The new flagship of German manufacturer comes to play the spoilsport on the exclusive market of large, prestigious SUVs, by focusing on the combination of design and performance, technologies.
By Frédéric Edmond
It is not the first to arrive on the market of large SUVs, but it is not the least successful. On the contrary. L’ Audi Q8 has been on the market for almost a year and is now playing the spoilsport in this exclusive and competitive segment where BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover are all fighting for position. With this Q8, Audi decided to play with muscles: in fact, in a style that displays the new codes of the manufacturer, this SUV presents itself with a silhouette that is athletic to say the least.
Imposing with its 4.98 m length and its 1.99 m width, but with a contained height (1.70 m), it displays proportions revealing more sportiness than the other SUVs of the range. With its chopped roofline, high ground clearance, huge wheels, octagonal singleframe grille, small windows and frameless doors, its stature exudes real dynamism and power
While it’s true that the Q8 loses out on roominess compared to the Q7 – which is a true 7-seater – it still has plenty of room in the cabin, including in the back row. Its trunk, in minimal configuration, has a nice capacity of 605 liters. At the front, the cabin is based on clean lines, giving a luxurious atmosphere.
The dashboard, articulated around two large touch screens, marks the manufacturer’s desire to contain the ergonomics of the controls and to make handling as simple and intuitive as possible. I might as well say it: given the on-board technological arsenal it was not an easy task. Indeed, the Q8 benefits from Audi’s latest advances in this area, which, like the A7 and A8, allow the driver to enjoy an ultra-sophisticated cockpit whose intelligent voice control system is its butler.
Under the hood, the vehicle houses, in its 50 TDI version, a 3-liter V6, claiming a power of 286 hp. With its 600 Nm of torque, this block offers the Q8 high-level performance with a 0 to 100 km/h time of just over 6 seconds. As for pick-up, it is straightforward in all circumstances, which is a guarantee of safety. The 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, although a little slow at times, works efficiently to ensure that the Q8 is very flexible. Indeed, if it is at ease on the highway, it is also at ease in the city.
On the road, the Q8 does not hide a real dynamism. Based on a chassis with an electronic platform offering 7 driving profiles and a controlled suspension, it is at ease on most surfaces and adapts to all driving styles to ensure the best compromise between comfort and dynamism. Thus, it turns flat while swallowing irregularities, which, for the driver as for his passengers, is appreciable. Its Quattro all-wheel drive and rear-wheel steering ensure agility and precision driving.
Engine: V6; Displacement: 2967 cm3; Power: 286 hp; Torque: 600 Nm; 0 to 100 km/h: 6 .3 seconds; Top speed: 245 km/h; Combined fuel consumption: 8.9 liters. 245 km/h; Fuel consumption: 8.9 liters
