RS Spearhead
Audi Sport has added a prestigious spearhead to the RS model family with the addition of the new RS Q8 – the first ever full-size SUV to bear the Rs-badge in the 25-year history of the specialist Rs-label and it pushes the boundaries of performance for a model of this type.
Ingolstadt claims the RS Q8, with underpinnings shared by the Lamborghini Urus, is the first ever production Audi SUV capable of a subfour-second 0-100 km/h sprint. Thanks to its four-litre twin-turbo V8 TFSI engine delivering 441 kw and 800 Nm of torque between 2 200 and 4 500 rpm, the SUV Coupé can reach 200 km/h from rest in 13.7 seconds and a top speed of 308 km/h – figures that put it on a par with some of the most focused sports cars on the globe.
It is not all brawn, though. The top-dog SUV also displays exceptional intelligence and ingenuity with some of the most technologically advanced Audi features available, combined with outstanding flexibility and everyday usability. This, according to Audi, “redefines the traditional performance car genre”.
The voluminous biturbo V8 draws on a mild-hybrid system (MHEV) with 48-volt main electrical system. During deceleration and braking, it can recover up to 12 kw of power and store it in the compact lithiumion battery. The RS Q8 can recuperate or coast for up to 40 seconds with the engine off and MHEV technology allows for start/ stop operation at a speed of up to 20 km/h.
The mild-hybrid system improves ride comfort and has the potential to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 0.8 l/100 km, also due to the cylinder on demand (COD) system, according to Audi. Power flows from the V8 TFSI to a quattro permanent all-wheel drive system via a standard eight-speed tiptronic transmission with wheel-selective torque control (active torque vectoring) to improve traction, stability, and dynamics.
Adaptive air suspension
The standard Rs-specific adaptive sport air suspension with controlled damping allows for a broad spread between a setup biased toward comfort and an extremely sporty setup, and the ride height of the body can be varied by up to 90 mm.
All-wheel steering, with the rear wheels turning up to five degrees opposite the direction the front wheels at low speeds, and 1.5 degrees in the same direction as the fronts at high speeds, is standard and electromechanical active roll stabilisation (EAWS) is optionally available.
There are eight profiles from which to choose in the Audi drive select dynamic handling system (comfort, auto, dynamic, efficiency, allroad, offroad, and the individually configurable Rsspecific modes RS1 and RS2, which can be activated directly via the “Rs-mode” button on the steering wheel) to change the behaviour of the RS Q8 on-road and off-road.
The big SUV Coupé runs standard on 22-inch wheels with 295/40-series tyres – the largest ever factory-installed on an Audi production model. Optional 23-inch wheels are available, and Carbon Black editions are fitted with 23-inch wheels in gloss black, with anthracite black with diamond turned finish for the Vorsprung. The black painted brakes are available in red as an option.
Rs-specific details include a Singleframe gloss black honeycomb grille, huge side air inlets, trim strips widening the body by 10 mm up front and 5 mm in the rear, a roof edge spoiler, rear skirt with a diffuser clip in high gloss black, and the oval tailpipes. The RS Q8 is available in nine colours and numerous additional colour options are offered by the Audi exclusive programme.
Inside, the special RS displays in the Audi virtual cockpit and MMI display provide information on things such as tyre pressure, torque, output, temperature, lap times, and g-forces. Sport seats in Valcona leather with a honeycomb pattern and RS embossing are standard, as well as a comprehensive range of over 30 assist systems, a top-of-the-line infotainment system, and MMI navigation plus including a data transfer module and a Wi-fi hotspot. The RS Q8 is expected locally in the second quarter of this year and prices are not yet known.