Audi’s most powerful production model set to be an SUV, report says
IF most people were told a new Audi was on the way that would be the most powerful production model in the German carmaker’s range when it lands in dealerships, it’s likely a new R8 or similar sports car sharing a V-10 with a Lamborghini would be the popular guess.
However, it’s actually going to be an SUV in the shape of an RS Q8 with a 670 bhp hybrid V- 8 shared with the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, according to a report from Autocar.
Audi Sport’s answer to the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 is now being spotted out and about in its camouflage undergoing road tests, and from what has been seen the new model is clearly heavily inspired by the RS Q8 concept Audi unveiled last year.
But it’s under the hood where things start to get really interesting as the RS Q8 would be getting the twin-turbo petrol engine and electric motor system already employed in the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. As long as the hybrid system isn’t detuned in any way for the RS Q8, it would make the uber-SUV the most powerful vehicle Audi offers from the factory when it eventually goes on sale, even eclipsing the V-10-powered R8 by as much as 68 bhp and 214 lb.-ft.
Of course, even though it could be more powerful than the R8, the RS Q8 will weigh a huge amount more so it won’t be able to offer anything like the performance of the supercar.