Despite recent years bringing tougher emission requirements, the performance SUV segment has never been more flush with options. Yes, that can be down to the sheer volume of demand for this category of vehicle but also credited to manufacturers playing the legislative game better than before.
That’s exactly what Audi set out to deliver when they handed over the Q8, their big coupe SUV to their Sport division. A department which is in a weird place currently, having canned the iconic RS4 Avant but still somehow keeping the five cylinder powered RS3 alive, they then bring this out, the RS Q8 Performance. Not only does it feature Audi’s most powerful combustion engine ever, it’s also the fastest SUV ever to go around the Nurburgring but what’s the point of it all?
Funnily enough, this Audi reminds me of the 2000s when the brand put a souped up version of their V10 into their most luxurious sedan, creating that iconic S8. It was when they also stuck a turbo diesel V12 in the front of their seven seater family SUV. The brand went crazy for a little while and car enthusiasts loved it. And although this car is a reminder of that era, it’s not as cool, firstly because the automotive faithful have yet to warm to these lifted vehicles (remember that the RS6 still exists) and secondly because it is not as discrete.
The RS Q8 makes little effort to hide itself or its performance apart from the lack of an RS badge on the front grille. Speaking of which, it is framed in a matte carbon fibre panel, the material is also used on the door mirror covers and across the rear hatch. All vital areas of weight saving for this circa 2.5 tonne car. While we are on the topic of numbers, although the Q8 makes a good effort of trying to hide its size, there’s no denying it, particularly when it’s riding on 23 inch five spoke wheels. That’s not a typo, they really are that massive.
Measuring in at just over 5m in length, 2m in width and about 1.7m in height, it’s the width that particularly catches you off guard when you get stuck down the middle lanes of Auckland’s Harbour Bridge where the lanes were measured up for cars of a bygone era. A particularly nightmarish place to be when you’re riding on wheels as large as these.
The list of options is as extensive as the car is expansive and although the base price is NZD $284,990, ours was dressed up with a few accessories. The ‘Metallic & Matte Carbon Styling Package’ pointed out earlier, ‘RS Design Package’, Dinamica suede headliner, and the larger wheels were all the key culprits when it came to the final price of NZD $317,990. They have thrown in a few freebies through, that eye catching Chilli Red colour for one and the carbon ceramic brakes, both come as standard! Watching all of these get invariably dirty over the course of the weekend had me suspenseful, it’s just as well that the interior is both a vast and inviting place to be.
You can call polyurethane whatever you want but it doesn’t make it luxurious. For that experience, you can’t beat some good old fashioned leather and suede. My Goodness, did the Audi have both of those en masse! The dashboard was finished in Nappa leather while a perforated Valcona variety was chosen for the enveloping seats. Six different interior highlight options are available with this car being specified in the ‘RS Design Package Red Plus’ which brought all of that red stitching and highlights. Audi HQ did a superb job when it came to specifying the Kyalami Green RS3 press car I reviewed and I’m happy to say that they have done the same here.
There’s a lot to talk about with the seats as they do feature both heating and ventilating as well as several massage functions. Dinamica inserts feature on the doors, also wrapping around the steering wheel as well as the headliner. While the material looks and feels premium, putting it on high contact areas like the gearstick and steering is not a great idea, particularly when summer comes around. Speaking of which, it also didn’t have a sunroof which I thought was odd given the price point.
In my opinion, luxury doesn’t just come from the materials used but also the audio experience delivered by a car. Listening to an average of about 100,000 hours of music per year, I cannot reiterate how vital this is and that RS Q8 certainly did not disappoint here. Another standard option of this car is the 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen ‘Advanced Sound’ system which delivered as expected. It’s exactly what you want from a luxury vehicle like this and acoustically the car was very impressive, not just where the audio system was concerned, the cabin is also well insulated from the outside world. That is until you put your foot down and overpower those speakers.
As the most powerful production Audi ever, this RS Q8 was never going to go quietly anywhere. Under its bonnet sits a 4L twin turbo V8, kicking out 471kW of power, that’s about 631 horses and a mammoth 850Nm of torque. It is immensely fast as you can imagine, completing the 0-100kph sprint in 3.6s! Don’t expect it to be light on fuel though because claimed efficiency is around 13.6L/100km but my 500km test saw me average 15.1L/100km with a mix of traffic, motorways and spirited driving of course. A small consolation is its mild hybrid system which at least lightens the load on the wallets of those living in cities with a congestion charge.
Yes, I expected the RS Q8 to be mighty fast in a straight line, how could it not be with that engine delivering its power to all four wheels (Quattro) via a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox. One look at those ellipse exhaust tips and you know instantly that it will be loud as well. What I wasn’t expecting was for it to be nimble. It handles in a way that defines physics, remaining planted at all times, always being able to put its power down savagely. Thanks to its quick steering and low profile tyres, handling is sharp although the steering feel can be numb. That air suspension setup in particular does an excellent job of keeping the car level as much as possible. Side note, I’d love to have a look at the complexity of its suspension arms and monitoring systems. When your foot isn’t flat to the floor, the RS Q8 can also be civil, trundling along the motorway with little fuss, Audi’s trusty adaptive cruise control stalk still lingering around to help with those monotonous journeys.
The Verdict
Yes, it’s massive, the power it puts out is earth shattering and the noise will wake your neighbours. It is rude, brash and in your face but the RS Q8 is also uncannily petite when it comes to demonstrating its handling prowess on the road. There’s also the value for money argument, a relative term I know, but a relevant one especially when compared with its pricier siblings from within the VW Group. Now, does one actually need a 600 something horsepower luxury coupe SUV, not at all but is it entertaining, heck yeah.
In all seriousness though, if you are thinking of getting one of these, remember that the RS6 still exists, that is all.
2025 Audi RS Q8 Performance: 4/5
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Car courtesy of Audi New Zealand via EMD. Words and photos by Matthew D’Souza.
