FUTURE MODELS
New Audi SUV set to jump the sedate Q
Near production-ready Q8 concept car will lower Q7’s boring factor with sassy styling and a gnashing grille, writes Michael Taylor
If you like an SUV with terrific interiors, a brilliant ride and handling and exquisite technology wrapped in something other than granddad’s suit, Audi finally has something for you. The Q8 concept car is a powerful, economical plug-in hybrid set to morph into a production car in 2018 — and Audi says it will be visually close to the Detroit showstopper. Of course, while the show car is a pure plug-in hybrid with 1,000km of combined range, the production Q8 will run the full gamut of the Q7’s powertrain range, including petrol and diesel six-cylinder motors and, eventually, the crunching 48V, electric compressor tech of the SQ7 wondercar. Purposeful But for now the Q8 concept is only to be found with a combined 330kW of power and 700Nm of system output, wrapped in a 5.02m skin that looks far more purposeful and aggressive than the ultra-conservative Q7. It is mainly powered by a 3.0l TFSI petrol V6, which uses turbocharging and direct and indirect fuel injection. With 225kW of power...
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