2015 Audi Q7 Spotted

AutoGuide‘s spy photographers have spotted the fresh, next-gen Audi Q7 during its first public test.

The brand-new Q7 won’t hit the market until late 2014, probably as a 2015 model year, and its platform will be shared with the next-gen VW Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, and the approaching Bentley SUV.

The next-gen Q7 will keep the same size as the current iteration, but will lose about 880 lbs. The current-gen Q7 is now over 8 years old, so a major refreshment is overdue for the aging SUV version.

Thanks to its weight reduction, the next-gen Q7 will probably see a hybrid version enhanced by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged motor paired to a couple of electric engines for the U.S. and China markets. Other cars will carry over current powertrains.