Expressive design and new lightning technology – the upgraded Audi Q8 and SQ8 arrive in South Africa
Audi has updated the flagship of the Q family with a purer design language and upgraded technology. The revised exterior aesthetic with new front and rear aprons underscores the strong character of the SUV coupé. For the first time, Audi is equipping the Q8 with HD Matrix LED headlights featuring digital daytime running lights and a quartet of selectable light signatures. Digital OLED rear lights with four selectable rear light designs complete the expanded light offering. New wheels, colours, decorative inlays, and seats with contrast stitching highlight the car’s top position among the Q models.
“As the flagship model in our Q range, the impressive new Q8 again sets the benchmark for sporty SUVs with a coupé aesthetic. It represents the epitome of Vorsprung durch Technik: striking design, forward-thinking digitalisation and potent yet efficient performance. We cannot wait for our current and future customers to experience the very essence of Audi when they test drive the new Q8,” says Sascha Sauer, Head of Audi South Africa.
Revised, generous and striking: the exterior design
With its expressive design, the revised Q8 is a sporty, elegant SUV coupé. The short overhangs and long wheelbase make for dynamic but elegant proportions that can be accentuated with distinctive exterior colours and wheels.
The unmistakably powerful and upright Audi Singleframe with an octagon design now features vertical inlays. They are arranged in teardrop shape in the base exterior and designed in the shape of an L in the S line exterior package and the SQ8 TFSI. This makes it clear at first glance that the Q8 belongs to Audi’s top models and clearly differentiates it from the A models. The self-assured appearance of the Q8 is underscored by the new prominent air intakes, which are clearly integrated into the car’s basic architecture.
Audi has systematically reduced the decorative elements for an even more puristic design. To distinguish the S line exterior package and S model at first glance, the front bumper area, door attachment trim, and diffuser in the base model come in contrasting colours that underline the robust off-road look. New for all Audi Q8 units is an exhaust system with premium-quality, visually appealing tailpipes. Aligned even more closely with the SQ8 TFSI, the S line exterior package, which is standard on all non-S models, stands out with its accentuated side air intakes in the front bumper.
The Audi Q8 bears Audi’s new, modern corporate identity. Specifically, this is the new two-dimensional rings that debuted in the Q8 e-tron. They are visually impressive through their greater precision. Instead of chrome, the new four rings come in contrasting white and black; as part of an optional package, the white of the rings is replaced with a dark grey that still looks like high-gloss black. In the Q8, the B-pillar now also bears the model, derivative, and technology identifier.
A new kind of individualisation: headlights and rear lights
High-intensity Matrix LED headlights light up the road in the Q8 as standard. HD Matrix LED headlights with the Audi laser light are also available as an option. This system works with 24 LEDs and a high-power laser diode each and are immediately recognisable via a blue ambient light incorporated into the headlights. The laser light becomes active starting at 70km/h and significantly increases the high beam range.
New for the top-of-the-range headlights are digital daytime running light signatures. They give the Q8 its characteristic and unmistakable appearance by allowing the user to select one of four individual light signatures via the MMI. It's not just the expanded range of functions in the headlights that is novel – their design is also fresh. The higher positioning of the daytime running lights gives the Q8 more visual width and creates a flowing, formal connection between the headlights and the Singleframe. For the first time, the Q8 also features large, digitalised OLED rear lights (OLED = organic light emitting diode) as an optional extra, which also feature four digital light signatures in conjunction with the headlights.
Like the Audi A8 and Q5, the digital OLED rear lights in the Q8 incorporate a proximity indication feature that works in tandem with the assistance systems. When vehicles from behind come within two metres of the stationary Q8, the control units trigger the activation of all the digital OLED segments. Additional functions include dynamic turn signals as well as various coming home and leaving home sequences.
Décor, colours and wheels: the right equipment range for every taste
With the latest product upgrade, Audi has once again refined the equipment range for the Q8. The seams on the seat trim in the base model now come as standard in a contrasting grey colour. There are also nine decorative inlays available to choose from. Adding to the available options in the equipment lineup are wood fine-grain ash natural silver for the standard model; carbon twill matt, and aluminium linear silver grey for the Q8 featuring the S line sport package; as well as for the SQ8 TFSI. To further underscore the character of the Q8, three new finishes are available. Audi Sport GmbH offers Sakhir Gold, Ascari Blue, and Chili Red, all as metallic finishes.
Customers can look forward to additional new features in more than just finishes. For the wheel range, customers have a choice of five new wheel designs, with sizes ranging from 22 to 23 inches for a clear advantage over the competition.
In terms of driver assistance systems, the surroundings display has received a significant upgrade. The Audi virtual cockpit displays a lane change warning, other road users (trucks, cars, and motorcycles) distance warning, intersection assist, and traffic light information online in stunning full HD quality.
This product upgrade also expands the standard equipment for the Q8: 22-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera, park and high beam assist, Bang & Olufsen 3D Premium audio system, and the convenience key, among other features, now come as standard.
