Audi finally enters the premium mid-size SUV Coupe segment, offering for the first time a genuine rival to the likes of the Mercedes GLE Coupe and BMW X6.
As expected, the new Audi Q8 is shorter, lower and wider than the Q7, which shares the same underpinnings. With that said, every mid-sized SUV within the Group does the same and that includes models like the Bentley Bentayga, the Porsche Cayenne and the Lamborghini Urus.
Audi claims that the new Q8 offers a “versatile, sporty and elegant” package, combining the dynamic looks customers are looking in this segment with a spacious interior that’s unmatched by its direct rivals.
As you would expect from a flagship SUV, the new Audi Q8 is packed with cutting edge technologies. These include features such as an optional all-wheel steering, LED lights that put on a show when you unlock the car, mild-hybrid powertrains, adaptive air suspension and of course a crystal-clear set of adjustable displays for the infotainment system and instrument cluster, among other.
The standard Quattro all-wheel drive system features a 40:60 torque split front to rear while the engine range will include just two options initially. Buyers wishing to become the first to get a Q8 in their driveway will have to choose between the 55 TFSI version, which uses a 3.0-liter V6 TFSI with 340hp (355PS), and the 50 TDI version, powered by a 3.0-liter TDI engine with 282hp (286PS). Audi will add more powertrains in the future, including a less powerful 45 TDI model with 228hp (231PS) in 2019.
Let’s see if the Audi Q8 manages to impress Autocar, Carwow and Autogefühl in the video playlist linked below.