Combining the elegance of a four-door luxury coupé with the functionality of an SUV, the AUDI ‘Q8’ has made its world debut as the brand’s all-new, top premium SUV. Debuting in the US market in the fourth quarter of 2018, the car boasts a commanding on-road presence, featuring design cues from the original AUDI ‘ur-quattro’.
With the imposing Singleframe in octagonal design, the Audi Q8 is the new face of the Q family. The brawny radiator grille stands upright and, together with the spoiler that has been drawn toward the front and the large, highly contoured air inlets, emphasizes the self-confident look. The elegantly sloping roofline terminates in gently inclined D-pillars and rests against the quattro blisters above the wheel arches, which house up to 22-inch wheels.
Numerous details hint at the design of the original quattro. Strong contours and athletically tight surfaces convey a feeling of power, sophistication and the special dynamics of the permanent all-wheel drive. The spoiler, wheel arch trims, door trim strips and diffuser are in a contrasting color, to further emphasize the off-road look.
Standard LED headlights illuminate the road, with HD Matrix LED technology available as an option. Here both the three-dimensional signature of the daytime running lights and the taillights have a digital character. A light strip connects the units at the rear. As in the original Audi quattro, a black surface underlays this strip. Q8 owners can use the myAudi app on their smartphone to activate various lighting functions and experience them from the outside.
Audi is quattro and quattro is Audi – of course, this applies in particular to the Q8, the top SUV of the brand. Tne new Q8 comes with quattro all-wheel drive as standard, where a differential transfers power to the front and rear axles at a ratio of 40:60 — this adjusts when more power is needed at the back. To support its adventurous use, the vehicle is equipped with an adaptive damping suspension. As well, it features all-new 48-volt mild hybrid technology that helps energize the TFSI engine and the main electrical systems.
Easy-to-understand symbols stand for the digital precision from Audi and for the high level of integration of architecture and operation. The central element is the top MMI touch response display. With its black-panel look, it almost dissolves into a large, black surface when switched off. All elements refer logically to one another, from the flat air vent strip to the wide console on the center tunnel bearing the tiptronic selector lever.
Operation is swift and simple: A tactile and acoustic click confirms when a finger activates a function. In addition to all this, the natural language voice control turns the Audi Q8 into an intelligent dialog partner. Drivers can word their commands freely. The voice control can, for example, understand the sentence “I am hungry” and in response suggests restaurants close by.