Steady in every situation: the suspension with Audi’s DNA
Only an Audi drives like an Audi: This is how the brand with the four rings sums up the DNA of an Audi’s driving characteristics, and it’s no less true for the Q8. Five characteristics define the Q8’s handling: balanced, solid, controlled, precise, and effortless. The suspension, steering, and drive as well as the braking and control systems all play a key role in creating a reliably safe, dynamic, and simultaneously comfortable driving experience. Even the standard equipment, with balanced steel spring suspension and damper control, ensures the Q8’s consistent driving experience.
Electronically controlled adaptive air suspension sport with a continuously adaptive damping system is standard on all derivatives. In addition, optional all-wheel steering (standard equipment on the SQ8 TFSI) ensures an increased level of safety and comfort. At low speeds, the back wheels turn up to five degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels. This reduces the turning radius, by up to one metre, and increases manageability. At the same time, the driver feels more comfort and benefits from improved stability at higher speeds because the back wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels. To improve the Q8’s handling in everyday situations such as manoeuvring in parking lots, parking garages, or a home garage, the steering system has been optimised for greater ease.
The right choice for every situation: the powertrains
The range opens with the 45 TDI quattro, a 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine that delivers 183kW and 600Nm. From a standing start, the Audi Q8 45 TDI accelerates to 100km/h in 7.0 seconds before topping out at 220km/h.
This engine is followed by the Q8 55 TFSI, which features a six-cylinder engine with 3.0 litres of displacement and direct fuel injection that delivers 250 kW. It offers a maximum torque of 500 Nm. With its turbocharged petrol engine, the Q8 55 TFSI accelerates from zero to 100km/h in 5.6 seconds. It reaches its electronically governed top speed at 250km/h.
All V6-engines in the Audi Q8 work together with an eight-speed tiptronic, quattro permanent four-wheel drive, and the mild hybrid system, which can achieve a fuel-consumption advantage of up to 0.5L/100km in customer operation.
Superior performance: the Audi SQ8 with a V8 TFSI petrol engine
The new SQ8 TFSI advances sportiness even further – it impresses with a redesigned spoiler at the front and an expressive diffuser at the rear. The Singleframe stands out with vertical L-shaped inlays in a sporty colour scheme. The larger air intakes feature honeycomb grilles across their surface. Characteristically, Audi opts for a sporty aluminium look for the exterior mirror housings, the inlays in the Singleframe and the edging of the side air intakes.
As part of the product upgrade, the SQ8 TFSI now runs on the established 4.0 TFSI with 373kW and 770Nm of torque with fast-shifting eight-speed tiptronic and quattro permanent all-wheel drive. With this engine, the SQ8 TFSI accelerates from zero to 100km/h in just 4.1 seconds, with an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h. To achieve a sporty sound, there is an exhaust flap on each tailpipe that modulates the sound depending on load and rev speed.
For an ideal driving experience, a vehicle requires not only first-class engines, but also outstanding suspension components. With the standard-fitment adaptive air suspension sport, customers also benefit from the sport differential. When cornering at high speed, it uses two multi-disc clutches to shift the torques between the rear wheels, giving the wheel on the outside of the curve, which has the better grip, the greater share. Known as torque vectoring, this makes handling even more effortless and precise. When turning or accelerating in a curve, the large sport SUV coupé literally presses into the curve, minimising the tendency to understeer. The second component in the package is electromechanical active roll stabilisation (eAWS). Here, both axles are equipped with a compact electric motor coupled to a transmission. It splits the stabiliser into two halves. When driving straight, it allows them to work largely independently of each other, which reduces body movements on uneven roads. In sporty driving, however, the electric motor causes the two halves to rotate in opposite directions, thus working together as a unit. This means that the car leans into the curve significantly less, and the steering response becomes more precise. The eAWS is powered by a 48-volt super capacitor.
Audi offers different-design 23-inch alloy wheels for the SQ8 TFSI. The brake discs on the front axle measure 400mm; on the rear axle, they span 350mm. The black brake callipers, which come optionally in red, bear the S logo that defines Audi’s look on the front axle.
Available to order now
The market launch of the Audi Q8 takes place this month, with the SQ8 following shortly thereafter. Audi South Africa will offer both the 45 TDI and 55 TFSI is Platinum Edition and Black Edition trim lines. Over and above the former variant’s generous standard specification, Black Edition trim includes a Black styling package plus, Black mirror housings, a Singleframe surround in black, as well as privacy glazing for the rear windows.
Prices for the 45 TDI quattro start at R1,968,700 for the Platinum Edition and R2,011,700 for the Black Edition. The Q8 55 TFSI Platinum Edition, meanwhile, costs R2,015,400 for the Platinum Edition and R2,058,400 for the Black Edition. The SQ8’s pricing will be revealed closer to its launch date. Like all Audi models, the Q8 boasts a 5-year/100,000km Audi Freeway Plan comprehensive service and maintenance plan.
