2021 Audi SQ7 piles on the power, luxury and tech

This is Audi's latest performance SUV, the SQ7.

It packs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 500 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque.

That engine is backed by an eight-speed automatic gearbox and standard rear-biased Quattro all-wheel drive.

That's a ton of power, but the three-row SUV is hardly a lightweight, starting at just under 5,300 pounds before options.

The SQ7 delivers some of the industry's best cabin tech as well as nice materials and exceptional build quality.

The whole interior is nicely appointed.

Audi's MMI Touch Response infotainment tech is top-notch stuff.

The SQ7 lines up against larger-engine variants of the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.

The SQ7 would make a great road-trip machine.

The SQ7 sounds great -- particularly from the outside -- but it'd be nice if the switchable exhaust had an even louder mode at times.

Audi quotes a 0-60-mph time of just 4.3 seconds. It wasn't that long ago that that was R8 sports car territory.

Best to leave the third-row seats folded when not in use, as there's not too much room back there.

Pricing starts at $85,795 including destination for a 2020 model, but this top-shelf Prestige model rings up at $99,390 as tested.

If you don't hear it coming, you can tell the SQ7 from lesser Q7s in part by this special dual-round-tip exhaust setup.

The rear diffuser is different versus four- and six-cylinder Q7 models, as well.

Keep scrolling for more photos of the 2021 Audi SQ7.