Audi Q8 Reveals Its Shapely Rear End

Audi’s flagship SUV will also star in an original five-part video series starting later this month.

Audi is teasing the all-new Q8 crossover again, only this time it’s a lot more revealing than the line drawing released last month. This latest design sketch gives us a much better look at Audi’s new flagship crossover, focusing on its shapely rear end. As expected, it looks sleek and stylish, sporting a sloping roofline, an upward sweeping beltline, and a dual exhaust system with trapezoidal tailpipes integrated in the rear bumper. Like the Q7, the Q8 has a full-length taillight, while muscular rear fenders give it a sporty appearance.

In a Facebook post, Audi teased that the Q8 is “most definitely not a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, but an SUV with a “coupe design”. The Audi Q8 will also feature in an original five-part video series called Q8 Unleashed. From the teaser trailer, the mini-series focuses on a kidnapping. The main characters then use the Q8 to track down leads and presumably save the day.

“Sandra and Quentin, an extravagant power couple from the Golden State, had it all” the synopsis says. “Successful careers, a design loft, an influential circle of friends and the perfect car to match it all. But in a split second everything is about to change. Unleash five gripping episodes and be rewarded with a first glance at the most thrilling Audi SUV of all times.” The teaser trailer doesn’t reveal much, but there seems to be a blend of romance, drama, and of course some driving action scenes promoting the Q8’s prowess. It reminds us of the action-packed BMW Films starring Clive Owen. The first episode will be released on May 21. It ends on June 5, just before the Q8’s world debut.

We already know the Audi Q8 shares the same platform as the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga, and Volkswagen Touareg. Engine options are expected to be carried over from the Q7, so expect a base model packing a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 252 hp and a more powerful turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 model with 355 hp. Audi is also expected to offer a plug-in hybrid variant with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, an electric motor and lithium-ion battery producing a combined 438 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Later down the line, a range-topping RS will complete the lineup – hopefully it will pack the Lamborghini Urus' twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 producing 650 hp.