Next Audi Q7 to go on radical diet, lose 770 pounds

Audi has set some pretty aggressive weight-cutting targets for its future line, according to Car and Driver. The German manufacturer has said that each of its model successors will be lighter than their current iterations thanks to a greater use of aluminum in their body structures. That includes the big boy Q7 crossover, which, according to global marketing head-honcho Peter Schwarzenbauer, may shed as much as 770 pounds before the next generation gets its unveiling. That's an eye-widening figure, to be sure, as it marks a 14 percent cut from the curb weight of the current car.

Lighter weight invariably translates to better fuel economy, better handling and shorter stopping distances – all things that can paint a grin on our faces. Will this greater focus on lightweight materials translate into steeper price tags? It's hard to tell, but traditional logic suggests it will. We'll just have to wait for the next-generation Q7 to debut before we can say for certain.