Thanks to a rather portly 5,269 curb weight, the 2007 Audi Q7’s 4.2-liter direct-injection V8 is tuned to deliver 350 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 325 lb.-ft. at 3,500 rpm. And, to make sure the Q7 feels sprightly off the line and around town up to 85 percent of peak torque is available at less than 2,000 rpm, helping to give what should feel like a ponderous machine a lively feel. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph takes about seven seconds according to Audi, and the Q7 4.2 reaches an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. Standard towing capacity with V8 is 5,500 pounds, but the Q7 4.2 can tackle a 6,600-lb. load with the proper equipment.

Though the V8 is the more suitable engine for the heavy Q7, the 3.6-liter direct-injection V6 coming in September manages an acceptable level of performance thanks to its 280 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 265 lb.-ft. of torque that’s available across a flat power band from 2,500 to 5,000 rpm. Given its acceleration estimate of just over eight seconds to 60 mph, and a top speed of 130 mph that’s identical to the Q7 4.2, the lower price of entry and greater fuel efficiency of the V6 seems a worthy trade-off. Both engines require premium fuel.