Ingolstadt has been late to the super size performance SUV game, as its Teuton rivals in the form of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche out muscle one another with 450 kW + all-wheel-drive behemoths.
That has changed after Audi fitted its flagship Q8 SUV with the most powerful engine available in its line-up: a V8 4,0-litre twin turbo petrol spewing out 441 kW and 800 N.m. It carries a standard price tag of R 2 354 500 and our test unit was fitted with R389 780 worth of options, including carbon ceramic brakes priced at a cool R 202 000.
CAR journalist Sean Parker gets behind the wheel of the all-new model to experience the 2 404 kg SUV.
Readers who are familiar with Audi’s RS performance models will know the RS Q8 was launched recently alongside the updated RS 4, RS 6, RS 7 Sportback, S7 and SQ8. Like most high performance derivatives from Ingolstadt, the RS Q8 is fitted with all-wheel-drive, or Quattro in Audi speak. Power is sent to all four paws via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
According to our testing data, the RS Q8 achieved a 0-100 km/h time of 3,84 seconds, a frankly startling statistic when one considers its sheer mass.
But is the RS Q8 only good in a straight line or does it excite the senses when the road gets twisty? Watch our road test to find out and don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel.
