Audi is expanding the range of the Q8 in Europe by
adding a pair of new engine options to the existing range. Customers in Europe had a single
-diesel- engine option to choose so far for the Audi Q8 but that’s no longer
the case; Audi is now adding the 55 TFSI petrol model into the range, featuring
a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 335 hp and 500 Nm of torque.
Audi claims a 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and a top speed that’s
electronically limited to 250 km/h.
The second new engine option is a derivative of the
existing 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine; dubbed the 45 TDI, it produces 228 hp and 500 Nm of torque that’s offered between 1,750 rpm and
3,250 rpm. 0-100 km/h comes in 7.1 seconds, while top speed is 233 km/h.
All engines in the new Audi Q8’s range are combined
with a mild hybrid system that can reduce fuel consumption by up to 0.7
lt/100km in real-life conditions. Audi’s hybrid system consists of a 48-volt
electrical architecture, a lithium-ion battery and a belt alternator starter
(BAS) that can recover up to 12kW of energy. This means that the new Audi Q8
is able to coast at speeds between 55 km/h to 160 km/h with the
engine switched off for up to 40 seconds when the driver lets off the gas
pedal.
So far the only existing model in Europe was the
Audi Q8 50 TDI, featuring a 3.0-liter V6 TDI with 281 hp and 600 Nm of torque. 0-100 km/h comes in 6.3 seconds while flat out, it’ll
do 245 km/h. All versions of the Audi Q8 come with an eight-speed automatic
transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive. Audi has opened the order books for
the new variants of the Q8 now.
