In a market where BMW and Mercedes seem to be the two most relevant German luxury brands in the country, Audi has dropped the new performance SUV, the Audi SQ8. The Audi SQ8 has been launched in India at an introductory price of 1.78 crore (ex-showroom) and it will sit between the basic Audi Q8 and the flagship performance SUV, the Audi RS Q8.
The new Audi SQ8 has been launched with the same 4-litre V8 engine borrowed from the Audi RS Q8, but has been slightly detuned to produce 133 bhp and 80 Nm less than the RS Q8 but it is still quite a crazy machine. The 4-litre V8 engine on the Audi SQ8 produces 507 bhp of power and 770 Nm of torque, enabling a 0 to 100 kmph time of 4.1 seconds only.
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The V8 engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox which sends the power to all four wheels. To enhance the driving pleasure, the Audi SQ8 also comes with features like an air suspension, rear axle steering, a rear axle sport differential, and an active roll stabilisation.
In terms of the design, the Audi SQ8 also comes with the same silhouette as the standard Audi Q8. It gets matrix headlamps as standard and large functional air intakes on the front bumper. The car comes with 21-inch wheels as standard and can be upgraded to 22-inches at an additional cost. At the back, we get a connected OLED tail lamp setup, a roof-mounted spoiler, and a black SQ8 badge on the tailgate. The rear also features a silver trim and a diffuser that looks super aggressive with the quad-tip exhaust system.
The Audi SQ8 will be offered in eight colour options – Ascari Blue, Mythos Black, Daytona Grey, Glacier White, Chili Red, Waitomo Blue, Satellite Silver, and Sakhir Gold.
Inside, the dashboard design and layout is similar to the standard Q8, but with some of the “S” badging to remind you that you’re in a performance version of the Q8. We get an all-black theme with a 3-spoke steering wheel with physical controls and an ’S’ badge. There is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch infotainment display, and another 8.6-inch touchscreen below the infotainment display for the 4-zone climate control.
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The Audi SQ8 also features a 17-speaker Bang and Olufsen speakers setup, a panoramic sunroof, wireless phone charging, soft-close doors, a powered tailgate, and electronically adjustable front seats with memory function. In terms of safety, the new Audi SQ8 comes with 8 airbags, a 360-degree camera with blind spot monitors, disc brakes on all four wheels, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and level 2 ADAS.
Given the price range and the features, the Audi SQ8 will compete with the likes of the Mercedes AMG GLE Coupe, Porsche Cayenne GTS, and more.
