We’ve known for some time that Audi is cooking up a new flagship SUV to take on the likes of the BMW X6 M and Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupe. Nothing has been officially announced yet, but last year Audi filed a trademark for the RS Q8, suggesting that a high-performance version of the new Q8 is on the cards to take on the upcoming BMW X6 M and Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 Coupe. Essentially, it will be the German equivalent of the Lamborghini Urus, and our spies have caught what appears to be a prototype RS Q8 being tested.
Don’t be deceived by those quad exhaust pipes at the back. Audi has tried to disguise the prototype by making it look like an SQ8 with quad tail pipes when RS versions usually have large oval exhausts. Audi pulled off a similar trick with the RS Q3, too. Why, then, do we think we’re looking at a prototype RS Q8? Our spies noticed the growl of the engine sounded too deep to be an SQ8. Those humongous composite brakes with six-piston calipers up front are also a bit of a giveaway - it’s clear this SUV will have some serious stopping power. The Audi RS Q8 will be based on the same platform as the Lamborghini Urus, so there’s a good chance it will utilize the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine.
Whether it will have the same 650-hp output remains to be seen, however. It could be slightly detuned to avoid dethroning the Lamborghini Urus. On the other hand, if it has the same output as Lamborghini’s super SUV, it could pave the way for a more powerful Urus Performante. The production RS Q8 should also have an aggressive spoiler package and larger wheels than the regular Q8 and SQ8. Audi will be lifting the wraps off the new Q8 next month, but the RS Q8 is expected to debut sometime next year as a 2020 model.
No comments:
Post a Comment