New SQ7 looms as Audi’s best seller

Audi Australia stakeholders believe the new $153,000 SQ7 is likely to become the top-selling Q7 variant in the country.

Launched last week as the latest member of the new Q7 family, and hot on the heels of the smaller but extremely successful SQ5, the new SQ7 joins the BMW X5 M50d and Porsche Cayenne Diesel S as the latest large diesel performance SUV.

But with Australia now ranked fourth globally in overall S and RS sales, stakeholders believe the asking price will not deter buyers.

According to Audi Australia corporate communications general manager, Anna Burgdorf, the SQ7 will meet the buying criteria of many performance enthusiasts locally, potentially helping it outsell other Q7 models.

“I think it’s a possibility, we don’t know at this stage if it will find quite the same level of favour as the SQ5 but certainly we all believe that there’s strong potential. We also need to be aware of supply and what we can deliver early on,” she said.

The SQ5 has been a hit for Audi in Australia, outselling every other Q5 model in the range and helping leverage the marque’s SUV sales locally.

“I don’t think we expected SQ5 to be quite as strong as it has been,” Burgdorf said.

“We knew it would be very popular but I don’t think we expected to be popular for such a long period of time. It’s possible with the SQ7 but it’s very early days.”

Utilising a new electrically powered compressor to spool up its mechanical turbos earlier than conventional forced induction systems, the SQ7 reaches its peak 900Nm of torque from just 1000rpm. It means the 2330kg seven-seater can hit 100km/h from rest in just 4.9 seconds.

According to Burgdorf, the new compressor technology could be used in other Audi product down the track.

“There’s been nothing more announced at this stage and there’s nothing more I can say, but it’s certainly fair to say that it’s a technology with a possibility to be in more than what you see here today,” she said.