Quattro AUDI Q7

The V12 TDI diesel engine has 5,934 cc spread across twelve cylinders and was, in its day, the only series-production twelve-cylinder diesel fitted to a passenger car. At 3,405 kg gross vehicle weight and 2,697 kg kerb weight, the payload comes to around 700 kg. The 5,190 mm overall length, 3,010 mm wheelbase and 2,010 mm width match the dimensions of the large Audi SUV of this generation.

Despite its considerable weight, the Q7 V12 TDI reaches a top speed of 250 km/h, unusually high for an SUV, made possible by the twelve-cylinder engine's high torque and the permanent quattro all-wheel drive that gave the vehicle its name in the register. As a passenger car it is subject to ordinary vehicle registration, not the rules for light commercial vehicles.

When buying a used V12 TDI Q7, the high maintenance cost of the twelve-cylinder engine must be factored in: the turbochargers, the two parallel common-rail high-pressure pumps and the engine control electronics are complex and expensive to repair. The air suspension usually fitted to this model should be checked for leaks and even ride height at all four corners. Brakes and tyres also deserve close attention given the vehicle's considerable weight.