New Audi Q8 luxury SUV revealed 23 | 12 | 2016
AUDI HAS TEASED what will be its flagship Range Rover Sport rival; Audi’s range-topping Q8 SUV will be officially unveiled at next month’s Detroit Motor Show.
The Q8 will be previewed by an ‘e-tron’ concept on the stands at Detroit, showcasing the design direction for a production model in 2018. The car is expected to start around £55,000 for the entry-model Q8 3.0TDI when it enters Scottish dealerships.
Based on the same platform as the current Q7, it will have a markedly different look — as previewed in the teaser images — with a lower roofline and muscular stance.
Boasting the same wheelbase as the current second-generation Q7, the Q8 will have a shorter rear overhang and sit 70mm lower. Expect the car to feature “comfortable” seating for four adults, instead of the seven-seats in the Q7.
Future ‘Q’ models will have octagonal grilles and ‘A’ models will feature hexagonal grilles – as the sketches show, the Q8 gets the most dominant octagonal grille of the lot featuring bold vertical strakes.
Identifying the Q8 an the Q-range flagship, it will have full-width rear lights and a unique front light design split into two, with further lighting in a lower part that’s disguised as an air intake.
Set to go head-to-head with the likes of the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, the Q8 will share its engineering with the Q7, which is built on Audi’s MLB platform, and have a range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engine in V6 and V8 forms. Full plug-in hybrid options will follow.
In the UK, the sleek SUV will have a starting price of around £55,000 for an entry-level Q8 3.0 TDI model.
“With the Audi Q8 concept, we have created a new spearhead within our Q model line,” Audi design boss Marc Lichte said. “Its design strongly evokes sportiness and prestige. What’s more, we believe an important aspect of this show car is that it offers a spacious interior with four equally comfortable seats, even with the flat roofline.”
Related: Roadtest – Audi A5 2.0TDI S line
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Jim McGill