Armed with the state-of-the-art diesel engine that won Le Mans last year, this SUV boasts 500 hp and a mighty 737 lb ft of torque @ 1,750 to 3,000 rpm. Woof! Take that, Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Audi's new leader, Rupert Stadler, told me at the show that the V12 Q7 was only one of many up-and-coming high-performance, high-profile vehicles in Audi's arsenal. He is counting on these standouts to significantly grow the brand's presence in America, where Audi only sold 90,116 last year (vs. BMW's 274,432).