Join the queue for the Q!
Audi’s ever-expanding Q range of familyoriented sports utility vehicles is gathering pace for the new year. i recently had engaging drives of the new Q2 compact and its much larger flagship Q7 sibling which hit the road earlier in the year.
But there are a host more Q cars in the pipeline as Audi joins other manufacturers in capitalising on the demand for off-road style vehicles.
in a few days’ time, the North American international Auto show, in detroit, will see Audi unwrap a big, bold and ‘near-production’ prototype of its new flagship Q8 4x4, which is likely to be priced at more than £100,000.
until it arrives, the Q7 remains top dog. it already has a host of celebrity fans and drivers, including david Beckham, actors Kevin Costner, Ben stiller and Jessica Alba and supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
A revamped Q5 goes on sale next spring, from £37,170. And a new entry-level Q1, starting at less than £20,000 is expected in 2019 to take on Nissan’s popular and quirky Juke. The Q3 had a recent facelift, but an all-new version should arrive in 2018.
For those on a tighter budget, the new Q2 is more affordable.
Clever engineering enhances its good looks. it’s a very practical proposition that looks classy on the drive — which is always a positive sign — even if the bright and brash Vegas yellow might be too adventurous for some tastes. it certainly gets you noticed. And the front sports seats are suitably supportive.
The 1.4-litre four-cylinder direct injection turbocharged petrol engine is linked to a seven-speed s-tronic automatic gearbox, with paddles for manual override.
it will accelerate from rest to 62mph in 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 131mph. CO2 emissions are low at 119g/km and it averages 54.3 mpg, helped by a stop-start system.
But it’s not cheap. The base price of my 150bhp version was £27,045, but extras, including a £1,595 technology pack and privacy glass, at £375, soon bumped the final bill up to £34,005. still, that’s a third of the price of the top of the range luxurious sQ7 four-litre V8 Tdi Quattro, which will set you back £95,160. With 435bhp, this beast goes from rest to 62mph in just 4.9 seconds and has a top speed of 155mph.