yet, and yet. Drive one and it's inherently likeable. There is clearly a public demand for it. How can something so wrong feel this right? I'm just trying to figure out if counselling is going to work out cheaper than running a Q7 for a year. One thing's for sure. It won't be half as much fun.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Audi Q7 4.2 FSI
PRICES: £49,035-£50,625 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 18
CO2 EMISSIONS: 326g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.1s / Max Speed 154mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 22.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: twin front airbags, side airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, ESP, ABS, EBD, ASR.
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 5086/1983/1737mm