The Audi Q8 has made a surprise entry to the country, and this very unit is currently on display at Euromobil Glenmarie. Positioned as a rival to the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, the Audi equivalent of an SUV coupe will reportedly be priced at RM 727,900 before insurance.

Now, just one variant is on display at the moment, that being the 3.0 TFSI quattro. Under the bonnet is – you guessed it – a 3.0 litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine that makes 340 hp at 5,200 to 6,400 rpm and 500 Nm of torque at 1,370 to 4,500 rpm, and it’s paired to an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission.


Power is sent to all four wheels through the brand’s quattro all-wheel drive system (with all-wheel steering), which helps it sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h, and the claimed combined fuel consumption is rated at 8.9 litres per 100 km. Adaptive air suspension, electromechanical parking brake and progressive steering are standard.

For the exterior, the Q8 gets HD matrix LED headlights with dynamic light design and dynamic turn signal, LED tail lights with dynamic turn signal, parking aid plus with 360-degree surround view cameras, panoramic glass sunroof, soft-closing doors, as well as 20-inch cast alloy wheels shod with 275/50 Continental PremiumContact6 tyres.

Inside, there’s the usual Audi virtual cockpit, four-zone automatic climate control, Valcona leather seats (this particular Q8 is a five-seater; third-row seat is optional in other markets), heated and ventilated front seats, Oak Grey interior inlays, leather-wrapped centre armrest and ambient lighting package. Also on are Bang and Olufsen 3D Advanced Sound System, MMI navigation plus with MMI touch response, colour head-up display and Audi smartphone interface.


In the latest Audi fashion, the centre dash features a dual-screen setup, with the upper touchscreen measuring 10.1-inch in size (MMI infotainment and navigation) and the lower unit measuring 8.6-inch. There’s also voice control that’s able to decipher natural phrases via machine learning, so instead of saying, “find me a restaurant,” you’ll only need to tell the system, “I am hungry.”

Safety-wise, there’s the usual gamut of active and passive safety features, including Audi pre sense front which comes with turn assist and collision avoidance assist, as well as camera-based traffic sign recognition. Other creature comforts include an electric sunshade for the rear windscreen, as well as manual sun blinds for both rear doors.