The delay in getting the second generation Audi Q7 to market was caused by the original proposal being deemed too aggressive by Wolfgang Egger who took over as design boss back in 2011. Not only has it taken time to create a redesign, seen here in prototype form hot weather testing in Spain, but the new Q7 will also ride on the VW Group's third-gen SUV platform that will ultimately spawn the 2015 Q7, upcoming Bentley SUV, VW Touareg, Porsche Cayenne and Lamborghini SUV.

The new platform has enabled some 400 kg to be stripped away from the Q7, with weight savings coming from the use of aluminum, composite materials and smaller engines. In the US, these will include 3.0- and 4.0-liter TFSI units and a 3.0-liter TDI, followed by a plug-in hybrid.