Merlot Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm/country/gcf/newsID/2060911.001/audi/audi-q7-v12-tdi-revealed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashleyadam Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 It certainly would make sense and also good use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlot Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Which would make it quicker than an S8. I would guess the combined mpg would be around 25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Perhaps when the D4 A8 platform arrives (a year or two perhaps?), as I doubt it will fit in a D3 A8 - the W12 was designed so that Audi could put a 12 cylinder engine into the D3. New platforms (Q7 onwards) tend to have provision for engines mounted slightly further back in the engine bay than previously, not only helping weight balance (the Q7 has the nearest to 50/50 balance of just about any Torsen-based Audi!), but allowing for slightly longer engines to be fitted. I could be wrong, and Audi might have some magic up their sleeve, but I am not 100% sure I'd like a big engine like that slung out in front of the front axle in a D3... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlot Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Is the D4 that close Chris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted September 12, 2006 Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 Well, just educated guesses going on Audi product cycles, the D3 has been around for about four years now IIRC, so with the S8 coming out, we're possibly looking at another two years life left in the D3. However, the C6 A6 puts a little bit of upward pressure on the A8 anyway, because it's increase in size over the C5 makes it closer to D3 size. Merc also have a slightly larger S class out don't they? The A8 probably needs to upsize slightly within the next two years to remain competitive in the segment, I'd guess. So, if Audi have a V12 to showcase on the back of the Le Mans success, there might be a temptation to shoehorn it into D3, perhaps ressurecting the idea of a nose-job like the C5 A6 4.2 V8 (allroad V8 was a shorter block and stardard nose), but I'd wonder about how that would affect handling. There's also the gearbox to consider, if the gearbox is uprated to habdle 1000 Nm peak torque, it's probably larger than the current D3's box. There could be a transmision tunnel re-jig like the C5 RS 6 had to have, but again that really would affect handling and balance. The Q7 has the physical size for a larger gearbox (either a 6 HP 32A or a beefed-up 6 HP 26A) in the transmission tunnel, and I'm guessing D4 will have to widen slightly to allow for larger gearboxes (7-speed perhaps? DSG?) without impacting on front footwell space. Of course predicting D platform demise and replacement isn't as easy as the C or B platforms, as they tend to get an RS model 12 to 18 months before runout. If Audi announce and RS 8 (unlikely as that is), then things would be easier to predict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlot Posted September 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2006 All very sensible. I'm trying to decide what to buy next year to re-jig my Audi portfolio of three cars. There is so much coming out which is interesting - B8 S4, S5 Coupe, S4 Cab, TTR, R8, RS6 - that I don't know what to do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now