German Car Zone

In the Audi Q7, movement, sound and vision are seamlessly integrated into a car that is unmistakably Audi with that unique touch of Bang & Olufsen. The Q7 is a powerful presence on all counts and a genuine performance SUV suitable for both on-road use and off-road action. It is the perfect blend of dependable sturdiness and sporty elegance, and the Advanced Sound System complements this perfectly with its fourteen powerful loudspeaker units and elegant design.

Model/Remodel
To generate an unequalled listening experience, state-of-the-art technologies are combined with an in-depth study of the interior of the car. Our automotive sound systems are more than a sound system built into a car. The technologies applied in the Advanced Sound System were originally developed for the Audi A8 and S8, but for the Audi Q7 this quality-driven audio system has been carefully remodelled.



Every loudspeaker, every loudspeaker cabinet and every sound design is unique for every specific model, and so the Advanced Sound System for the Audi Q7 takes into consideration the acoustic characteristics of this car's interior; its size, shape and materials. It even adjusts acoustic parameters to noise from road conditions, wind and weather and to the speed of the car.

And of course the system also permits you to optimise the sound for driver only if there is no else in the car; for front seats; for rear only if, for instance, your children's choice of music does not appeal to those in front, or for all seats if everybody wishes to enjoy the rich music.



All this is controlled via the Audi Q7's integrated Multi Media Interface, which represents a benchmark in terms its ease of operation, perfect positioning and consistent operating logic. Consequently, the Advanced Sound System is also completely integrated with telephone and GPS functions, ensuring that phone calls are never interrupted by the GPS navigation lady.

Outstanding sound stage
Turn the ignition key and observe as two tweeters elegantly emerge from the dashboard. Besides adding a visual touch of magic, these sculptured Acoustic Lenses ensure a wide 180º horizontal dispersion of the sound, helping to provide you and your passengers with superior acoustic staging and perspective. The 180º sound dispersion eliminates the limited, directional beam of conventional tweeter designs, giving you a full stereo experience regardless of where you are seated in the car. The lenses appear with refined mechanical movements, and then disappear again when the sound system is turned off.



Loudspeakers are mounted in sealed enclosure cabinets built for superior acoustic control, and covered discreetly by high-grade aluminium grilles that mirror the interior of the car. More than 1,000 watts power the fourteen loudspeaker units. Each unit is driven by its own, dedicated amplifier, and the five bass speakers are all powered by ICEpower®. ICEpower is an Intelligent, Cool and Efficient digital amplifying technology developed and patented by Bang & Olufsen. It is characterised by extreme efficiency, limited heat emission, a very compact size and low weight - characteristics that are all essential in car design.

The human touch
Along with Bang & Olufsen's competences within human perception, these innovative technologies ensure that the listening experience is as good as that which you get in your home from even the best audiophile equipment. We use trained human ears for sound tuning as well as measurements to make sure that our sound systems actually sound as good as they should with all kinds of music, at all sound levels and at any speed.



So the individual and dedicated sound tuning for the Audi Q7 is key to the high performance of the Advanced Sound System in this car even though the system itself is built on the same platform as the sound system for Audi A8 and S8. The aim – as always – is to combine the perfect driving experience with the perfect listening experience. Now, all you've got to do is keep your eyes on the road, and stop yourself from drifting off to the sound of a match made in heaven.
System Technical Specifications:Front: Two 19 mm tweeters with two Neodymium* magnets each mounted in an acoustic lens (Acoustic Lens Technology is licensed exclusively by Bang & Olufsen) with automatic motorised emergence

Front/Centre loudspeaker: 80mm full-range driver with Neodymium magnet

Front doors: 80mm mid-range drivers with Neodymium magnets + 165mm woofers with Neodymium magnets

Rear doors: 25mm tweeters with Neodymium magnets + 140mm woofers

Rear: Two 80mm full-range drivers with Neodymium magnets + 200mm subwoofer mounted in a 20 litre cabinet

Amplifiers: Nine 28 watt Class-B amplifiers for tweeters, mid-range and centre driver, Four 125 watt ICEpower Class D amplifiers for bass drivers, One 250 watt ICEpower Class D amplifier for the subwoofer

* Neodymium is a rare earth metal that is used in the strongest permanent magnets known. These magnets are stronger, lighter and smaller than for instance the cheaper Ferrite magnets, making them ideal for high-quality products such as loudspeakers where low mass, small volume, and/or strong magnetic fields are required.
Advanced Sound from Bang & Olufsen for Audi Q7

It all certainly looks great, I'm sure it sounds fantastic too. B&O and Audi seem to be very compatible -- they have a very similar aesthetic style: cool and restrained.

That's true. Both companies seem to like Aluminium as a structural material too.