The Audi Q7 will have one less engine in its line-up soon, as the V12 TDI powertrain gets the flick. The 5.9-liter V12 turbo-diesel produces 500 hp and about 1,000 Nm of torque, and Jens Meiners at Car and Driver says it’s the best SUV he’s ever driven. Still, sales of the Q7 with this particular powertrain have been woeful and so not only is Audi abandoning it, it won’t get a successor and won’t be used on any other model.

Meanwhile a trend set by BMW and Mercedes could be continued by Audi in abandoning V8 diesels, too. The 4.2-litre V8 TDI which is available both on the Q7 and the A8 could also be put out to pasture. The unit makes 340 hp on the SUV and 350 hp on the A8 sedan, but with the three-litre V6 TDI offering 313 hp on the new Audi A6, a bigger unit is no longer required.



Click title for the source