Audi has been teasing a mysterious model on Facebook
and Twitter recently and the company has finally released a revealing teaser
image which appears to show the Q8. The company isn’t saying much about the
model but promised it will be introduced shortly and this suggests an unveiling
at Auto China. Audi went on to say the crossover “carries the gene of the
Urquattro” and sports a “new face with luxury class prestige engraved into
every detail.”
That’s not much to go one but the teaser images show
the Q8 will have a wide Singleframe grille and sporty styling cues. Details are
hard to make out but the photoluminescent tape reveals a sloping roof which
meets a rakish D-pillar. We can also see muscular rear fenders, massive alloy
wheels and slender taillights. Since the model was previewed by the Q8 and Q8
Sport concepts, we can also expect a sporty front fascia with large air
intakes.
The interior promises to be high-tech and luxurious
as photos have shown drivers will sit behind a digital instrument cluster and
find themselves surrounded by leather upholstery and metallic accents. Drivers
will also find a leather-wrapped steering wheel, distinctive air vents and
modern infotainment system.
Audi hasn’t said much about the model but it will ride
on the MLB Evo platform and be offered with an assortment of different engines.
The entry-level model is expected to use a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder
that produces around 252 hp. Buyers can also expect a more powerful
turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with around 355 hp.
A plug-in hybrid variant should eventually join the
lineup and it will reportedly have a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, an
electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. This could enable the model to
produce a combined maximum output of around 443 hp. More importantly,
the crossover could have an electric-only range of up to 59 km.
If that wasn’t enough variety, we can expect even
more powerful S Q8 and RS Q8 variants. The latter is expected to have a
twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 producing around 530 hp.
