Yahoo Autos Orange Crush: 2019 Audi Q8 Revealed in Production Form at Last
Audi’s latest Q-ship has landed as a smaller, sportier, and-due to the number 8 in its name-pricier alternative to the Q7. Looking nearly identical to the two rugged concepts from 2017, Audi identifies the 2019 Q8 as a coupe, although the range-topping crossover is less extroverted than the BMW X6 and less rakish than even the Range Rover Velar. From its blunt, two-tone front to its Ur Quattro–inspired tail, the Q8 chops 2.6 inches in length compared to the Q7, but shares its 117.9-inch wheelbase. The Q8 is 1.2 inches wider than the Q7, though, and deleting the third row of seats and sloping the roofline helped Audi shrink the Q8 by 1.2 inches in height. Correspondingly, compared to the five-seat version of the Q7, cargo volume in the Q8 with the rear seats up decreases by 10 cubic feet to 21. (These are Euro-spec figures, as final numbers for the United States have not been released.)
This is not to say it’s not stylish, and the gold-colored S Line example shown here, with its enormous 22-inch wheels and gray plastic grille surround, is the most adventurous-looking model in the Audi lineup. The Q8 is the first current Audi to channel the legendary 1980s Quattro coupe with a thick black band connecting slatted taillights. Of the other four large crossovers riding on this version of Volkswagen Group’s MLB Evo platform, the Q8’s rear three-quarter profile most closely resembles that of the Lamborghini Urus, and at a fraction of that Italian’s $200,000 starting price. Audi even retained all the rigid creases and exaggerated fender flares of the Q8 concepts. The Q8 is easily the freshest design to hit an Audi showroom in years.
Inside, the Q8 features the two-tiered touchscreen setup also seen in the 2019 A6, A7, and A8. The cabin is festooned in glossy black plastic, aluminum trim, and slick ambient lighting, including an illuminated Quattro badge above the glovebox. Audi will introduce some heavy tech overseas, such as a digital key that can start the car with an Android smartphone, remote-control parking while standing outside the car, and Traffic Jam Pilot that allows Level 3 autonomous capability. While those first two features may be offered here, current regulatory and legal repercussions mean Traffic Jam Pilot almost certainly will not. The Q8 will, however, employ a similar suite of sensors (lidar, long-range radar, cameras, ultrasonic) that will improve Audi’s Traffic Jam Assist, an adaptive cruise control system that includes stop-and-go capability and some steering assist at lower speeds. The Q8 also will be among the first vehicles to link with traffic signals in cities wired for V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure) wireless communication, although Audi didn’t elaborate on where or how the system will work.
A range of engines will be offered, and while unconfirmed at this time, we expect the U.S. market to see the Q7’s 2.0-liter turbo four, the new A6’s 3.0-liter turbo six, and a potential twin-turbo V-8. The Q8’s standard all-wheel-drive system employs a mechanical center differential, which splits torque 40/60 front to rear as the default, in contrast to the newer Quattro Ultra system that electronically disconnects the rear wheels until required. The optional adaptive air suspension-bundled with four-wheel steering that turns the rear wheels up to five degrees-has a 3.5-inch range of adjustment that can raise the Q8 up to 10 inches off the ground (which is more ground clearance than in a Toyota 4Runner). A 48-volt primary electrical system, powered by a lithium-ion battery and a belt-driven motor/generator replacing the conventional alternator, enables hybrid operation in all Q8 models.
Pricing isn’t yet available, but expect things to start around $60,000. The 2019 Q8 is due at dealers in the U.S. this fall.
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