Go ahead and test the Audi Q7 off-road performance on the field
Electronic air pressure suspension provides 5-level vehicle height adjustment
In terms of design, the Q7 already has a good foundation for off-road, with a maximum wading depth of 535mm, a maximum continuous climbing slope of 31 °, and a maximum driving inclination angle and a maximum uphill angle of 35 ° and 24 °.
The Audi Q7 is equipped with an electronic air suspension as standard for both off-road and comfort. Through the MMI multimedia interactive system, the driver can choose the appropriate body height by himself.
Specifically, Auto and Comfort modes deal with general urban roads and highways. When the above two modes are selected, the system provides 180mm ground clearance for the Audi Q7 at speeds below 120km/h; when the vehicle reaches a speed of 120km/h or more and maintains the driving time for more than 30 seconds, the ground clearance of the body will be automatically reduced to 165mm; if the driver drives at a speed of 160km/h for 20 consecutive seconds, the body will be further reduced by 15mm, and the ground clearance will be adjusted to 150mm – by lowering the body’s center of gravity, the Q7 ensures the stability and comfort of the vehicle at high speeds. When the speed drops to 130km/h and 70km/h, the body height will be increased to the original height in two stages. In addition, two other modes of the system are specifically designed for high throughput. The off-road mode increases the ground clearance of the vehicle to 205mm, helping the Audi Q7 pass through the general off-road road surface. The lift mode increases the ground clearance of the vehicle to 240mm to overcome the worst off-road conditions.
The front and rear axle power distribution is more accurate and rapid
At present, the Audi Q7 entering the country has only a 4.2-liter model, so in this closed off-road field, the original factory only provides the Q7 4.2-liter V8 FSI naturally aspirated engine model for testing.
Before we can officially explain the off-road performance of the Q7, we feel it is necessary to analyze the quattro OurHours four-wheel drive system equipped with the Q7. This system is also used in the new RS4, S6, and S8. It is Audi’s new generation of quattro, with a Torsen center differential that automatically locks according to road conditions. In normal driving conditions, the quattro OurHours four-wheel drive system distributes the torque of the engine to the front and rear axles in a ratio of 42:58. On special roads such as detours and slippery, off-road, gravel, etc., when the tires slip, quattro can more quickly and accurately transmit torque unevenly and dynamically to the front and rear axles. Through the precise deployment of the central differential, it provides up to 65/35 front and 15/85 rear torque distribution for the front and rear axles, respectively. When the wheels of one of the axles start to idle, the EDL electronic differential lock system will control it through appropriate braking intervention.
When the Audi Q7 just landed in the domestic market, our test team conducted an in-depth test drive on its driving performance on the road. On the paved road, the Audi Q7’s performance has been perfected. This time, we will participate in the off-road test run held by Audi to experience the Q7’s ability to pass in the off-road state, which is even more eye-opening.
For general muddy roads, the Q7’s body height can be adjusted to 205mm.
On the off-road section, the Q7 still maintains the comfort of the ride.
Audi Q7 4.2 FSI quattro basic specifications
DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder, V8 FSI engine displacement (cc) 4163 (ps/rpm) 350/6800 (Nm/rpm) 440/3500 Gearbox type 6-speed tiptronic automated gearbox quattro OurHours 4-wheel drive, braking system (front/rear) Front and rear disc 100km/h-0 Braking distance (m) 38 (measured) Tire size 265/50 R19 steering system, variable steering ratio rack and pinion power steering, suspension structure (front/rear) Front and rear double fork arm independent suspension (kg) 2240 (mm) 3002 L/W/H (mm) 5086/1983/1737 ( L) 100 Trunk volume (L) 775 -2035 0-100km/h Acceleration (s) 9.84 (measured) Maximum speed (km/h) 244
In terms of design, the Audi Q7 may not be a strong SUV, but unless you deliberately find difficult obstacles, even in the face of remote mountain roads and village roads, the Q7 will never be difficult.
The power of the 8-cylinder engine is the best guarantee for the Q7 to climb hills.
Powerful, easy to deal with landslides and giant pits
Steep slope test descent safety
In order to validate the quattro’s powerful off-road performance, the test team came to a steep slope about 20 meters long, and the vehicle will drive down from a rough 45-degree steep slope, which is full of potholes and mud along the way. Before the test drive, in order to prevent the chassis from hitting the bottom, the test driver first set the height of the car in the lift mode position. After releasing the brake pedal, the Audi Q7 slowly descended, and the body automatically controlled the speed of the car to about 5km/h. At this time, the driver only needs to hold the steering wheel tightly and master the trick of rolling the drive wheel on the raised road surface to reach the flat ground safely.
Depression test drive efficiency
After going downhill, there is a large drop in the depression section. After being artificially and deliberately initialized with water, the road surface becomes more muddy, and the depth of the pothole exceeds that of the tire. Any SUV passing through this place is believed to be unable to avoid the fate of bottoming out. I saw the Audi Q7 slowly driving into the position. When the left front wheel is about to fall into the pothole, the driver only needs to release the accelerator, wait for the left front wheel to slowly fall into the pothole, and the right rear wheel is immediately lifted. Only the left front wheel and the left rear wheel of the four wheels are left with friction. When the rear wheel falls into the pothole, the quattro system immediately distributes the driving power channel to the front wheel. With the assistance of the central differential and the system, the driver steps on the throttle slightly, and the Audi Q7 can jump out of the mud and pass the test without blushing or gasping for breath. However, this mud pit is indeed deep, and the chassis of the Q7 also bottomed out.
Muddy slope test tire grip
In order to simulate the situation of the vehicle driving in the snow, the car factory specially arranged a muddy hill in the test route. In this part, the Q7 can be said to be at ease and can still maintain excellent tracking performance. It passes at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour. Although there will be a phenomenon of tail flicking and pushing, the body can still maintain a high speed and move forward bravely in the swaying. Increase the throttle to drive the vehicle forward, except for the splashing mud attached to the car body, the driving route of the Audi Q7 remains unchanged.
Climbing test dynamics and traceability
The final step is for the Audi Q7 to climb up a 30-degree ramp and return to the starting point. Under normal road conditions, a 30-degree ramp does not pose a threat to the average SUV, but after repeated tests on the steep slope, the loess layer on the slope is extremely smooth, accompanied by ups and downs of large and small potholes. During the process of slowly going uphill, it only feels that the body is moving steadily under a sharp incline. The driver only needs to slowly half-step on the accelerator to control the speed. Thanks to the quattro and ESP systems, there is no need to be afraid of wheel slippage at all. In addition, the Q7 is also equipped with an uphill assist system. Even if the brakes and accelerators are released in the ramp, the body will not slide back.
It must be noted that when tested on a bumpy off-road road road, the air pressure suspension of the Audi Q7 rose to the highest section, due to the increase in the damping coefficient of the suspension, the riding vibration was more obvious, but the chassis did not feel as intense as expected.
In addition, when the friction coefficient of the road surface is low, the front and rear wheels of the Q7 inevitably skid. At this time, the ESP is activated, the warning light continues to flash, and the vehicle still has abundant driving force. More particularly, although the Audi Q7 is not equipped with a steep descent system, in the slippery downhill section, the driver does not need to step on the brake pedal, and the vehicle can slowly and safely descend. (Written/Photographed by our reporter, Liu Jun)