Audi unleashes its new flagship luxury crossover coupe, the Audi Q8. With this model, the premium manufacturer is tapping into a new segment for the full-size class. Combining the “elegance of a four-door luxury coupe with the practical versatility of a large SUV, the Q8 concept stands for maximum prestige. Propulsion is provided by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 and a 0.9 kWh lithium-ion battery for crawling through stop-and-go traffic without using the V6. Total system output was 469 hp on the concept. The concept car is the basis for a production model that Audi will launch on the market in fourth quarter this year.
“Dynamic, highly efficient and extremely comfortable: It combines the spaciousness typical of an SUV with the emotional lines of a coupe.”
Boasting a length of 5.02 meters (16.5 ft), the Audi Q8 concept is impressive. Thanks to a wheelbase of three meters (9.8 ft), this luxury SUV offers plenty of space for passengers and luggage. Despite the sloping, coupe-like roofline, even the rear-seat passengers enjoy ample head and shoulder room. The control concept uses large touchscreens in the cockpit and is rounded out by an expanded version of the Audi virtual cockpit and a contact-analogue head-up display. The latter uses intelligent augmented reality technology that merges the real and the virtual worlds.The interior is similar to the new A6, A7 and A8 sedans, with two-screen infotainment using haptic feedback and AI-enhanced voice control.
The Q8’s mechanical center diff transfers 40 percent of the torque to the front wheels in normal driving. There’s 10 inches of ground clearance and hill descent control in case you really do want to go off-road. Air suspension is optional with comfort and sport modes, adjusting ride height about 3.5 inches. Four-wheel steering is optional.
Athletic and powerful
The extremely flat and very wide C-pillar is reminiscent of the Audi Ur-quattro from the 1980s, as are the strongly flared shoulders over the wheels. This places the concept car in a logical line with the show cars of the Audi Prologue series. The balanced proportions of the Audi Q8 concept emphasize the front and rear wheels equally – that too is typical quattro.
Sources : www.audi.com / autoweek.com