In March in South Africa, BMW sold 23 units of its X7, while Audi sold 22 units of its Q8.
Both cars are high-end SUVs from their respective manufacturers, and both can be bought for between R1.6 million and R2 million.
We took a look at what you get with each of these luxury vehicles below.
Under the hood
The BMW X7 xDrive30d sports a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, giving the SUV a power output of 195kW and 620Nm.
This allows the BMW to reach a top speed of 227km/h and achieve a 0-100km/h time of 7 seconds.
The Audi Q8 45TDI quattro is also powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, which provides the SUV with 183kW and 600Nm.
As a result, the Audi can achieve a top speed of 220km/h and is also capable of going from 0-100km/h in 7 seconds.
Fuel consumption is listed at 7.0l/100km for the BMW, and 7.8l/100km for the Audi.
Both cars are all-wheel-drive and both use an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Styling
Looking at the exteriors, the X7 is furnished with 20-inch alloy rims, aluminium roof rails, a dual chrome exhaust, a chrome kidney grille, and a panoramic sunroof.
The car is fitted with adaptive LED headlights, high beam assist, LED front fog lights, rear fog lights, LED daytime-running lights, heated and anti-dazzle electric folding side mirrors, and rain-sensors that automatically activate the wipers and headlights.
In contrast, the Q8 includes 20-inch alloy rims, a panoramic sunroof, roof spoiler, heat-reflecting windows, and aluminium scuff plates – as well as daytime-running lights, light-sensing LED Matrix headlights, high beam assist, LED rear lights, dynamic turn signals, and heated, auto-dimming, electronically-folding side mirrors.
Features
One key difference between the X7 and Q8 is that the BMW can seat seven passengers, while the Audi takes five.
This means the X7 has a load volume of 326 litres, which can be increased to 750 litres when the third row seats are folded down – while the Audi has room for 605 litres of storage space.
Inside the X7 you will find leather seats, a multifunction leather steering wheel, a wood finish on interior panels, an anti-dazzle rear view mirror, ambient contour lighting, acoustic glazing on the front and side windows, and lumbar support for the front seats – which are heated and electronically adjustable.
Additionally, the X7 offers four-zone automatic air conditioning, cruise control, a wireless phone charging dock, and a 12.3-inch infotainment display with 10 speakers, BMW ConnectedDrive support, and wireless support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Not to be outdone, the Q8 includes a leather upholstery, leather multifunction steering wheel with paddle-shifter, front seat heaters, an ambient lighting package, auto-dimming rearview mirror, four-way lumbar support for the front seats, cruise control, wireless phone charging, 360 degree cameras, park assist, hold assist, traction control, and stability control.
The centre console uses black aluminium buttons with haptic feedback and features four-zone climate control and a 12.3-inch LCD infotainment display with Bluetooth and Audi Connect support, which connects to a Bang and Olufsen sound system.
Pricing and warranty
The South African pricing for the BMW X7 xDrive30d is R1,839,414.
This includes a 2-year/unlimited distance warranty and a 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan.
The South African pricing for the Audi Q8 45TDI quattro is R1,646,300.
Buyers can expect a 1-year/unlimited distance warranty and a 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan as standard.
BMW X7
Audi Q8
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