HERNDON, VA - Audi released pricing for the 2009 model-year Audi Q7 TDI clean diesel, its first clean diesel vehicle for the U.S. market. The Q7 TDI is scheduled to arrive in U.S. dealerships later in April, according to the manufacturer.

MSRP for the Audi Q7 TDI Premium start at $50,900. Prices do not include a destination charge of $825, taxes, title, or dealer charges. Buyers of the 2009 Audi Q7 TDI also qualify for a $1,150 Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit, according to the U.S. IRS.

Audi TDI technology marks its 20th anniversary in 2009 with the distinction of offering U.S. consumers the world's cleanest diesel system. It is a technology certified as meeting emissions regulations in all 50 U.S. states. That includes the California ULEV II (ultra-low emissions vehicle) standards that also apply to conventional gasoline vehicles and represent one of the world's most rigorous motor vehicle emission requirements.

Audi accomplished this without sacrificing the outstanding performance that TDI has brought to European motoring and in racing competitions worldwide. The most recent TDI-powered championship came last month when the all-new Audi R15 TDI race car won first and third place in the 12 Hours of Sebring competition.

In the 2009 Audi Q7 TDI, efficiency and performance will combine with styling and luxurious appointments to open up the discussion over America's alternative fuels options.

"The moment has arrived for clean diesel to be seen as an immediate answer to America's energy challenges," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. "With the Q7 TDI, Audi is clearly demonstrating that luxury car buyers do not need to sacrifice progressive styling, comfort or performance to see fuel economy gains."

The clean diesel technology found in the 2009 Q7 TDI provides 30-percent better fuel economy than gasoline engines of similar size. That means the Q7 TDI offers the efficiency of 25 mpg in highway driving and a range of more than 600 miles on a full tank. The Q7 TDI also gets an EPA-rated 17 mpg in city driving and combined fuel economy of 20 mpg.

But getting more miles out of each gallon of fuel isn't the only advantage of the Audi TDI clean diesel technology. The engine in the Audi Q7 TDI also delivers substantially more torque than a comparable gasoline engine - at least 50-percent more. That added torque gives the Audi Q7 TDI more power from a start as well as the force to handle tasks like towing or climbing steep slopes.

The Q7 TDI achieves 406 lb-ft of torque, compared to 266 lb.-ft. of torque for a similar V-6 gasoline engine. Its towing capacity is a hefty 6,600 pounds.

The advanced TDI clean diesel engine in the 2009 Audi Q7 TDI is significantly less intrusive on the environment than past diesel engines. The 3.0L V-6 engine in the Audi Q7 TDI produces about 25-percent less carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, than traditional gasoline engines. The advanced exhaust emission control system found in the Q7 TDI reduces smog-causing nitrogen oxides by up to 90 percent when compared with past generations of diesel technologies sold in the U.S.

With the filters used in the 2009 Audi Q7 TDI, the exhaust that comes out of the tailpipe can contain less particulate matter - or soot - than the ambient air that went into the engine. And the ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel available at U.S. filling stations contains 97 percent less sulfur than diesel fuel sold in 1993. More than 42 percent of the nation's filling stations now carry ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel.

The diesel engine in the Q7 TDI is expected to last longer than a comparable gasoline engine, according to Audi. That's leading to better resale value projections, which affect leasing rates and longer-term ownership value.

The 2009 Audi Q7 TDI offers plenty of amenities to go with its technological advances. The exterior of the new Q7 TDI features sporty S line styling upgrades, including S line front and rear bumpers, S line badging, headlight washers and 19-inch five-spoke wheels.

Inside, the 2009 Q7 TDI includes power 12-way heated front seats with leather seating surfaces throughout, seven passenger seating, dual zone climate control, wood decorative inlays, power tailgate, Audi Multi Media Interface (MMI), Audi Music Interface with iPod cable, premium sound w/ six-disc CD changer, garage door opener (HomeLink), Parktronic, preparation for mobile phone (Bluetooth) and SIRIUS satellite radio.