For the Q7 SUV range, Audi is introducing three new V6 engines as well as a brand new 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission.

The three engines include two petrols and one diesel, which combine forced induction and direct fuel injection, and also include a high-performance recuperation system that recovers energy during braking as standard. Audi has also introduced an all new 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission for the new engines.

Being available with two versions, the petrol engines are 3.0-litre supercharged TFSI units. The first replaces the previous 3.6-litre FSI unit, and produces 272bhp and 400Nm of torque. This enables the Q7 to go from 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 222km/h, or 225km/h if the adaptive air suspension is specified.

The next version of the 3.0-litre TFSI unit replaces the previous 4.2-litre FSI V8, and produces 333bhp and 440Nm of torque. This engine is able to propel the Q7 from 0-100km/h in 6.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 243km/h, or 245km/h with the adaptive air suspension.

Meanwhile, the diesel engine is a 3.0-litre V6 TDI unit that produces 240bhp and 550Nm of torque. This allows the Q7 to go from 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 215km/h.

Audi will also offer a “Clean Diesel” version of the engine, which has a DeNox catalytic converter in the exhaust system to reduce the remaining oxides of nitrogen by means of an additive, and meets the stringent Euro 6 emissions standards. This Clean Diesel version is slightly slower than the standard diesel engine, and posts a 0-100km/h time of 8.1 seconds, and a top speed of 215km/h.

And in the Q7 range, Audi has also tweaked the remaining engine, with the 4.2-litre TDI engine now having a 2,000-bar fuel injection system which minimizes internal friction. Power output remains the same at 340bhp, but torque has been increased from 760Nm to 800Nm.

Revised Audi Q7 4.2-litre TDI is now able to go from 0-100km/h in 6.4 seconds, and reach a top speed of 242km/h. And all the engines are available with the new 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission which is said to lower fuel consumption by about five percent.

It seems to be like the Mercedes-Benz will be phasing out normal aspiration from its AMG cars, with the exception of the SLS AMG for now.

The M156 is the V8 engine in the confusing “63 AMG” range of cars, which makes over 500 horsepower in various stages of tune, with the highest being 563 horses in the SLS AMG where it has been massaged and known as the M159 instead.

All new M157 – a 5.5 litre (5,461cc) V8 engine with twin turbochargers and direct injection replaced the M156, producing between 544hp up to 571hp. In 544hp tune, the engine makes a massive 800Nm between 2,000rpm to 4,500rpm (1.0 bar boost), while the 571hp version produces 900Nm (1.3 bar boost) between 2,500rpm and 3,750rpm. The engine is a bore-biased engine, with its pistons measuring 98.0mm x 90.5mm.

At the Geneva Motor Show, this engine will be showcased installed in an S-Class mated to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed automatic transmission. That S-Class will be called the S 63 AMG. It will go from 0 to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds with the 544hp tune, while with 571hp tune (which AMG calls the AMG Performance Package), 0.1 seconds is shaved off that number. The AMG Performance Package will also increase the top speed limiter from 250km/h to 300km/h.

For the first time, an AMG engine will feature direct injection with spray-guided combustion and piezo-electric injectors. Other notable specifications also include a full aluminium crankcase with cast-in Silitec cylinder liners, a Bosch MED 17.7.3 ECU, four-valve technology with electromagnetically adjustable camshafts, an air/water intercooler in between the V-bank, generator management and a start/stop function as standard.

Other AMG engine in the ‘65 AMG’ cars are already twin-turbocharged. That monster is a 3 valve per cylinder twin spark 6 liter V12, making 604 hp at 4800-5100 rpm and a massive 1,000 N•m of torque at 2000-4000 rpm! 12 cylinders and twin spark means that engine has 24 spark plugs – a huge bill when a spark plug change is due, but probably no sweat to an owner of such a car.